Today we’d like to introduce you to Roby Fabro.
Roby, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and brought up in Genoa, Italy. I decided to study architecture at university, and during the summer after my third year, I travelled to England to learn English. While I was there, I bought my first SLR camera from a friend and started learning how to use it, taking pictures of anything and everything. My passion for photography had begun. Instead of going back to school, I embarked on a cruise ship as a photographer. This was in 1984.
In 1988, I moved to Milan; I got into fashion photography with the help of a friend who was already working in that sector of the industry. A few years later, my love for London compelled me to move back to the UK where I spent roughly the next decade doing fashion photography for a few years and then, focusing mainly on environmental portraiture.
In 2005, vitamin D-deprived from living in England, I embarked on a new adventure by moving to Mexico to set up a photography business by the sea where there was also plenty of sunshine. After eight productive months and the two hurricanes that hit the Yucatan Peninsula (only two months apart), my Mexico venture reached its end. All was not lost, however; it was during the first hurricane when I met my wife who was on vacation from the United States. The second hurricane provided the necessary impetus for me to go back to the States, get married and start the next phase of my career. So, for the past 11 years, I have focused on portrait photography, taking pictures of a lot of kids and families. More recently, I have rediscovered my love for fashion and fashion lifestyle photography. My wife and I live in Milton, Massachusetts with our two little dogs, Zoey and Luna.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Well, it’s never a smooth road, is it? Photography requires a lot of networking, self-motivation, and perseverance to secure jobs, especially in the sectors of advertising, design, or fashion. In a way, you need to be in the right place at the right time. I remember many times showing my portfolio to potential clients who, at the moment I met them, would say, “Oh yeah, this kind of work is exactly what we were looking for in our last campaign, but we completed it last month. Please keep in touch.” At other times, potential clients would flip through my photos without making one comment. To make your way in the industry, it is not enough to just be the artist; you must also be your own salesperson, maintaining contacts, making regular appointments, and keeping yourself present in the minds of potential clients. You also have to learn how to accept rejection, which can be very disheartening.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with RobyFabro Photography – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Since I moved to the States, the main focus of my business has been family portraits. In working with families and children, I like to make the photo shoot fun and light-hearted. Both parents and their children can, at times, exhibit stress when having their photos taken, so I try to make everyone feel more at ease and comfortable. Then, I think my work is unique in two key ways: first, in the variety of pictures I take; and second, in being able to capture an individual’s personality in its most natural form.
The thing that has made me most proud is that over half of my current clients have remained with me since I started my work in the U.S., for over ten years. I have made friendships with many families and have watched their children grow from babies to teenagers. In addition, I continue to get new clients through referrals and word of mouth. My business has grown with each year.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I plan to continue the kind of photography I am already doing with families and children. In addition, I am looking to get more involved in fashion-lifestyle photography, either for magazines or advertising.
Pricing:
- Family photo session (1 hour): starts at $400
Contact Info:
- Address: Milton, MA
- Website: http://fabrophoto.com & http://robyfabro.com
- Phone: 617-938-8210
- Email: rvf2k@yahoo.com
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