Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis Marshall.
Travis, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started taking photos and videos in high school with a point-and-shoot camera, mainly of me and my friend skateboarding. After my parents gave me a DSLR for graduation, I began to take photography more seriously. Then, a coworker asked me to photograph her family, I was so nervous that I spent weeks practicing with friends and family and buying new lighting equipment. Although I never photographed her family, I had fallen in love with portrait photography.
I started photographing everyone I knew, using a local parking garage as a makeshift studio. I began to get paid gigs photographing bands and senior portraits, but I still felt directionless and unfulfilled. I knew that I didn’t want to do weddings, so I googled “types of photography” and discovered commercial photography. I reached out to a local commercial photographer, Mike Morgan, and got lunch with him. I started assisting him on commercial and editorial jobs, and I was able to quit my job at Target to assist him and other photographers full-time.
Around the same time, I got involved in the local Baltimore comedy scene and started building my portfolio with wacky conceptual images of local stand-up comedians and headshots. I assisted full-time for about five or six years before I started picking up more and more paid gigs of my own.
Now, I mainly shoot for local magazines, headshots for comedians and corporate clients, and dabble in video interviews. I have a steady stream of editorial and commercial clients who keep my bills paid, so I’m able to work on and fund side projects in my free time or just sit at home staring at my cat.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Luckily it has been pretty smooth, I did a very slow fade from assisting into full-time shooting so I always had a steady stream of income.
The pandemic made things a little scary when all my jobs lined up started canceling back to back and it seemed like photography would no longer be of any value, But I used this time to pivot into video and learn new ways to make money.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a Commercial portrait and headshot photographer in the Baltimore area. I specialize in polished studio and environmental portraiture. I may be more known for my conceptual portraiture with comedians or of course my cat portraits. I’m most proud of the variety of subjects and clients I’m able to work with. From comedians, attorneys, international corporate employees, or local artists.
What sets me apart from others is I aim to be super-efficient, precise, and detail-oriented. I like to get in and out of sessions very quickly, I always joke that photoshoots are like seeing a dentist because people aren’t usually too excited to be photographed but they know it’s necessary, So I try to make it painless and quick for my subjects. I also spend a lot more time post-cleaning images up and making them look as good as they can without looking fake.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Listen to your clients! It’s very easy to get wrapped up in all the cool cameras and equipment which can lead you to worry more about what you’re shooting with versus what you’re shooting.
Spending time researching and listening to your client’s needs will be a lot more beneficial than anything you could buy. Portraiture is a collaboration, they’re hiring you to make them look how they want to look.
Also, maybe more important than that is to keep taking pictures! This will not only improve your craft but it can also build awareness of your brand. The more photos you take the more you can share. The more you can share the more people will see you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marshalltravis.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/travismarshalll
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TravisMarshallPhoto
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-marshall-050088107/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/travismarshalll
- Youtube: youtube.com/@travismarshalll
- Other: https://vimeo.com/travismarshalll
Image Credits
Behind the scenes photos by Erik Reffitt and Lindsay Bottos
