Check Out Cearra Blackwell’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cearra Blackwell.

Hi Cearra, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! My name is Cearra and I’m 25 years old. I currently attend school at NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, but before my love of vet med started, I was consumed by my love of photography. I have been taking photos since high school and professionally for the last 5/6 years. My mom bought my first Nikon when I was in high school, I started experimenting with everything — and I mean everything.

Leaves, rain, my house, kids, trees, shoes, you name it! In the midst of finding my niche, I started college at East Carolina University, where I discovered senior portraits. If you had told me ten years ago that my business consisted mostly of senior portraits and other “people” photography, I would’ve laughed in your face. I loved landscape photography, that was where I thought my path would lead me. As I got older, I began to realize there was lack of scenery (and clientele) in my location needed to use this form of photography as a source of income. I loved it and still do, but on more of a hobby versus a business level. Senior portraits started a little rocky, but once I learned the campus and did some research on cool spots and poses, the rest was history. I’m so thankful I decided to give it a try, learning how to pose people, learning how to communicate with clients to get the shots we both wanted a SO much valuable information and experience I learned in the few years I attended this university.

Over time, my posing got better (I also modeled for most of my college experience, so learning posing from both sides was extremely helpful in both of these crafts), my content got more creative, my confidence got higher. I finally decided it was time I branch out to other things — couples. I had a few of my friends and their partners help me out, testing poses and different locations. Much like the beginning of senior portraits, I struggled. Learning how to pose an individual was one thing, but adding another AND connecting the two to seem as one cohesive unit….definitely different. Definitely harder. But again, I did my research, watched YouTube, searched and pinned for hours on Pinterest, found Instagram accounts that shot/edited in a way I liked, asked friends to model for me. Now, I book engagement/couple shoots with confidence and look back at the nervous little 18 years old, scared to try something new out of fear of failure. From shooting the trees in my front yard ten years ago to booking two weddings so far this year, my craft has grown into something I am proud of and something I want to continue alongside my future career as a veterinarian. Moral of the story, it’s okay to not have all of the knowledge when you’re starting out, watching yourself learn and evolve is one of the most rewarding parts of experimenting with a new craft. Try that thing you’ve always wanted to try, it could be one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
This has most definitely not been a smooth road, but I wouldn’t say it’s been necessarily rocky, either. I think the biggest struggle I (and most photographers) face is doubt. You doubt your work’s worth, you doubt your abilities, you go into lulls where you don’t feel creative, you don’t feel worth your rates. Social media is such a powerful tool, it comes with huge benefits, being able to see other photographers’ work, how they pose, their angles, their post-production editing styles, their shoot style, etc. BUT…it also comes with a negative side, comparison. It comes with “I tried to recreate that shot with my own twist, it just didn’t turn out as good as theirs,” or “I can’t get my colors to look like that to save my life,” and even “I wish I had a studio (or camera, props, models, equipment, etc.) like that, I would get better shots like them.” You self-doubt to the point you don’t even feel worth calling yourself a photographer, putting yourself in the same category as some of these people. Sometimes you have to force yourself to take a step back, realize your worth and understand that you are not in competition with others. There may be people who look at your work and say those same things to themself. Keep working, keep practicing, keep learning. You’re doing great, don’t let social media convince you otherwise.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a photographer and a model. Mostly, I focus on portraits, like senior (graduation) photos, couples/engagement, weddings, family, maternity, etc. I really enjoy my senior portrait work, but lately my couple sessions have been growing and getting better, so I’m also very proud of those. What sets me apart from other photographers is that I’ve professionally modeled for the last seven years. Why does this matter? How does that set me apart? Let me explain. Photography is a dance between the photographer and the subject(s). Think of the saying “it takes two to tango,” with a little more literal meaning. Now, let’s pretend you wanted to tango at your wedding, and that you grew up in a family that taught you how to tango at a young age, where you don’t remember a time in your life that you didn’t know how to tango. Imagine starting the dance with your partner, who has never danced a tango in their entire life. Wouldn’t that be a little difficult explaining to your partner, while you’re dancing, how to tango? You don’t remember the experience of not knowing how to tango, so you may not know how to teach someone something that you don’t remember learning in the first place.

I see myself as a tango instructor, someone who has learned the art of the tango and how to teach it. Being that I am comfortable behind and in front of the camera, it helps me relate to my clients. It helps me pose clients in ways that are comfortable for them while ensuring I’m getting a flattering angle at the same time. It helps me explain a pose or facial expression by showing and using my own body. I give them tips I learned like subtle head tilts that change the definition of your jaw or a slight turn of the hip that gives just the right curve. Because a lot of times, photographers get lost in the shot as a whole and forget that your client’s eye is not going to the shot as a whole, it’s going straight to their face/body/hair, etc. It’s finding a balance between making sure the shot is stunning and that the client looks their best, so they see not only themself but the entire image. That’s what sets me apart.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
You can follow my Instagram account @cearrab_photography, like & share my photos, and/or book me! 🙂

Pricing:

• 1/2 hour, 20-30 fully edited photos: $100
• 1 hour, 50-75 fully edited photos: $175
• Travel: first 20 miles free, $1 per mile after the first 30

Contact Info:

• Email: cearrab96@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cearrab_photography/, @cearrab
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cearrab-photography-101348175141195/

Image Credits
Cearrab Photography