Check Out Courtney Martin’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Martin.

Hi Courtney, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
In 2016 I started getting into photography. It was not easy getting into the world of capturing photos because it’s so much more than snapping a picture. It’s about the eye, the angles, the composition, the style, the editing. I had to find myself and the best way to do that was to keep taking photos and never stop. Thankfully I had lots of friends and family to practice on. When I was just getting started I ended up relocating to Miami. This took me to a new state where I had no friends, no people to just hit up and say “hey let’s shoot” to get my practice in…So I had to figure it out. I messaged so many random people on Instagram to be a test subject but my style of photography was still in the beginner stages and Miami is like the land of amazing creatives, so I didn’t really stand out at first. Finally, I was able to connect with an amazing model who gave me a chance at my very first shoot there. She was amazing to work with and I was so so pleased with the outcome of the shoot. It was something so special about the bright colors and endless beauty of Miami that has left an impression on my work until this very day. I spent 3 years finding myself creatively in SoFlo. I met a ton of amazing people, started booking shoots, and took thousands and thousands of photos. I’ve been back in the NC area for about 2 years now and returning to where it all started has been so refreshing. My journey has taken a complete turn from when I first started in 2016 and to see the growth inspires me day in and day out. My clientele stayed loyal throughout my time away and I’ve been able to capture so many beautiful moments here in my home state.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There’s always some sort of obstacle to overcome and I’ve definitely had my own. From finding my niche to finding my style, it was all a learning process. Starting a business in itself is a huge task and perfecting my client experience and really learning the in’s and out’s of how to be a stand-out photography business was something I had to put a lot of time and thought into. Also maintaining a work/life balance was an issue for me in the beginning because I felt like “the grind” was the only way to be successful but after burning out a few times I started to shift my focus. There were mistakes made along the way but thankfully I learned from each of them.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Photography is my choice of art. I was not always on the path to being a photographer but I truly felt destiny worked some magic with this one. In 2015 I was originally selling my original canvas art under the name of Art by Court Winter. When the business started to get serious I figured I should have some professional photos on my website that really showcased my work. I ordered a cheap camera from Amazon and started photographing my pieces. Once I started taking photos of my pieces more often I then began to play around with editing software. I learned very quickly that editing and retouching was a form of art in itself- choosing tones and hues, color grading, and cropping. After realizing this I was like man, I really enjoy doing this. Fast forward 6 or so years and I’m fully focused on photographing weddings, engagement/couples, family, and fashion. My tag line is “Everything BOLD + VIBRANT” because I love love love bold colors and turning the beauty around me up a notch with my editing and retouching style. I am very much proud of my journey and how I turned a hobby into a successful career but have also maintained the passion for taking photographs. This is not about making money, it’s about making memories, making a mark in people’s lives, and gifting them with something they can pass down from generation to generation.

Contact Info:

• Email: courtwinter@artbycourtwinter.com
• Website: www.artbycourtwinter.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/artbycourtwinter
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/artbycourtwinter