Meet Abigail Whitehurst

Today we’d like to introduce you to Abigail Whitehurst.

Hi Abigail, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Photography has always been an interest of mine. My mom would always have her nice camera out at family events, and I grew up seeing it. One day, I picked up the camera, starting shooting with it, and it just felt right. As I was a young teen, it seemed like there was nothing better to do than to start a photography Instagram page! From there, I continued taking pictures, not knowing what I was doing, and sharing them with my online community. At the age of 17, I posted about looking for a photography mentor to learn more from and met with a now very close friend who I worked with and was mentored by.

She taught me the ropes, how to shoot in manual, and said I had the natural eye actually to make something of it! From there, I just dove into photography head first. Although I hadn’t honed my skill, I was full of excitement, dedication, and determination to make something of myself as a photographer. I decided to open a sole proprietorship business, Abigail Whitehurst Photography, purchased my privileged license, and boom… I was official. I had never been more proud of a personal accomplishment. I then started reaching out to local stores and boutiques and landed an opportunity. I also started working as a second shooter for weddings. With my growing experience, my opportunities continued to develop as well.

I was overwhelmed by the nurturing creative community Raleigh had to offer. I had people reaching out to me, booking sessions, asking for creative shoots, community meetups, etc. Everyone was so supportive, eager to help and to help each other grow. I started landing more branding sessions and working with local brands and other business owners and entrepreneurs. By the time I had left my teenage years and was now a young adult, I had learned many tricks to the trade. I joined Facebook and Instagram groups, learned marketing strategies, honed my art skills as a photographer, and grew a client base.

I had never imagined that I would have ended up where I am. I started young, dove into it practically blind and without the knowledge to back it up. But I was determined to learn and grow, and it worked out! Now, I am shooting for a magazine and growing, expanding, and learning new skills. I am so thankful to photography for pushing me outside my comfort zone and helping me realize just how capable I am when I set my mind to something.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
There have been struggles. In this work area, clients often bounce around from photographer to photographer, and it can be easy to lose clients to other photographers. I also had to deal with being so young and people thinking I was incapable or not as an official of a business owner due to my age.

I also was in school, traveling, and taking a gap year. All of these other time commitments made it a struggle for me to have the time to dedicate to photography and to try to grow my business.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The dream is to work in fashion, in print, in magazines. I love creative shoots, which allow me to use my creative style, and fluidity to have fun with the session. I developed a strong passion for shooting fashion by working with boutiques and have fallen in love with it. Any shoot that I do myself, I find models, often thrift the look, and style it the way I want as an artistic vision.

As I am now working for a magazine, shooting the fashion story, I can start to see that my hard work is paying off, and I am moving along the path I had always dreamed of. I love the editorial style, the types of photos where you look at the outfit, and it isn’t very clear. The kind of outfits that don’t work but do… the ones that get you to stop and look for a while and admire the artistic eye that went into putting it together.

With a great outfit, a wonderful model, and an inspiring location… that is where the magic happens in my eyes.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
As a photographer, there is a lot of pushing to conform to the norms. I feel like all the photographers around me shoot engagements, couples, families, or weddings. All of your typical photo-perfect moments or capturing memories. Although I shoot the occasional family or couple, I like to push myself to focus on my style and the type of work I want to provide.

I have often heard that I should stop trying to shoot fashion and focus on families and couples because that is where the money is. However, I am not in it for the money… I am in it for the experience and to do what I love. I think that is what helps set me aside from my counterparts… I am not your typical “sit and pose” photographer. I have a love of producing art.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: whitehurst_photo

Image Credits
Abigail Whitehurst Photography