WELCOME

You might be wondering: What is this, and why am I getting it? Let’s answer both.

🧐What is this?
“Steady, Cowboy” (name might change) is my attempt to open the curtain and show you what I’m testing and learning as a photographer. I’ve been on a mission for the last eight years to become the best possible photographer and creative entrepreneur I can be. When I took a class earlier this year to learn how to make short form video, I feel like something clicked: It’s really gratifying trying to be useful to others. I’m by no means a world class photographer, but I have learned a lot - what if I can help other people with all that knowledge?

 “Steady, Cowboy” is an attempt to do that: Lemme share what I’ve picked up. It’s free, it’ll always be free, and it’s just about documenting my journey so that I can look back on it and share it with others in the hopes it may help them too.

🫵Why am I getting it?

1. We’ve worked together in the past

2. You’ve downloaded a digital asset I’ve created, perhaps Lightroom presets

3. We’re friends

📆How often will I get it? No more than weekly, perhaps less. If you don’t want it, feel free to unsubscribe, won’t hurt my feelings.

EXPERIMENTS & LEARNINGS THIS WEEK

1. 🎬VIDEO - How to make POV work best? I tested two different video posts using the smart glasses I got from Ray Ban. I love these things but I haven’t really gotten a video with them to truly pop off. I think the role they play for me long term is additive, rather than central - it’s not about the camera, but what stories can I tell with them/what interesting ways can I use them?

2. 🎬VIDEO - Giving away free stuff: I tried two things here. One, I built a manychat integration into my Instagram DM’s to automatically send folks a link to five free Lightroom presets. That’s been neat, it’s fun to give away something that people can (hopefully) use in their own practice. Two, I just reposted the exact same video alerting people how to do it that I used 30 days ago. Doesn’t seem to have had any adverse impact on it, it’s at about 5800 views 24H in, which is a little above average for me. I want to keep finding ways to give away free stuff to people, just not sure what the next thing is yet.

3. 🎞️FILM - A new lab: I have now found a second film lab that I really, really like. My go-to for the last few years has been Color House NYC. They’re super fast, super professional, and consistently crank out great work that keeps tones really true-to-life. Now, I can add Legacy Photo Lab in Fort Worth, Texas to the list. I’ve gotten two batches of film developed by them and really like what they do (see Metallica photos below for example).

STILLS

Put three sets of stills up this week:

1. 🎞️Some film shots from a Metallica concert I took a little 35MM camera to

2. 📸Some high-flash portraits I shot with Delaney Willett in Las Vegas

3. 💡Some studio work w/ Zoe Tyler from LA last summer

Want to see future issues?

VIDEOS

9/28: BTS with Noah using smart glasses IG / TT
9/27: (repost) free Lightroom presets IG / TT
9/26: An ice cold take about Polaroids IG / TT
9/25: Posing Tutorial, Part 6 IG / TT
9/24: Smart Glasses at a Rodeo IG / TT
9/23: Lighting Tutorial - Flash vs. Natural IG / TT
9/22: Spec campaign for Free People Movement IG / TT

If you only watch one, go for the presets one if you use Lightroom, but I’m the most proud of the spec campaign for Free People because I started using video backgrounds from popular movies in that one. I think that’s gonna be fun going forward.

100 day challenge progress: Also, I’m at day 67 in a row of posting a video. I set a goal for myself coming out of Cut30 that I wanted to turn the 7-day challenge into a 100 day challenge. So, today’s cool, I’m exactly two thirds of the way through it. It is by no means easy. But I’m learning a ton & I feel like I’m making up for lost time. I waited too long to learn how to do this. Better late than never 🤝.

AUDIENCE GROWTH

Instagram: 6455, +485 followers this week, +8% vs. last week
TikTok: 709, TBD (will start tracking growth next week)
Newsletter: 421 subscribers, TBD (will start tracking growth next week)

SHARE

If you saw something you like or found interesting in today’s post - will you do me a solid and forward it to a friend or creator you think might like it?

Everybody have a great rest of your weekend,

Garrett