We had the good fortune of connecting with Austin Pace and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Austin, what matters most to you?
Integrity matters most to me. By definition it means the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles and this is how I strive to live my life. Being a man of integrity matters so much to me as a small business owner because I believe it is important for me to engage in honest business practices and never to compromise my moral principles for the sake of adjusting to the standards of the world. Having integrity has allowed me to earn the trust of not only my friends & family but also my clients & others I do business with. Having integrity and truly being who I am makes me feel at peace and gives me a boost of confidence! I believe that my integrity has contributed to the great relationships I have with friends, family, clients & everyone I come into contact with on a daily basis! I hope that by having integrity I can continue to show others that I’m worth trusting, relying on, and doing business with!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The photography industry is literally bursting at its seams, there are so many photographers all over who do amazing work! If I had to pick something that I feel sets me apart from others I would say my ability to capture a diverse range of skin tones in their most beautiful light – something that isn’t always easy.

I’m most proud of the growth that I have been able to achieve in my business being a self-taught photographer! I have received no technical training or degree in photography. I have attended a workshop and of course watched tons of YouTube video tutorials. But for the most part I have learned and grown from experience!

I got to where I am today by not focusing on what others were doing but only trying to improve my craft. After every client I work with I analyze myself and write down things I could have done better – and then I implement and try to actually do better with my next client! It’s not easy to critique yourself and I’ve at times gone to other photographers I could trust to get their honest critiques because in the end I know it is bigger than me and I will always have room to grow and be better for my clients!

The biggest lesson I’ve learned along the way is that I may not be the best fit for every potential client that comes my way. It’s now so important to me that I am on the same page with the clients I work with, because it’s only then that I can create my best work!

I want the world to know that I believe quality NEVER goes out of style, authenticity is more important to me than portraying perfection, and I strive to provide an experience to my clients that goes well beyond the photoshoot! If this resonates with you, then please inquire with me because I would LOVE to work with you!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Columbus is full of fun, interesting & exciting places to check out! I love the Scioto Mile downtown because you can walk along the water and catch beautiful views of our downtown cityscape! From there we can head to the Short North area where there are tons of cool restaurants, art galleries & even night life! There are so many places to eat & drink but just to name a few of my favorites: The Top Steakhouse, The Eagle, Roosters, Char Bar, Local Bar, & Brothers Drake Meadery. There are so many cool pockets of Columbus to hang out in like Olde Town East, Bexley, German Village & Franklinton. I can’t finish without mentioning Polaris & Easton our two huge malls with tons of shopping & fun things to experience!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I always have to shoutout my mentor, Ross Oscar Knight. Ross is an amazing photographer whose ability to tell peoples stories through images I strive to emulate. Ross was the first photographer I was ever really moved by, again because of his amazing visual storytelling. I was able to meet him in person when I attended his photography workshop in 2014 and I learned so much that I still benefit from to this day in my business. Thank you Ross for continuing to be someone I can call on for mentorship after all these years!

Website: www.austingarnettephotography.com

Instagram: instagram.com/austingarnette

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