Meet Widgy Normil | Photographer

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

Hi Widgy, what principle do you value most?
I would say: CONSITENCY

No matter how bad you think you are at what you are doing right now, as long as you keep working diligently to better yourself and not giving up or not dwelling in the same old mindset you will surely see improvement. It took me years to get where I am today. Through prayer, working hard, and stay consistent, you cannot not see growth

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a content creator/photographer. I specialized in Portraits (maternity, family, and couples), events (corporate, parties, etc.), and weddings (formal and elopements). I am based in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. I am known mostly for my unique portrait style. What sets me apart from others is that I make it my duty to capture every moment of my client’s special day. I go above and beyond for all my clients.

If I said the road was smooth, I didn’t learn the fundamental lessons and skills needed to carry me to the next level in the business. Starting something from scratch is never easy, mainly when you have limited resources and very little support. I must admit I also was a bit shy and lacked confidence in my work. I struggled with booking new clients, frustration, pricing my work, and finding my audience. I thought just because I had the title of a photographer, people would automatically gravitate to me. That was not the case. I remember taking photographs of just any object to post to show that I am active and busy shooting daily. Though I had a few people in my circle who volunteered to model for me as often as possible, it still wasn’t enough to attract audiences. It was devastating. I was still new out there, and I was hoping that I would have caught some attention. It wasn’t the case, unfortunately. Frustration started kicking in after the first year of shooting because I began to see this as a dead-end career. At the time, I had only accumulated $500 in earnings. I was getting discouraged. I started telling myself that I could fall back on my church’s media work. I thought I had made the wrong choice of pursuing this dream. however, I couldn’t give up because I had too many people counting on me and encouraging me to go forward. I have learned that it takes more than one person to navigate through this field or any endeavor. One will need a circle of genuine people in their corner. Networking and long term relationship are key.
My brand is here to bring all your ideas to life. We Assist big corporation as well as small businesses.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
It will all depend on the person. Most of my friends really live here in Florida and have been to just about anywhere on the map. However, I must say I would definitely advise them/him/her to check out the beach restaurants and south beach area for sure.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My leaders (pastors), they simply wouldn’t let me settle for mediocrity. They encouraged me every chance they got, whether through a spoken word (ministering to me) or even having me take pictures of them after church services. That is why I am forever grateful for my church family (Holy Temple Holiness Church of Deliverance, Florida). Not only did they lift me in prayer, but some of the youth volunteered to model for me to help me showcase new faces for my portfolio. To take it a step further, my Pastor Bishop Thomas E. Douglas started taking me along with him to various community events, where I could put my gift to use. He then introduced me to the COO and later the EVP of the BoardroomPR, who then recommended me to a local photographer who owns Dream Focus Photography. Where I started doing many corporate events with him as he took me under his wings and taught me the tricks of the trade. I had the chance to work with another photographer who also helped me out, Top Flash Photography, He was covering a lot of weddings, family/couple’s portraits, and headshots sessions. He invited me to come along and work with him on several occasions. I have always been a fan of learning new styles in the world of photography. He then briefly coached me on finding my place in the market and creating live bookings. His advice took me a long way. I’m grateful that God allowed me to meet these individuals. With my wife motivating me, my Pastor’s financial background and advice and coaching from those two gentlemen, I started putting value on my work and began building my audience and attracting new clients.

Website: www.widgynormilphotography.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/widgynormilphotography

Twitter: TheNormils

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/widgynormilphotography/

Image Credits
All images are from: www.instagram.com/widgynormilphotography