Photographer Promotes Stepping Out of Comfort Zone for Personal Growth
Five years old. That was the age that Sylvia Gunde started to play with a camera and fell in love with photography. She liked expressing her artistic side. She was inspired by the fact that she could make images that sparked her imagination into a reality. Most of all, she was intrigued by her ability to capture things exactly as they are or to capture things in a way that makes it look totally different than real life.
Following her love of photography, Gunde now owns her own photography company, Sylvia G Photography, which specializes in fashion, commercial, and portrait photography. During college, she took on freelance photography jobs and assisted other photographers in fields that she was interested in observing and learning more about.
After graduating as a Studio Art major from the University of California, Irvine, she decided to dedicate more time and energy to photography by starting her own business.
“I don’t think I’ve ever consciously thought about starting my business. It just happened, and I’m very glad it did. I loved doing photography so doing it as a job came naturally,” said Gunde.
“One of the best things is that with your own business you have a free hand on how you want everything to be.”
Gunde has admitted that starting her own business had its share of challenges.
“There are an insane amount of obstacles, especially with a business during and straight out of college. People have a tendency to judge you and your work based off your age, which I think is a horrible idea,” remarked Gunde. “There are many young, talented people out there. As long as you’re professional and put out your best, you’ll be fine.”
Apart from the challenges that she has faced, Gunde believes that every step in her business has been an achievement. Every photo shoot she does, every client she finds, is a step forward. Most recently, Gunde has been able to work with a number of dance crews in Los Angeles, including Instant Noodles Dance Crew, a previous participant in MTV’s America’s Best Dance crew. A perk of the job is the opportunity to travel with the group, photographing their tour and performances throughout the United States.
“I love traveling and while it’s tiring, it’s worth all the exhaustion. Experiencing different places, different weather, and, above all, the people are things that you can’t put a price on,” commented Gunde. “Traveling is such a nice breath of fresh air and it’s definitely one of the most inspiring things to me. The more you’re exposed to, the more you are able to widen your mind and imagination.”
For those looking to start their own business, Gunde believes that passion and persistence are necessary elements. She encourages people not to be scared and to take the initiative, rather than waiting for something to happen.
“I think patience is definitely a virtue but there is a difference between knowing when to wait patiently and just not doing anything. I’m not a patient person so I definitely don’t really stay ‘in the bud.’ I would rather take opportunities that fail as opposed to not taking opportunities and wishing I had,” explained Gunde.
“I did photo directly out of college and I definitely think you new to put yourself in uncomfortable and new situations in order to bloom.”
By Connie K. Ho
