DALLAS––For Lindsey Choate, a love of nature grew into a love of photography.
The Florida native moved to Dallas with her family when she was a child. Choate, a local nursing student, shared more with The Herald on Friday, revealing how her hobby metamorphosed into something more lucrative––her own business: the punningly named Through the Linds Photography.
These days, she said, “you will usually find me with a caramel iced coffee in my hand and a smile on my face! I love animals of all kind, but I have a special place in my heart for cats. I love plants and have about seven in my room; yes, just seven in my room alone! I am a very energetic person, so much so that I usually get decaf!
“I think photography is such a beautiful and rewarding passion of mine,” Choate continued. “It is so common for people to look back on their lives and wish they would have taken more pictures. Whether it’s a shoot with a friend, partner, loved one or pet, pictures have the ability to bring us back to specific moments in our lives that might otherwise be forgotten over time.”
And talking of time, she added that things have gone at a lightning-fast pace with her photography. Not two years ago, she upgraded from a digital camera to her first DSLR (or digital single-lens reflex) camera––a high-quality style of camera popular with professional photographers and photojournalists.
“I didn’t decide to turn my love for photography into a business until October of 2020,” Choate revealed, citing her nursing studies, adding, “and I knew I wanted to be able to create my own hours. So I thought, Why not turn my passion into a job and a way for me to provide for myself?”
Armed with her new DSLR camera, Choate began taking pictures of everything around her home. And her love of the natural world factored into this.
“My mom happens to love birds and flowers,” she said, “so we have a plethora of bird-feeders that attract all kinds of birds, and she has flowers planted in every free spot she can possibly find in the yard. I was eager to learn more about photography, so of course I would take pictures of all the birds, squirrels and chipmunks that would frolic around the porch, patio and backyard. I was fascinated by the beauty of all these little things that we often forget to stop and appreciate. Then I started photographing my friends and fell in love with that aspect of photography.”
Soon enough, she found herself photographing couples celebrating engagements and impending motherhood. High school graduations, weddings, small businesses and more quickly followed.
“I really enjoy doing a variety of photography,” said Choate, “because each type is so much fun and different. I love working with people, and photography is a great way to do that. I have learned so much through trial and error. I used to take hundreds of pictures around the house and tweak my settings in between every few pictures to learn how to get the perfect shot. I have watched a number of videos on You-Tube to learn how to find the perfect settings, how to work with different kinds of lighting, how to pose clients and everything related to photography. I read articles and blogs and truly just take any opportunity that I can to learn. I have also ‘shadowed’ a fellow photographer and friend to help get my business started. Looking back at pictures from 2019, I can see how much I have grown as a photographer!”
Are you a young amateur shutterbug, aspiring to make the jump to being a professional photographer? Choate offers some guidance.
“I would say to take pictures of everything,” she said. “If you have free time, and you’re at home, with a friend or going for a walk, take out your camera and snap some pictures. Trees, flowers, friends, pets, products, décor––everything. I feel that every picture you take leads to growth. Practice makes progress.
“I love capturing sweet moments for clients that they can hold on to forever, and I enjoy making new friends,” she added. “Taking senior pictures for high school or college graduates, so they can look back in 20 years and have those memories, is so rewarding. The same is true of a maternity or newborn shoot: being able to provide tangible memories, which the family can reflect on one day, is so special. I really enjoy photographing couples and trying to capture their love for one another in a picture. Photography is such a fun and fulfilling part of my life. With each type of photo-shoot, I get to make new friends and meet new people. I feel so blessed to be trusted to step into such vulnerable and exciting moments for my clients. Photography brings me such joy!”
