Today we’d like to introduce you to Samid Mirza
Hi Samid, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
First, thank you Voyage Austin for this amazing opportunity.
The whole ambition of getting of into photography began with a random idea at 3am in April of this year, (the best time for good ideas), where I was laying in bed and thinking to myself “I should take night time and concert photos, that could be fun.”
I dwelled on this idea for a while, thinking I had to find the perfect time to kick-start this new ambition of mine. However, I learnt there’s no such thing as the “perfect timing,” and it’s just better to go out and give it a go. On a random night in September I drove to my nearest Best Buy, bought a Canon camera, and just spontaneously decided to take some photos at the corner of Home-Slice pizza. The following day, I bought a membership of to Adobe Lightroom, watched a few Youtube tutorials, and just went for it with editing the photos.
Getting out of my comfort zone and actively announcing on my personal Instagram that “Hey guys, go check out my photography page” was pretty anxiety inducing, In addition to actually making @Mirzatography a part of my life; but I am proud of myself for pushing through those doubts. The support from good friends, even old time ones, made me realize I made the right decision to start this page. The amount of wholesome comments and support from my posts gave me more motivation to keep this going.
The concert element is one I’ve only started to get more of a rhythm into. Prior I was just trying my best to make something out of my IPhone photos from both the Foster the People and Forests/Mac-Sea showsl; since I know some venues are pretty strict with bringing cameras/requiring a photo pass. I decided to go “cold-emailing mode,” and reach out to some venues asking for permission to bring my camera to take photos and share them with the artist. It was through the generous nature of Hole In The Wall that I was able to bring my camera and take some rad photos of Broken Gold, Startographers, and Cheap Fix. The personal shoutouts from the bands, alongside the support from additional local Austin bands and photographers from across the world, reassured me more that this was my calling.
Fast forward to 2-3 months later I recently passed 100 followers on Instagram and was given this amazing opportunity to be interviewed by Voyage Austin. For December I plan to photograph some more shows + the array of light shows that the city has to offer. For 2025, my main goal is to hopefully work for a publication or offer my photography as a service; alongside of course building a website. All I can say is, there is definetely some potential going forward with Mirzatography.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Initial Challenges/Roadblocks
1. Trying to really “break out” of that comfort zone and worrying about what others might think
2. Overthinking and worrying about people not liking my photos or think less of it
3. Feeling de-motivated about concert photography due to the limitation of needing a photo-pass from the venue
4. Worrying if this going to be too much on my schedule and personal life
How I Overcome Them + Solutions
1. Realizing it’s just best to go head-first into something new, you may surprise yourself on how well it could turn out.
2. Not everyone is gonna like your work, but you don’t need everyone to like it. The right people will see the value that you see.
3. There’s always a way around road-blocks. Even if it means sending a number of cold-emails and messages to venues and bands asking for photography permission. Out of the 20 messages/emails you send, you’re bound to have 1-2 that will say yes.
4. If you enjoy what you do, you’ll always find the enthusiasm and motivation to keep going. To me, I find taking photos at night or at concerts both fun and a relaxing stress-reliever. Even editing photos became a fun process.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve always found some aesthetic admiration for the night-time scene. To me, it truly captures the beauty of any city, landscape, scenary, or just any moment. As well as giving it a more “authentic feel to it.” That’s really the key word that I use to drive how I capture and present my photos “authenticity.”
One of my good friends gave me the perfect direction with the phrase “Night-Time Candids,” and that’s what I felt could be my brand for my photography page. The corner of Home Slice, University of Texas at Austin landmarks, the turtle pond, and even the Austin-based eaterys bring out a more geniunine atmosphere at night time; a sense of abandonment and away from the busy life style of the day. The lights capture the beauty of it more and (at least for me) give a sense of nostalgia that makes you truly feel like you’re “in the moment.”
That same mindset I try to capture with concert photos as well. I’m not in the crowd trying to direct the band how they should be for photos. I’m there to capture the more authentic nature of their performance. I know the goal of concert photography is to get “the best possible photo of them.” For me, I just look at the photos and think which feels the most “authentic” and “in the moment.”
I always believed that you should walk the path that you feel passionate walking down on, and the whole realm of “night-time candids” and “concerts,” is the path I’m more than proud to walk down on.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I’ll be transparent and admit I do have a couple of good friends who are also in the photography space who were able to provide both valuable advice and guidance. From this, I was able to figure out the best way to edit my photos and the steps needed to get more into concert photography. While I may not classify them as “mentors,” they were a foundational part in helping me get off the ground.
Special shoutout to both: @expressivespace and @abbie.takes.photos
However I do also believe that your close friends, regardless if they are in the photography space or not, are can also be of great support as well. In terms of networking, I found that following other photographers, venues, and bands is a good way to get your brand out. You’ll always find the right people to strengthen those connections with, especially on social.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirzatography/
Image Credits:
Mirzatography
