Today we’d like to introduce you to Eli Samuel.
Hi Eli, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
’m originally from a small town in Australia called Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast. I grew up surfing. It was a great way to grow up. In my early twenties, in 2007, I made my way to Los Angeles. I got really lucky and got under the wing of a great photographer, John Hong, from John & Joseph Photography. They’re one of the best wedding photography teams in the world. We were shooting at the top level together for ten years straight. John also had a commercial side of the business, and that’s where I really got into commercial advertising and fashion photography. That’s where I cut my teeth. It was a great time and I learned a lot.
After LA, I moved to Bondi in Sydney for four years. I did a lot of commercial and advertising work, and also worked on film productions as a digital tech and assistant. That’s where I picked up a lot of very specific commercial skills.
But something else happened in Bondi that I didn’t expect. It’s a fitness-heavy place, and me and my mates were all fit, had good cameras, and were taking photos of each other. We were doing really well on dating apps, and that’s where the idea for online dating photography was born.
When I got back to the States and landed in Austin, Texas, I connected with Nick and Shane from The Match Artist and worked with them for about a year. That’s where I learned and developed the facial expression coaching methodology and got good at it quickly.
Eventually I got too busy with commercial work here in Austin and went out on my own. I started the online dating photography business as a side project.
And honestly, I love it. I love that I’m creating images that actually help people. That’s hard to get from commercial work. I know it sounds a bit corny, but I genuinely enjoy working one on one with people. On commercial sets there can be over a hundred people, and you rarely get that direct interaction. Here, I get to take someone who’s never done this before and get them great photos very quickly. It’s a fun challenge.
Now I run two businesses: Eli Samuel Photo, my commercial advertising practice, and my online dating photography business. The commercial work I’ve been able to do in Austin has been a real blessing. I’ve shot for some very big brands and continue to work at a high level. I feel very lucky.
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?
It’s been a difficult road at times. The commercial advertising space is a completely different challenge to anything I had done before. I love the work itself, but figuring out how that world actually operates has been the hardest part. How marketing and networking works. How to work with producers, agents, and creative agencies. How to navigate that whole system. That took a long time to figure out, and I’m still learning.
I think a lot of creatives feel the same way. It’s not a straight path. There’s no clear roadmap or obvious answer. That’s what makes the marketing and networking side so challenging. You can be very good at what you do and still have no idea how to get in the room.
That disconnect is real, and it’s not talked about enough.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
The work I’m probably most proud of has nothing to do with commercial photography. I make artist books. I do the whole process myself. Printing, bookbinding, graphic design, typography, layout. Each book is completely unique.
It’s been nice to slow down and make something with my hands. Something real and physical. I really enjoy the tactile side of it.
I have about five or six pieces on my website right now, and one of my stockists here in Austin is Tomo Mags, who carries my work locally.
It’s been great seeing people respond to it and appreciate the process. It’s honestly the part of what I do that I’m most excited about right now.
How do you define success?
For me, success is doing something highly creative and being rewarded for it. The commercialization of art doesn’t always feel great. You can end up doing work that pays well but isn’t what you would choose to make. A lot of creatives know that feeling.
The real goal is to be commissioned to do exactly the kind of work you would make anyway. That’s the dream.
Right now I’m still figuring out what my artist voice is. The goal is to get to a place where I’m only doing work I want to do, and people are hiring me specifically for that.
When those two things align, that’s success to me.
Pricing:
- Online Dating Photography Session is $799
Contact Info:
- Website: www.elisamuelnichol.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisamuelphoto
- Other: www.elisamuelphoto.com
