Check Out Eric Ahlgrim’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Ahlgrim.

Hi Eric, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I got into photography in high school. I was in the arts & media program, so I completed all art, photo & video classes throughout my high school career. I attended one semester of community college, taking Graphic Design and Digital Photography. Once I learned the basics and felt that this is a good starting point for me, I dropped out and began freelancing however I could find work. However, I could find work. All I cared about was getting into the world and starting to earn and save money. I worked a lot, many different regular nine to five jobs that still allowed me to freelance and work on my craft on the side. I grew up in Southern California, so I had always shot photos/videos of me and my friends surfing, skating, riding BMX, etc.

It wasn’t until 2014, when I started working for Remo Drumheads as a graphic designer, that I really got my “in” to the music industry. I was designing custom graphic drum heads for tons of bands, and I became great friends with many artists I was working with. I would do a drumhead, and they would thank me and invite me to their show in Los Angeles. I was shooting concerts weekly. I eventually asked if I could bring my camera to take some shots while I had such a good spot on the side stage, and they would set me up with a photo pass. That is when I fell in love with shooting live events. I was pretty good at shooting on the fly with all the lights and colors changing constantly. I really enjoyed the “emergency,” so to speak, of only having the first three songs to get whatever photos you needed because, after that, they boot you out of the photo pit. So those first three songs pushed me each time to think more clearly on the fly, change my camera settings at a moment’s notice and focus correctly to get the shots I needed.

I began working with a couple of media companies shooting rehearsals, recording sessions, festivals, lifestyle, promo content, portraits, whatever was needed. It was a great way to become a very well-rounded photographer in all aspects of shooting styles. When 2020 hit, I was furloughed from my day job, and everyone went on mandatory home quarantine. I took that time to begin shooting product photography and video content for whatever companies needed it. They would ship me boxes of products to my house, set up a photo studio in my garage, and shoot content in both studio and lifestyle settings. After seven months, I was officially let go from my previous employer because they couldn’t afford to bring me back on.

Three weeks later, I got a job offer to basically come to do exactly what I’ve been doing, shooting product content and live events for Gibson Guitars in Nashville, TN. We moved from California to Nashville in under 12 days with our three-year-old son, our dog, cat, and my wife being eight and a half months pregnant with our second baby boy.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road to being a professional photographer has been a little bumpy. I always had a steady full-time job, so I still had that steady income to float on when photo work was scarce, so things could have been worse for sure. The biggest challenge getting a career in photography going is proving to clients/random people who contact you that your photo rate makes sense and that your work is worth that price point—That’s why I worked so hard to build a solid resume and have complete confidence in my shooting.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a full-time photographer for Gibson Guitars in Nashville, TN. I shoot lifestyle images for our social media channels, product images for web and print, behind-the-scenes content for our GTV (YouTube video series), and all live performances. It is an extremely rewarding job, where I get to continue working in the music industry, photographing amazing guitars, bands, and artists that I love. It is the definition of a “Dream Job.” I would say that I specialize in live event photography. That is what I am most known for. I am most proud of how far I have come in my career in such a short time. Looking for graphic design jobs in Nashville for four years and nothing coming from it was very hard to swallow.

So I told my wife, I’m going to shake things up and make a “real go” at my photography. A year later, I landed a job with the largest guitar company in the world, and it got my family out of CA where we felt like we were stuck, and it brought us to TN where our hearts were fully at, and it has been the biggest blessing, and I am forever grateful for it.

What sets me apart from others, I think, is my creative eye. I’ve been told often that I can see things others can’t, and it amazes folks how I can shoot certain images on the fly without a ton of bells and whistles to get the job done. It’s quite the compliment.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to me is paying your dues. Putting in the time and effort to learn your craft, making sacrifices, and earning your seat at the table. My Pops told me early on that nothing in life will ever be handed to you; you earn it, that’s the only way.

Starting my photo career, I shot for a lot of bands who told me they didn’t have a budget to pay me. I had to pick and choose what I would shoot for free just for the experience, practice, and how it would look on my resume of work. I felt that I had paid my dues; I worked a lot for free at first to prove to the industry (and myself) that I had something to offer and that I was worth actually hiring, like, for real money.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ericahlgrim.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericahlgrim/