We had the good fortune of connecting with Patrick Michel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Patrick, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I actually didn’t want to start my own business at first even when my friends were trying to convince me to do so. It wasn’t because I didn’t believe in myself but rather because I didn’t have the vision for it . I had spent 2 years coming up with a name but nothing would stick and even then I still didn’t have the vision for it. Until one night in 2020, I was fortunate enough to attend a Rapsody concert. I just remember being close enough to the stage where she was at arm length and there I was just snapping pictures. What I experience next was the spark that brought everything together. While she was performing, she turned directly to me and started rapping for a good minute and that’s when the name for Tricky’s Lens came about.

From then I started building clientele, networking, social media marketing and then started booking more gigs with different people. I then launched Tricky’s Lens website in June 2023; Tricky’s Lens has always been about helping people see their visions from my perspective.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I believe that perspective is what sets us apart as creatives. My upbringing and my experience through life has shaped my approach to art. My first form of expression was rap, so I’m always thinking about the poetry aspect of photography.

It definitely was not easy, the frustration that came with learning different editing softwares, the hours sorting through youtube and watching different tutorials, being open to receiving creative criticism while still building my vision, finding people to work with in order to practice, being at work while all I could think of was working on my business. To know that every single thing, the good and the bad, has worked for my good is what still drives me to this day. I’ve learned to never take criticism at heart. If you seek advice, make sure it’s from people that have a genuine understanding of what you do.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a huge thanks to God! If it wasn’t for him none of this would be possible. Thank you to my father for being my inspiration at a very young age. I don’t think I’d be doing photography had I not broken his camera. Thank you to my mother for her unconditional love and grace, a mother’s prayer goes a very long way! Thank you to my siblings for allowing me to grow and move in an unconventional way, you know I gots to keep it ninja style! And to my beautiful girlfriend, thank you for being my purpose partner and my best friend. Your understanding of who I am and who I’m called to be, is a blessing that only God can give. I love you. (Proverbs 18:22) Last but not least, I want to thank all my friends and my supporters for trusting my vision. I appreciate you guys! I would like to give a special shoutout to these brands who have been dear to me : mitchsfitgear, infrequentbrand

Website: www.trickyslens.com

Instagram: @trickyslens

Linkedin: Patrick Michel

Facebook: Patrick Michel

Other: linktree.com/trickyslens

Image Credits
Shot of me with camera in hand , credits to https://www.instagram.com/poppaquest/

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