My Photographic Journey
My name: Chris Parker My friends call me: Parker
I hope my story is an inspiration for your photographic journey… regardless of where you are.
Once Upon a Time...
…on a warm sunny day (I remember it well), I was born circ., 1971.
Location: Planet Earth… Hollywood, CA… destined to be a star.
Some say, like my kids and wife, that I’m not from this planet. Anyway…
…I’ll spare you the details of the next 13 awkward years of my life.
So, let’s rewind the tape… and I’ll take you on a fun-filled journey from 1984 - 2026 (I can see the future, after all).
Oh, and don’t despair, time travel isn’t painful!
13 Years Later in... 1984
My parents bought me my first camera… a Kodak Disc Camera.
Not sure why. I never wanted one.
But, hey, I was taking a once-in-a-lifetime hike into the Grand Canyon.
10 miles in, 2 days + 3 nights camping and then 10 miles back out.
Oh, the things we can do when we're young! Am I right?
The photos from that trip? Awful! It was the camera’s fault!
My first ever photo!
My first ever waterfall!
Time Travel to... 1988
3 years bagging groceries for spending money was getting old!
Especially at $3.35 an hour.
For you math wizards… yep, I started working at 14. Things were different back then. Am I right?
This is when my story started getting really interesting.
See, my sister wanted to be a model.
And I wanted to meet, well, girls!
I just didn’t know how…
Anyway, she comes home from a photoshoot and says how she just spent $150 for the one hour shoot.
And I’m like… “wait, what did you just say?”
I couldn’t believe my ears.
I could make $150 per hour AND meet girls… sign me up!
Off to the camera store.
Credit card in hand.
And as naive as a fish out of water.
First camera + two lenses: Check
Photo session complete: Check
Drop off film for development: Check
Pick up the 4×6 prints three days later, and…
…I began to pace back and forth…
muscles started to tense up: Check
Tightness in chest: Check
”””””””
Thinking to myself, “all this money, and my “camera” doesn’t work!”
“Uggghhh!!!”
The clerk knocked me out of my trance when he asked…
“Is there something wrong?”
“Ummm, yeah, most of these images are as white as snow, and the rest are blurry; why is that?”
”””””””
Long story short…
…he provided a quick overview of the camera fundamentals and a photography book to read.
And my journey as a photographer began.
But even after two years of studying... I still made mistakes.
That first roll of film was an eye opener. I knew absolutely nothing about photography... and how to use my camera.
The third roll of film (b&w of my sister) and a year later (below)... I started to improve. In 1991, I bought my first license of Photoshop, scanned the above image, and transformed the original based on my creative vision.
the Next Decade...
Photography wasn’t easy, though, since it was obvious I had no real, natural talent. So, I devoured the “book” and other resources I picked up over the years. They clearly gave me everything I needed to create amazing images… …but it didn’t always translate at the time of capture. Has that ever happened to you? For me, it was like trying to learn a foreign language. Sure, sometimes I’d get a good image. But it was inconsistent more times than not. It was tough along the way with lots of trial and error, resulting in endless disappointment. Oh, and the $150 per hour and meeting women never happened… sad face… until…
2023. Perfection!
1991. Horrible photo!
1997. Another horrible photo!
The Breakthrough… 2001
The breakthrough didn’t happen as I expected.
See, I did FINALLY meet someone in 1999… and I married the love of my life in 2001.
Got the girl!
Now… how to break free from making $10 an hour… slooow progress from the early years.
Well, becoming a wildlife and landscape photographer wasn’t in the cards… at the time.
Time to expand my horizons.
A local photo studio was hiring and training “wedding photographers.”
“How hard could it be,” I thought.
It wasn’t.
After being trained on over a dozen weddings the big day arrived…
…where they promised to announce who would be rewarded with 30, 60, or 100 wedding contracts for the upcoming season.
Did the math real quick and 100 would exceed my current yearly income… and would bring me closer to the ever-elusive $150 per hour.
Long story short… I was rewarded with zero contracts!
They said I didn’t have the “personality” to work weddings.
No one tells me what I can and can not do!
So, off I went.
Shot a wedding for free, created a portfolio, and booked 62 weddings in my first year!
My income quadrupled, and I was finally making $150 per hour.
Wife. Check.
Kids. Check.
Money. Check.
But something was still missing.
the “Girl.” Around 2000-ish
Around 2007-ish
Engagement session… 2009
Time Travel to… 2015
After shooting 500 weddings… I was burnt out.
And this would be my last year of shooting weddings.
I remember the next day… after that last one… and putting ALL my gear on Ebay!
Well, except for a Nikon d500 and the 24-70 that I wanted for capturing family memories.
But, everything else… was sold.
Then… panic set in.
Now what?
Detroit... 2010.
Downtown Detroit... 2002.
Time Travel to… 2016
Money was running out… fast. A thought crossed my mind, briefly; "I could go back to shooting weddings." Oh, hell no! So, I started selling photography resources online… mostly presets. Things were really good and better than shooting weddings. But something was still missing.
In 2023, I came out of retirement for a friend. Last one!
Fast Forward to... 2017
I came across this company called Udemy.
And I noticed something interesting… thousands of photographers are taking Photoshop, Lightroom, and photography courses.
So, I signed up for a few out of curiosity…
Some were good.
Some… not so much.
That’s when it hit me.
After 30+ years behind the camera… after all the failures, missed shots, and lessons learned the hard way… maybe this was the next step.
Not to take more photos.
But to teach the world what I’d learned… in plain English, without the fluff, without the ego, and without the confusion that held me back for so long.
So, I uploaded my first course. Then another. And another.
Before long, I’d created over 19 courses… and taught 270,000 photographers from around the world.
And every time I hear someone say,
“Your lessons finally made it click for me…”
…it reminds me why I do this.
Because I remember exactly how it felt to be stuck, frustrated, and second-guessing every shot.
To look at other people’s work and think, “Why can’t mine look like that?”
To feel like the dream might not be meant for me.
That’s why I teach now.
To help photographers skip the years of confusion I went through.
To show that anyone can create beautiful images… not by luck, but by understanding light, composition, and their own creative vision.
And maybe most importantly…
To help people find what I eventually found: confidence.
Confidence to create.
Confidence to share.
Confidence to see the world differently.
Because photography isn’t just about creating photos… it’s about discovering who you are through what you see.
So that’s my story… from a “broken” Kodak Disc Camera to a career that changed my life.
But the real story isn’t mine anymore… it’s yours.
Time Travel to… 2026 (and Beyond)
So, what does the future hold?
For you… I see possibility.
I see images you haven’t created yet… the ones that will stop people mid-scroll and make them feel something.
I see the moment when your camera finally feels like an extension of your vision.
When light makes sense.
When composition feels intuitive.
When confidence replaces doubt.
That’s the future I see.
And if my story has taught me anything, it’s that you don’t have to wait decades to get there.
Because the truth is… everything you need is within reach… you just need someone to help put the puzzle pieces together.
That’s what I do.
I help photographers train their eyes, trust their instincts, and finally create with confidence.
Your future of creating photos you’re proud of… starts now!
– Parker
16 Responses
Hi Chris.
Thanks for the entertaining read. Good hearing your story. My life took a much different path than yours. When I was young I wanted to be an architect and was redirected to civil engineering by a counselor who meant well but didn’t really know the difference between the two.
Speed up a few years and I am in college and the doctors told me that I had a form of arthritis called Ankylosing Spondylitis. My dreams of being an architect or engineer went up in smoke and I knew a career of hunching over a drafting board would only make it worse, so I switched careers and pursued clerical jobs where I could type.
The goal was to be a word processor, but to make a long story short that became data entry, which I did for 15 years. The advancement of the illness let it be known that even that choice limited me so I went back to school again at age 49 and pursued a degree in technical writing.
I never did get that civil engineering degree and it hurt to not have a degree. I graduated in Jan 2015, but don’t do much technical writing as now I am 58 and there is not anybody interested in hiring me as I am also disabled from the arthritis of the spine.
Like you, I am quite familiar with failure and feel I am a success because I am still here on this planet. I am always curious about computers and dabbled in ubuntu where I first learned about Gimp and Inkscape which I still use although I have migrated back to windows 10.
Thanks for reading. Initially, I was reading your blog trying to send a file to you regarding the course you taught on udemy about the 37 Essential Gimp projects, which I have completed. Yay for me! I got so much out of your course.
Thank you.
Hi Gregg, Thanks for sharing your story. I always say never give up!
As for the course, you can post files in the q&a section… if you have any questions or just wish to share.
Regards,
Chris
Gregg, God bless you and hang in there. With your engineering background and interests including technical writing, you might find web development/design/software engineering something to consider if you haven’t already.
Chris,
Great bio and thanks for sharing! I have your epic Photoshop course from Udemy and during your journey you’ve obviously become a Photoshop master also among other things, including designing websites in Photoshop. In 2020 I’m learning PS and focused as a novice on product photography and ideally in coming months doing some amateur fashion photography – both to create my own content (out of financial necessity) for a website side project. I’m originally form Midwest and now live close to L.A. and often hike on Sundays in Griffith Park.
Hi Chris
Thank you for sharing your journey!! I am currently taking some of your courses on Udemy and I want to personally thank you for doing such a fantastic job.
I work as an electrician/robotics programmer, and needed to do something more creative and visual in my off time, which through a series of bumps nudges and dabbles led me to web design. I fell in love with it! The design aspect fills my creative cup, and the technical part of web development satisfies my techie nerd side. Realizing I needed to take some courses and brush up my design skills I stumbled onto Udemy and subsequently this Chris Parker fella.
I really can’t thank you enough for putting together such fantastic content, and sharing your years of knowledge with us newbies out here. My workflow has become far more streamlined, I have a much better understanding of design and layout than when I started this journey, as well as mastering editing tools that previously frustrated the dickens out of me.
Now after reading your story I’m inspired to push harder and try to make this a full time gig as I move towards early retirement.
By the way sorry about the Saleen, but I think the tradeoff was worth it.
Thanks again!
Thanks for the feedback and support!
Chris:
I am currently going through your Udemy Lightroom class. I noticed a lot of the photos were from Detroit so I Googled you and found your web site.
Do you have local classes? I live close to Detroit (Rochester) and want to continue to get better at photography with a goal of turning it into a business. It would be a business in the 3rd stage of my life – school, work, WORK THAT I LOVE.
I am an engineer (electrical). My wife is really an artist posing as an engineer for GM. I can figure out the technical stuff. My wife can look at it and say that it is good.
I have been traveling world wide (mostly Asia) for the work stage of my life. I started digitally believe it or not with a Hitachi MP-EG1A that I bought around the late 1990’s. I think it was 0.4 megapixel. I got a Stonehenge photo with it that is actually usable. To make a long story short, I have been updating every couple of years. I am currently full frame with a Sony Alpha 7r4 and for traveling a Sony Alpha A6600.
Also, bought my first Mac in 1984. I still have it (not using it).
I would like to continue to get better – do you put on local classes or photo trips?
Hi Doug, I’m considering virtual workshops. Until then, you can join our private Facebook group where you can share photos and get feedback. Plus, I’ll make an announcement about any workshops through the group.
Great story! I would like to check out your website and follow you on social media. Thanks for the presets. I have used Lightroom, but need to use it more often. Not sure what my struggles are.
Perhaps my story is different to nearly everyone else who has read this. Firstly, I am 75. I have been taking photos all my life going back to school days over 55 years ago. I am not a professional photographer, obviously retired now and playing alot of golf. I don’t struggle with photography and here’s why. Until about 3 months ago I just took snaps, over time probably a few thousand. Snaps of vacations, dinners, birthdays, days out, family etc. I think I can quite honestly say not one of those photos was taken with any real thought as to composition or anything else. None of them was shared with anyone but family. But here’s the thing, I love virtually every one of those photos because each one has a memory, an event or moment that without the photo I would have forgotten. I love going back and looking over holiday pics etc, not much point taking them if you’re not going to look at them.
Now, here’s the rub. As I said about 3 months or so ago I suddenly became keen on trying to understand the photography process better. I was on holiday with a friend who is a professional film maker and he shared some insights into curating his photos and that just seems to have set me off, before this I had never altered a photo after taking it. For the last three months I have watched numerous YouTube videos including your 4 hour one twice. I read all about the various cameras available and lenses. I now have a fundamental understanding of some of the main aspects of a semi decent picture. I understand the technical side somewhat but the hardest part for me is composition and seeing what makes a great pic as my artistic skills are about zero.
Oh, and the two camera’s that I shoot everything on are Panasonic Lumix TZ95 (uk) or my Motorola phone. Both are light to carry about and the TZ95 has a 30 times zoom. Obviously a tiny sensor but as I don’t print anything, they just go to Google, then I’m not sure the camera makes much difference to me. We’ll see.
However, I am really loving learning as much as I can about photography even though it’s just for me. I’m not really bothered about what anyone else may think about my photos, they can’t really think anything cause I don’t share. (Just one when I joined your site). I’ve always been a golf addict but photography is now running golf a close second and the main reason for this is that professional photographers like yourself have willingly shared their abundant knowledge to everyone who has an appetite to learn. I thank you very much for doing this and want to let you know that even for an absolute amateur with no intention of being anything else it is so wonderful to be able to understand directly how you as a professional go about your business.
Thank you again.
Hello Ian, Thank you for the feedback and sharing your story! Composition can be learned by anyone regardless of your “artistic” abilities. I have a few articles on composition here: https://parkerphotographic.com/category/photography/
My Friend …
My name is Terry J. Fascinating read, thank you for sharing your journey. Our Best Days Are Ahead Of Us.
TJ.
I retired before you almost got going. A 33 year career as a freelance wedding photographer followed by operating my own business in the GTA.
Worked for a number of studios and learned under many others. PPOC member for 15 years with Executive positions with PPO and earned MPA. Spent time teaching — about 8 years with Sheridan College.
Retired the end of ’99 and travelled much of the next 13 years and now at an advanced age enjoy viewing youtube items related to a variety of different programs such as Luminar Neo (as well as previous versions).
While I have viewed things from many creators of content, I have not really used the program to any extent as I came across PhotoScape X and enjoy working with it more. I still view everything I can related to NEO, particularly all that is offered freely after my first advance purchase a couple years ago.
I wonder if you have seen PhotoScape X. It is freeware but not many folks have done good tutorials related to it. I note that you offer a lot of freeware tutorials and wonder if doing some or even a lot related to PSX might be something you could offer on YT and maybe even as a text with images etc. in Libre Office (also freeware)
I wonder if you have another website showing you wedding portrait photography.
BTW — do you live in Canada currently? While I was born and lived in BC before attending the UW in Seattle, this June will be 60 years since graduating and then in 1965 returning to Canada and still currently reside in the GTA.
I’m currently in Windsor Ontario and originally from the states. I have not seen PhotoScape X. At this time, I’m getting away from editing tutorials… other than Lightroom. Although I have a wedding website the galleries are not working. Haven’t been able to login for a few years and update WordPress!
Well your story is inspiring I wish all the success, also I am interested in photography seems like a good career, I am in the bahamas, I sell items online and I am always in need of a photographer.I went through a traumatic experience I was delivering an item and I was held at gunpoint. So now I am reexamining my life choices looking to expand my skillset.
Extremely inspiring stories… “Never give up” and “Work is worship” two ingrained motors of my life. Have seen a lot more rolling meadows of life than most of you probably. As a young man wanted to become an Airforce pilot… never happened, wanted to become a doctor, got out of med school after year 1. Turned out to be a computer programmer before the PC was even invented. There used to be no computer science degree in those days.physics and Maths pros used to be programmers and hardware engineers. You mentioned about the evolution of internet, played my humble role in the process. Went back to school when Computer Science Degree started as a code of arm. Earned highest degrees, worked a lot, patented many technologies that are making difference in everyone’s life. The rest is history.
Retired three years ago and started travelling the world. Safari trips got me interested in Wildlife photography. Started as a hobby and still it is a hobby.. want to learn in depth and keep getting better. I have seen many, if not all the goods , the bands, and the uglies of life.
Very much liked the tutorial by Mr. Parker and intend to continue on this journey. From $3.25 per hour graveyard shift worker to a civil servant to a professor to a successful businessman to a retiree in comfort, is a journey of almost half a century … Never gave up, never compromised on dreams and always considered work as worship.
Thanks to all of you for sharing your wonderful stories of life and Mr. Parker for the wonderful course and his great style of teaching.
This is my story and I am sticking to it