25-year-old Vishan Andy Harripersaud started photography as a hobby and over time that evolved into his side business.
“My business journey began with a Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone. I began taking pictures and videos with it, initially for myself, but soon found myself doing it for friends as well,” he said.
He continued by saying, “My entrepreneurial journey really took off when I was asked to edit an advertisement that was going to air on television. I felt fortunate and proud to be working on my first major edit. I gradually began to be compensated for my efforts over time. I was able to save enough money, and with the help and support of my grandparents and parents, I was able to invest in some equipment that I still use today. One thing to note, it’s not always about having the best equipment; sometimes it’s about making the most of what you have.”
His business journey involved two people he considers fortunate to have had the assistance of, Okello Demattos of Aerial GY Production and Enoch Monah of EM Photography when he was just starting out.
From then until now, he has learned a lot from Enoch and Okello. They would criticise each other’s work and provide feedback whenever they were doing work for clients or were in the process of editing. That has assisted Andy, during his journey so that he could better his craft.
He noted that the work is a continuous learning process and there is always something new to discover along the way.
“Photography is organised outside of my full-time teaching schedule. The long hours of teaching do not feel like work most of the time. I consider myself fortunate to be working alongside some of the best educators and students in the school. I enjoy teaching as much as I enjoy photography,” he mentioned.
As a young photographer, Andy compared his work to other photographers and felt like his work wasn’t good enough. He also had the fear of not having enough equipment to complete various tasks.
Completing his associate degree in education at the Cyril Potter College of Education and his diploma in computer repairs and networking at Computer World. As well as pursuing his master’s in education, are achievements Andy is proud of.
“Aside from that, I’m currently working on an app with two of my friends, Jhansham Latchman and Rameshwar Persaud, that we hope to release soon. This is something we’ve been working on for a few years and we’re very excited to see it come to fruition,” he stated.
When asked about advice, Andy stressed, “People who want to follow in my footsteps should have self-discipline, a schedule that will help them work on their time management skills (this is something I’m currently working on), be open-minded, and not be afraid to try new things. Finally, as much as it is nice to enjoy what you do, remember to take some time out for yourself, spend quality time with your family, Friends and loved ones, and don’t gain the world while losing yourself in the process. One of the greatest blessings anyone could ask for is great health. Always Remember to give Thanks.”
“We are the programmers of our own minds; let us program ourselves to be a better version of ourselves every day,” is a quote that keeps Andy motivated.
For persons interested in Andy’s service, they can contact him via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063369391053&mibextid=LQQJ4d
