Meet Mark Ritter | Photographer

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

Hi Mark, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
To legitimize my hobby. It forced me to put that hobby in order so people would see that I’m not just “some guy with a camera.” Being taken seriously was important to me to get this thing going,

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business is pretty small. It’s just me at the moment with help from some second shooters, including my son! At the moment I would say I am most excited about the fact that I can shoot many things well. So I can do portraits and modeling where I started making money. But I can also do performance arts like dance and concerts, and sports like hockey and surfing, and real estate including homes and libraries and churches, etc.

I think that’s what I’m excited about the most as far as photography is concerned – I’m not locked into one niche. I thoroughly enjoy shooting everything. Everything’s a challenge and everything is exciting for me. So I may not make six figures a year doing photography but I enjoy every minute of it. And honestly I love seeing the people’s faces lighting up when they see themselves in a good sports or portrait or dance photograph, Or a construction company manager seeing their building well shot. That really makes it all worth it. Sounds corny but I mean it, I think that comes from my teaching career. I didn’t make much but the reward wasn’t monetary, it was the pleasure I received in serving or pleasing others.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I think I would definitely take them to the beach. The beach of their choice. And I’m assuming, because the person is my best friend, that we have similar interests. So I would also hit up San Diego – zoo, Balboa Park, Coronado Island. And if they were into wine I would take them through the Temecula wine country on a wine tasting tour. Are they visiting from out of state? Then of course In-N-Out. That’s a given. And if they were staying for longer I might venture up into LA and then to Hollywood and all the tourist trap stuff. 🙂

And likely a live music venue. And I would have to promise to keep my camera at home. 🙂

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My photography partners over the years – formerly Cynthia Leon and now Jen Moore – were instrumental in my development as a photographer. I could bounce a million ideas off of them. I could get ideas for posing and exposure and lighting, etc. They also are more business savvy than I and their input and constructive criticism were and are exceedingly encouraging, They helped me go from a good photographer to a very good photographer, and one with a business,

And have to mention my mom who gave me a camera when I was very young and encouraged me forever after that.

Website: www.ritter.photo

Instagram: markalanritterphoto