Meet Aidan Benoy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aidan Benoy.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Honestly, looking at where I started with photography, I could say that I started back in high school just shooting with my phone, but that’s not where it really started. I never really got heavily into photography until a really emotionally dark chapter in my life. Sparing the sordid details, I picked up photography as a way to help myself stay busy. Instead of staying at home reminiscing on my depressive state, I began forcing myself to use photography as an excuse to go out and be creative. Looking back, photography honestly saved me. Aside from just being a hobby and making me some money, I can look at photography as being one of the major reasons I have the friends I have today.  Many of the closest people in my life, I made friendships with them due to my photography.

After a few months of shooting randomly, I began bringing my camera with me to conventions and trying for portrait and cosplay photography, with one of my first and most common cosplay models being a very close friend of mine; Ally (@amblushcosplay on Instagram). Through my photography in the con scene, I have met a vast majority of my current friends, many being other photographers and cosplay models. I really owe so much to getting into photography, and I have no regrets about picking it up. I began photography during one of the lowest parts of my life, and through it, I have grown so much as a person and made so many friends. And I plan on continuing. I know I still have a lot to learn. And as many of my friends know, I’m eager to learn and open to constructive criticism. I can’t grow unless I have that push to be better.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Of course, there have been challenges. This all started out of a deep depression, and that was something I had to fight with along the way. Choosing to get out and shoot instead of staying inside sulking for hours. Lately, it’s mostly time. I am a full-time ASU student, with a part-time serving job to make ends meet, and sometimes I have to set my passion to the side for a moment. I still take photos when I’m out with friends, but the more serious shoots where I spend hours editing are rare for the moment.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Aidan Benoy Photography story. Tell us more about the business.
I currently focus on portraiture, mostly fashion and cosplay photography, I really want to be able to show off a model and how they may become a character, or become a part of an outfit. From my point of view, a model is not just wearing a piece, or a cosplayer is not just dressing up as a character, they are becoming one with it, and I want to be able to show that off. I think what sets me apart is that while yes, I am comfortable in my style, a major driver for me to continue is how aware that I still have so much to learn, and my eagerness to find more styles to experiment with so that they may meld with mine.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’ve had to plan for cases of bad luck. At a convention in California this last summer, I realized I left all but two of my memory cards on my desk at my home in Phoenix. Because I couldn’t just go back, and I wasn’t able to get new cards, I spent most of the con swapping between my cards daily and constantly backing up the images to my phone wirelessly in case of failure. I’m glad I did too because halfway through the second day I had a card fail on me. And while it had photos on it, I had recently copied all of the images onto my phone, saving everything. If I hadn’t been swapping cards and backing up my images, I likely would have lost hundreds of photos with little likelihood of ever recovering them.

Pricing:

• For solo shoots, I charge a rate of $30 for 8 photos, with each additional photo for $5
• For groups, I do $15 per person, with each person getting 3 solo, and 4 group shots

Contact Info:

• Phone: 602-888-3665
• Email: aydinbenwa@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aidanbenoyphoto/?hl=en

Image Credit:
Amber Bourbon, Ally Blush, Ally Blush, Jayji Goodwin, Mary Sue Lockard

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.