Meet Christin… She Shoots People!

Haha!! No need to be alarmed folks! I’m only talkin’ ’bout a ‘photog’ who is making a name for herself as she hones her craft and continues to take on new ventures in the world of creative and editorial photography. You may have first come to know her as “Riley’s mom”, the eyes behind the camera catching candid stills of the little naturalista. But Christin Armstrong, the talent behind Christin Shoots People, has a career that is gaining quite the momentum and giving no signs of stopping!

Christin is a fellow natural gal and professional photographer based in the Houston area. She is also a wife and mother raising a son in addition to her daughter, Riley, who she is teaching to love the hair she was blessed with. I asked Christin to share a little about her journey down the kinky-haired road as well as her art and where it’s taking her.

TBN: When and how did you begin your natural hair journey? What was the reaction of friends and family?

CA: In April of last year I took down my three month old sew-in. My hair was insanely tangled and oddly hard. After trying different methods to untangle it for about three days, I finally cut it off at the line of demarcation. Since my daughter is natural, I already had tons of products and minimal knowledge on natural hair upkeep. My friends loved it, which I expected because they know and understand my style. My family, however, is old school. I still get mindless remarks from them from time to time.

TBN: What would you say is the best part of being natural and how did you overcome challenges you’ve encountered along the way?

CA: I definitely think the best part of being natural is the versatility. I am not really at the stage to do many different styles but I am so excited to be on my way there. The challenges were easy to overcome because the natural hair community has gotten so big. There is always someone there to offer advice and recommend products.

TBN: The natural hair community LOVES your little princess Riley! In what ways do you help her to appreciate the hair she was born with?

CA: My husband and I love to show her herself in the mirror. She loves her reflection and is not shy about complementing herself.

TBN: Do you two pretty much follow the same hair regimen? What does it involve?

CA: No way! My is hair is very fine and Riley’s is very coarse. I tend to look juicy with very little product whereas Riley’s hair is always thirsty. I can use shampoo. Riley just does a co-wash. I can apply product every three days. Riley needs at least olive oil on a daily basis. We started off using many of the same products but as I learned our hair, I realized that many of the products that work well for me do not work well her……….and vice versa.

TBN: Little ones are often squirmy while getting their hair done. I’m sure the moms out there would love to know how you manage with Riley.

CA: She is getting used to it because doing hair is major part of our day, but in the beginning there was tons of bribery and Yo Gabba Gabba. 🙂

TBN: Does running your own photography business allow you more time with hubby and the kids? How do you juggle the two?

CA: I definitely have a lot less time with the hubby and kids than I would prefer. Running your own business doesn’t mean you don’t have a boss because you’re working for all of your clients. I do a lot of my work late at night while the hubby and kids are sleeping. I try to find ways to combine the two, hence, Riley being my muse.

CA: My dad is a photographer and my mom is the creative. I bought my first camera when I had my son five years ago. Once I had Riley (two and half years ago) I knew that it would be impossible to go back to work. I made it a point to be good at what I was doing so that I wouldn’t have to go back to work.

TBN: Do have a preference as far as your subjects are concerned?

CA: I like weddings, I do, but children are what I prefer. I love that I can just catch them in their own element. They do not care how fat they look, they don’t ask me to Photoshop anything, they don’t hold back, and I can capture what I know is their true spirit.

TBN: Are there any projects you’re currently working on that you’d like to share with the people?

CA: I am way in over my head in everything that I am working on right now and I could not be happier. I am working on a magazine that highlights African-American children. I am also working on some mentoring this year and becoming a thrifting genius.

TBN: What words of advice can you give to the natural newbies or maybe those trying to step into the world of photography?

CA: I can offer the same advice to natural newbies and budding photographers. It will not be an easy road just be dedicated and don’t give up. Anything worth having is worth fighting for. Please do not get discouraged.

Wise words indeed! Thanks so much, Christin, for sharing a bit of yourself with us! We look forward to more gorgeous photos and your future endeavors. 😉

Follow Christin on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. You can follow Riley- yes, she has her own blog chile! LOL- here!

Before we go, here’s one of my favorite videos from the dynamic duo…

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU8xgrCDrfU]

Until next time… say cheese!! ^_^

xoxo

~Toia