Meet Charles Benoit | Fashion/Portrait Photographer

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

Hi Charles, why did you pursue a creative career?
I pursued a creative career because I couldn’t imagine living any other way. I love that art is something that I can never stop getting better at or run out of new perspectives to learn more, just to be able to do this as a living is a blessing.

I also love meeting and talking to new people constantly. I have met so many interesting people through photoshoots, networking, etc. that I would have never been able to meet otherwise!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I live and breathe art and photography. What I am most proud of is that within four years of moving out to CA from Michigan, I was able to build a full-time career in photography. How I got where I am today was shooting as much as I possibly could. I joined photographer/model Facebook groups in Michigan just so that I could meet more people and practice my craft as much as possible. it wasn’t easy, it just took much consistency and determination. As I had saved up money to move to CA I had worked at Walmart from 5 AM – 2 PM so that I could go do a photoshoot after almost every shift. I loved it and had built such a great community of friends along the way. Once I moved, I just did the same thing in LA. I reached out to as many people as I could to just keep shooting and meeting more people. This networking from the moment my feet were on the ground here, is how I was able to build my business. People would refer me, mention me, and post my work. I just kept at it until I finally got a full-time job shooting at Fashion Nova. Through there I kept meeting and collaborating with models, stylists, and hair and makeup artists to make our creative visions a reality on a higher level. This boosted me to a point where I was so busy shooting for a full-time job, I decided to take the leap to freelancing. I cannot express enough how grateful I am for all of those who I have met, who helped me and supported me along the way.

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.
If I had a friend coming out to LA for a week I would probably start in the city by getting In-n-out, Pink’s hot dogs, or wine tasting in Malibu. For the bulk of the trip though, I would take them on some of my favorite hikes near the ocean, such as Solstice Canyon, or trails in the Angeles national forest to see waterfalls. If we could fit it in, would love to show them Joshua Tree or Kings Canyon too!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Yes! I want to shout out my photography mentor James Mankoff. I met him on an internship where I had driven out to California for the first time. James and I both went to Michigan State University for the art program, and James graduated several years before me, moved to LA and made an epic career. In the summer of my Junior year, my photography professor (Peter Glendinning – ANOTHER SHOUT OUT) referred me to James as someone I should meet during my internship in CA with another artist. Long story short, the other internship didn’t work out and I had the pleasure of working with James on set as his assistant multiple times that summer. I had learned more than I ever thought I could on photography, lighting, professional sets, etc. My mind was blown and I knew I needed to be in LA to make my dream of a full-time fashion and portrait photographer happen.

Once I moved out to CA after graduation, I worked with James whenever he needed a hand, on top of building my own career. As I continued to learn from him, over time we became friends. Through working with him, his willingness to help me with any questions I had about pursuing this dream, support, and knowledge helped so much, and am grateful beyond words!

Website: https://www.cbenoitphoto.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/cbenoitphoto

Image Credits
Hair + Makeup: Emily Lara @makeupwith_emily

Styling: Vincent Weathersby @styledbyweathersby + Maddie Ladue @Maddie_Ladue

Models: Chloe V, Simone Adde, Brianne Buishas, Emma, Vilena, and Josh Wolf