Meet Dustin Thibideau | Photographer

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

Hi Dustin, why did you pursue a creative career?
Photography came to me through a friend in college back in 2018. I always enjoy taking spontaneous trips and didn’t mind using my phone to take photos with. I tell people that ask how I get to places is that I just go or my more favorite response: “The store didn’t have the milk I needed so I ended up in Nebraska.” So with the combination of love for travel and a friend touting the benefits of photography in relieving stress, I decided to purchase my first camera, a Canon Rebel T6.

After capturing my first shots with it I was hooked. Every time I have a camera in front of me, I forget about everything else. It’s almost like there is a pause on time. It comes with me everywhere now, on hiking trips, short car rides, etc. I slowly decided to purse this as a career as more and more photos emerged I started having people ask me to do portrait sessions for them. After portraits I was asked to do a wedding event, my first one. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hesitant to say yes. Initially I wanted to say no because I wasn’t confident yet and didn’t have much experience shooting people at this given time. When the day came I loved being in the element and capturing the moments. When I uploaded the photos I was overall happy for my very first time.

Since then I have completed graduation sessions, family, a few other weddings, engagement sessions, and so on. It was only till recently that I knew I wanted to try and make this a full-time career. Since performing many sessions I have most recently been asked to do an elopement in Hawaii and have slowly had an increase in people asking me to shoot photos for them. I could shoot photos all day. I do it because I love it and want people to have moments they will cherish for a lifetime. Photography and the people who have taken a chance on me to shoot their photos have changed my life. I can’t thank them enough for helping me get to where I am today.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Professionally I have worked in ems and the fire service for the past several years. I was in law enforcement for one year and obtained a bachelor’s degree in Political Science in December 2020. I have to say doing all four of these at one time especially during the pandemic was not the most ideal situation to be in. My biggest challenge was overcoming stress and trying to keep my mental health in check. I sacrificed a lot of personal time for myself to work and complete school work. Because of the burnout and realizing I had no “me” time, I had to let go of law enforcement and try to cut back elsewhere as well. My advice is say no to taking on extra tasks or roles when it doesn’t benefit, give yourself time, and remember that money can always return, time on the other hand cannot.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hands down Seattle. The itinerary would look something like this:

1. Obviously have to get a coffee from the original Starbucks.
2. Get some produce and free smells from Pike Place Market.
3. Visit the best local pizza joint I’ve ever had, “Via Tribunali”
4. Visit Kerry Park during the sunset to get an amazing view of the city.
5. Check out Mt. Rainer National Park (I’ve heard fall is the better time to go because of less cloud cover/wildfire smoke.)

I wasn’t able to see too much because of limited time there but there are so many more things to do in the “Emerald City.”

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This shoutout is for everyone who has asked me to capture photos for them and/or an event. It means so much to me be asked to capture such special moments and allowing me to be able to build a portfolio to gain future clients. I want to also give a special shoutout to my two good friends Matthew and Elizabeth for believing that I can pursue this passion of mine full time. They have probably had more belief than I had originally that I could make a living taking photos. I was also grateful to capture engagement photos for them in Oregon last year. Love both of you guys and thank you for believing in me!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dustinthibideauphotography/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dustin.thibideau/