Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis Raffety.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I always loved taking photos. I remember taking my mom’s old film camera when I was a kid and took photos of random stuff in the house. Stealing the “family camera” would go on until I could afford my first DSLR which was a refurbished Canon T6i. With the help of YouTube, I taught myself everything about the camera and started taking photos of wildlife at a local nature reserve. A year or two went by of doing wildlife photography, I updated my gear to a Sony A7Riii and started focusing on the business side of photography. One of my other hobbies included live music. I would see the photographers in the photo pit at these concerts and was like, I’m going to do this! That is what started my brand Manticore Media. I got to photograph and work with some of my favorite bands (a day to remember, wage war, asking Alexandria) and also work with some up-and-coming local bands in Orlando. Unfortunately, the pandemic hit and there were no concerts. Fortunately, though. I got the opportunity to work with and start filming for Brandon Jordan and his YouTube channel Jiggin with Jordan. This is where I’ve been for a couple of years now, I’ve gotten to travel and film in some crazy locations which is all I’ve very wanted!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. Bands don’t let just anyone photograph them. You generally have to work for a publication of some sort and get approved through the bands PR to photograph. I was not with a publication so I had to create one. I started my brand Manticore Media and had myself and a handful of other photographers around the country on it. There were tons of emails being sent, a ton of research to find band contacts, lots and lots of denials to photograph. But that comes with it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I do a little bit of everything. On one hand, I photograph concerts. On the other hand, I film for a YouTube channel. I could either be dodging crowd surfers getting shots of a your favorite band or I could be scuba diving and filming or photographing Brandon for his YouTube channel. What sets me apart from others is my editing style. I love my photos to have that vintage, textured, dramatic, moody vibe to them. All in all, though, my favorite part is just capturing the moment and being able to tell a story in just one photo.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
It’s probably not that surprising but I am all self-taught. I never went to school for photography, videography, or editing. I just did it and figured it out as I went.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Instagram.com/manticore.media
