Senior Matt Bird prioritizes his school work, but he has recently had to juggle his jobs, becoming stressed with work.

Bird found a love of cameras and the work he is able to create with them, including portraits, nature photos, or even documentaries.

Eventually, he figured out how to start his own small photography business.

In the sixth grade, he decided to join HCAM, the town’s cable-access station and club that produces newscasts in the middle and high school.

The club taught Bird everything he knows about creating professional photos and videos.

“As fun as my hobby is, it’s really hard to make money out of it,” Bird said. “But back in middle school, it was just something I enjoyed doing and learning.”

“But when I got to high school, things became a lot harder financially.”

One day, he was watching a show about real estate and companies that make money taking professional photos of homes that are for rent or sale.

“I sat there and thought, ‘I can do that,’ how hard could it be? I got cameras, lights, and a drone.”

In the summer of 2017, between sophomore and junior year, his parents began to refer him to neighbors and friends. A few asked him to help.

As he grew older, he learned how to use more expensive equipment, but his own personal cameras became more expensive. It became hard to keep up with the expenses of new equipment.

Sophomore year, he got a job at Price Chopper and hated it. It took up a lot of his time and didn’t fully pay off the expenses of his cameras.

“My first few ‘clients’ seemed to be doing it as if it was like charity work, but once they saw how good my photos were, it definitely changed my name for the better.”

People began to refer him to towns as far as northern New Hampshire. Many people used his services because he would listen to how the owner of the property wanted the home to be photographed. Other companies tend to do everything independently.

His drone provided aerial views that only the most expensive companies could offer, which made him very valuable.

Bird began to charge half as much for twice the work, making nearly five times what he used to make at Price Chopper.

“It was great. After I made a thousand dollars in a week, I was able to quit my job. What’s better than getting paid more for something you love to do?”

Bird’s company grew, making nearly $12,000 in just three months. It became harder during winter.

Matt hopes to make photography a long-life second job, where he is able to work on his own schedule.

As he gets more and more professional equipment, he plans to become a wedding and event photographer,  once he builds a body of work and becomes more professional after college.