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

Hi Raj, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I think the key factor for my success has been the quality of images, taking images in some of the most beautiful locations in the world and using social media to my advantage. The other key factor is smart use of social media. In fact in the past 10 years social media has totally changed the way we do business. It has impacted photographers in different ways- some like it and some don’t. But I have taken advantage of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook to showcase only my best work. This has enhanced my reputation and helped me establish relation with my followers as they anticipate good quality posts every time. But at the end of the day as I said earlier, it is the quality of images that has the most impact. Over the years I have developed a colorful, vivid style of photography and have showcased my work in my website that has been very impactful in terms of selling prints of my artwork. Also, I ensured that the website is efficient, easy to navigate and has features like live preview with augmented reality. Having a good website has been one of the key factors for my success.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I was an engineer, by trade— am an engineer, actually; I have a day job. I was a rockstar in a former life back in India, (for real!) but now, I’m an engineer. And a dad. And a husband. And (hopefully) a friend to a bunch of people out there. Photography stumbled upon me. Or, rather, I stumbled upon photography. It slowly, but deliberately, took its hold on me as I went about my life, traveled, and worked on being these other things that I’ve aspired to be. Photography snuck in, when I wasn’t noticing, and rather than stealing my focus, actually broadened it. It broadened my focus to include a desire for capturing the things that not only peak my interest, but inspire me to share the greatness that each stolen moment has brought. To see where I am today, I think traveling, honestly, is what really did it. To go from place to place and to see people and places that are completely different from me, but, when digging deeper, are essentially the same. We all are in wonder of the stunning fjords of Norway, the unequivocal romance of Italy, to the rugged nature in Patagonia. I’ve been to almost 40 countries so far, chasing that connection and capturing the perfect moment. So overall it has been an interesting journey. What kept me going and to see me where I am can be attributed to two things- serious passion for photography and travelling. Initially honestly I didn’t think about success- all I cared about was honing my skill, creating my OWN style and building my portfolio. I spend lot of time creating a solid online presence, specially in Instagram where I have been successful in creating more than 112K followers. But its not really the number of followers that matters- its all about connecting with your fanbase. I have consistently posted top quality images from around the world that has helped me reach out to to a larger audience. Branding is an important aspect of my business. My goal always have been to create an emotional connection so that  the moment anyone see my photos in my website or in social media, it should evoke positive emotion which will lead to browsing my portfolio, and finally make a purchase. So creating that experience and the connection has been the highlight of my photos. I really hope people continue to enjoy my work. And I’m not saying it has not been work — all the stealthiness of a passion doesn’t let you skip the trial and errors, studying, learning, and failing it takes to bring these moments back to life, by any means. It’s just TOTALLY worth it. All the work behind the scenes has also allowed me to build a “method to the madness” that I share in my photography workshops all around the world.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Below are the top spots to see in Houston: 1. NASA’s Johnson Space Center, 2. Museum Disstrict which includes Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Children’s Museum of Houston, the Menil Collection, the Holocaust Museum, and the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston,. Not to forget the lovely Hermann Park, Houston Zoo and the Miller Outdoor Theatre. 3. Check out the Street Art- mural at the corner of Travis and Preston Streets and the smaller “Houston” mural at Leeland and St. Emanuel Streets. 4. Shop the Vintage Stores on 19th Street in The Heights 5. Take a day trip to Galveston Island

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Although photography is my profession,  I always try to find the right balance between taking photos, travelling and my home life. I am very fortunate to have the support of my wife -she pushes me to strive for perfection and is a rock in my life.

Website: www.rajbose.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rajbose_photography and https://www.instagram.com/travellwithatexan/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rajbosephotography/

Image Credits
All photos shot and edited by (C) Raj Bose

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutHTX is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.