A 14-year-old schoolgirl has single-handedly created a “successful” photography business.
Syra Ragiwala, a year 9 pupil at the Priory School in Hitchin, created portrait company Syra Jane Photography Ltd six months ago and has on average three clients a week.
She operates the company at her parents home at Times Close on weekends, in addition to studying for her GCSE’s next year and maintaining a busy social life.
She said: “Ever since a young age I’ve had an interest in trying out new things, joining new clubs at school and discovering new things. Unfortunately, I’ve never really stuck with anything. I’ve completed everything you could think of, gymnastics, running,, swimming, learnt the violin, the keyboard, the guitar and so many other things.
“Photography is the only thing that I have ever stuck with.
“I’ve been taking photographs since I was ten years old. I wanted to get out and photograph people in the street but my parents didn’t want me to go out alone.
“I managed to persuade them to let me set up my own business at our house in Hitchin and currently photograph about three people a week.
“I first started off photographing flowers and plants that I found in my back garden, I’m extremely lucky to have a big and long garden. Then I moved on to photographing people. Now I’m a self employed photographer aiming higher than I ever have for anything.
“At the moment I am trying to complete a balance of exams at school, my photography and my social life. With the support of my friends and my family I have come up with numerous goals and aspirations that I am to complete by the age of 20, some even by the time I’ve left school.
“With so many goals and aspirations I aim to be inspired and I aim to inspire people. I aim to set up my own studio in London within the next five years.
“It’s so much fun working with different people and so far the business has been sucessful.”
Syra charges £30 an hour for photography sessions. For more information visit www.syrajanephotography.weebly.com
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