My Photography Journey

When I was 18 I decided I wanted to take up a new hobby and learn photography. I got a rebel canon and would take pictures of my friends and myself constantly in my free time. My uncle was a photographer himself and decided to mentor me and tech me everything he knew about photography. 

In 2019 I started a Facebook and Instagram page for my photography and would book little shoots here and there to help build my portfolio and practice. 

In 2020 I decided I really loved photography and wanted to work harder at it and take it more seriously. I started putting little styled shoots together and eventually started doing mini sessions which helped get my name out there. I was also a full time college student and working 30 to 40 hours a week at my waitressing job. One day I had a really bad day at my waitressing job and I remember calling my dad telling him about it and also telling him that “I don’t know what I want to do with my life but I do know I don’t want to be a waitress anymore” my dad told me “Do something you’re passionate about that you love and everything else will fall into place”. In the back of my head I knew I was passionate about photography and it was something I really wanted to do.

I was currently in school giving nursing school a go. I wasn’t very passionate about it but I was doing good in school and thought it wouldn’t be a bad job to have. I started getting really busy with my little photography business, that all I could think about at school was editing and brainstorming styled shoots for content. A month later I decided to quit school and focus more on my photography business and in the meantime I would still waitress for extra money. 1 month later my business picked up tremendously and I was busy taking pictures every night, to the point that I didn’t have time to work at my waitressing job. 

In November of 2020 I decided to go full time with my photography and see where it would go. I’m now almost in my second year of being a full time photographer and I can’t believe where this little business has taken me. I moved out of my small town to a bigger town, traveled to several states to take pictures, got my first studio, made some amazing photog friends, got published in 2 magazines, started my second business (event rental), and I’m still smashing goals and working hard on my “little business” everyday.

 I’m so incredibly glad I took a leap of faith a year and a half ago and decided to start living out my dreams. I had a lot of people tell me “good luck making that work” and “photographers don’t make good money, your better off in school” I made more as a first year photographer than if I would have finished my degree. Truth is if you don’t know anything about that career don’t assume negative things and push it onto that person. My life has changed so much in the last year and a half and I’m forever grateful for that! Of course none of this would be possible without my amazing clients and the people who support me along the way! I’m still working hard on my business and I can’t wait to see where it takes me at the end of this year! 

Don’t give up on the things you want, because anything is truly possible to achieve especially when your passionate about it!