We were lucky to catch up with Lillee Monet recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lillee , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Recently, I received the largest wedding inquiry of my career: a two-day event with over 400 guests, requiring travel and accommodation. I was beyond excited and honored, so I scheduled a consultation call with the client. However, I quickly noticed several red flags. When discussing the value of my services and the lifelong importance of quality photos, the client cut me off, stating I was charging too much and that his budget was only half of my quote.

I fought for a middle ground and a result where we BOTH can win, but to no avail. I realized that this client was not the right fit for me, as our expectations were misaligned. Despite the appeal of adding this wedding to my portfolio and reinvesting the earnings into my business, I stood firm on my initial quote and declined to take this client for lower my price.

I took the risk, and didn’t lose anything at the end of the day…not even the money I could have made. I didn’t lose my integrity, my professionalism and most importantly, my sense of self worth. I know my services are worth the investment, and I trust that clients who truly value my work will come in good time.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi! I’m Lillee Monet, your Southern California wedding and couples photographer. I started my professional photography business after the pandemic, although I’ve been taking photographs since late high school.

One of the main problems I solve for my clients is ensuring that their memories are preserved in the most beautiful and meaningful way possible.My approach is rooted in cinematic, documentary-style photography, preserving genuine moments as they unfold. Each frame is carefully created to reflect your love story, making authentic images that transcends the ordinary. Finding inspiration in cinematography, and B&W and film inspired edits, I offer digital, 35mm and Super8 film for all of my wedding and couples packages, as these mediums bring a unique, vintage flare to modern love stories.

I’m a non-traditional, activity-based photographer, so whether you and your partner want to run around the Griffith Observatory at night, or ride horses and pick orange as a citrus grove at sunset, you won’t find any stiff or boring poses over here! I have traveling soul (in other words, no destination is too far for me to cover your love story).

What sets me apart is my commitment to creating a personalized experience for each client. I take the time to get to know my clients, understand their vision, and work closely with them to ensure their story is told in the most beautiful and authentic way possible. My intention is to make every session enjoyable and stress-free, allowing my clients to relax and be themselves in front of the camera.

I’m most proud of the relationships I’ve built with my clients and the trust they place in me to preserve the slippage of there most precious, fleeting moments. I’ve had the pleasure to grow up with couples, not from childhood, but from the different stages of their romantic lives. From boyfriend and girlfriend, to marriage and parenthood, I’ve been honored to be there every step of the way. Seeing the joy in their eyes (or sending over an emotion-filled text message) when they see their photos for the first time is incredibly rewarding and motivates me to keep pouring love and energy into my craft.

My approach is rooted in cinematic, documentary-style photography, preserving genuine moments as they unfold. Each frame is carefully created to reflect your love story, making authentic images that transcends the ordinary.

For potential clients and followers, I want you to know that my work is driven by passion and a genuine love for what I do! Whether it’s a grand wedding or an intimate couple’s session, I approach every project with the same level of dedication and creativity. My aim is to make art that is lived through..that can be experienced and relived again. Let me make art out of your story!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

As a creative in business, it’s easy for me to see the value that I put into all the aspects of my work. From the boring backend bookkeeping to creating style guides and email templates, there is so much more than what meets the eye that clients don’t see. It’s common for clients to assume that the hefty price tag that photographer charge just covers the day-of coverage of their shoot (or worse – your photographers next vacation, lol).

In reality, only a relatively small percentage of that total amount is profit. The rest of that money is reinvested back into our businesses (e.g. paying for subscriptions, gear, education, etc.). However, there are other reasons apart from gear why photographers charge what they do (because what client really cares about how much you spent on your camera? – no one!). For example, one reason why I charge what I do is because you are paying me not to photograph someone else’s wedding or big day. That’s why myself and other photographers strongly encourage to reach out and reserve your spot in our calendars before someone else books your preferred date! I can’t tell potential clients enough how sad it makes me to turn them away because someone else already paid me to book their shoot that day!

Lastly, this is our career, meaning we’re our own employers. We charge what we need to in order to save for taxes, cover insurance, put money into a retirement account and other things that company employers would typically take care of. We wear so many hats other than just snapping photos for your event, and our prices need to reflect the time and energy that goes into this multi-faceted job if we want to continue serving our clients without financial burnout.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

As a creative:
– Immerse yourself in foreign movies, listen to foreign music, see foreign art. Doing so will give you a more well-rounded insight on how multifaceted art really can be, especially from a non-American perspective. Go travel f you can afford to do so!
– Read poetry. How do we translate emotions on paper into people’s poses in photographs? How do we translate written poetry into visual poetry?
– My favorite: Take screenshots of movie scenes you’re drawn to, drop them into a Google Doc and analyze why you like that frame (color grading, composition, location, emotion, etc.)

As a business owner:
– Invest in a mentor or business coach! I’m very fortunate to receive business coaching from the CEO of a successful photography studio in Huntington Beach and it has revolutionized how seriously I take myself as a business owner.
– Listen to business podcasts (and not just ones from your creative field either!) Just invest in some kind of business education!
– Connect and network with people outside of your niche. Gain insight/perspective on how other business owners approach the same issues you do, whether that’s through social media or clientele.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lilleemonetphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilleemonetphotography/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lillee-monet-photography-san-pedro

Image Credits

Lillee Monet Photography