We were lucky to catch up with Mary Sasso recently and have shared our conversation below.

Mary, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

In Photography, it can be difficult to be successful. The most important part of being successful for me is my continuing education. Before I opened my doors, I made sure to take formal classes. I think this really helped me to stand out and avoid some of the mistakes photographers can make early on.

As I grow as a photographer, I still take classes on many topics to keep my art fresh. A good comprehensive photoshop class every few years is a must! Adobe adds so many new features and client styles change so it is important to keep myself up to date.

I believe we are lifelong learners and if you keep studying and expanding your knowledge your art will improve and success will follow.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, I spent many years taking different types of art classes. In middle school, my mom gifted me her 1976 Canon ae-1 and that was it! I spent many of the next years on and off learning about cameras and growing as a hobbyist, but film was expensive and hard to experiment with. In 2007, I saved up all my summer job money and bought a digital camera, a Nikon d40. That little camera served me well for many many years. It wasn’t until I moved to Japan with my husband, that I started to consider transitioning to a professional camera and professional role in the industry. Armed with new motivation and a goal, I went searching for a program that would teach me how to be the best photographer I could be. In 2017, I graduated from the New York Institute of Photography with my certificate in Professional Photography. I believe this sets me apart from other photographers in my field. I have a formal art education and I know how to evaluate and improve my own work. I believe knowing where to improve and which images are exceptional is vital to providing clients with photographs they will want to both share online and print for their home.

While I have worked in many different fields of photography, my favorite is family portraits. I love meeting new people and creating memories for families. I currently offer affordable family, couple, maternity, children and pet photography in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being creative?

The most important aspect of being an artist for me is making sure my client has had a good experience. Photographs can be more than just an image. If the session was out of control and everyone was struggling, no matter how good the photo is, the client will not look at it and smile. It is so incredibly important to make the whole experience enjoyable. Being a portrait photographer also means that my art isn’t just for me. Part of my art is the art of knowing how to make clients feel good about themselves and to help them see the best version of themselves and their families in single images.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

The things that helped build my reputation most in the current market is consistency and reliability. A common complaint from clients and friends are photographers who cancel or move dates around at the last minute. I have built my reputation as someone who will show up and provide the service that is expected when it is expected. The second part of this is providing consistency in my work. What you see in my portfolio is what you will receive. I don’t have wild swings in my style and I know how to get the images I need to fulfill my packages. A photographer’s business is built on recommendations. A bad shoot can be seen by many and can damage your reputation quickly!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.marysassophotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marysassophotography/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/marysassophotography
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/marysassophotography