Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nadia Astudillo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Nadia , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear how you think where to draw the line in terms of asking friends and family to support your business – what’s okay and what’s over the line?

There are many ways family and friends can support your photography business! After I invested in my first professional camera, I needed high quality images in order to launch my website. I offered many free sessions to family and friends, giving me the opportunity to give a professional client experience and gallery, while also being comfortable enough to experiment and grow in my skills as a photographer. Going into each free session with the desire to serve and offer the best client experience and deliver a professional gallery, resulted in referrals – and built my portfolio – which opened the door to paid clients! Most family and friends will be open and willing to help you get started and learn new things, it never hurts to ask!

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

As I was considering and praying about what to do after I graduated Highschool, I began to reflect on my interest for taking photos. I was always the one with the cell phone taking pictures and videos of family events, flowers, and the small details all around! I reached out to multiple friends who were also professional photographers to gather more information about equipment and how they started. I spent my Christmas break of my Junior year watching dozens of free webinars, YouTube videos, scouring blog posts and websites of professional photographers whose style I admired, and asking lots of questions. A few months later, I bought my first professional camera and lens and began to experiment and implement everything I had been learning!

I settled on a bright and classic style, officially launching my business that Summer – capturing portraits ranging from family sessions to weddings – I love capturing the genuine laughter and joy of my clients and letting their character shine through the images!

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

I became a small sided soccer referee at the age of 13, and was USSF certified a few years later. Working consistently each year during the soccer seasons enabled me to successfully fund my business as I launched my website, bought professional equipment, etc, all without going into debt!

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

First and foremost, the book that has been the most impactful in shaping my management and entrepreneurial thinking is the Bible, the Word of God. Studying and growing closer to the Lord through it has built my world-view more than anything else, from how I interact and work with clients, to how I operate my website- for in Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Another book that was impactful to me was the fascinating and inspiring story found in the book “God Owns My Business” written by the founder of the United States Plastics Corp, Stanley Tam.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nadiamicaelaphotography.com/

Image Credits

Lauren Olivia Creations,
Nadia Micaela Photography