We recently connected with Mariya Anderson and have shared our conversation below.

Mariya , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Now I am busy with my creative work, but it wasn’t always like that…
When I was at University, I knew that after graduation I would have a stable job that I could devote my whole life to, but after graduation I went to work and realized that it wasn’t for me at all! A difficult period began, where stability was on one side of the scale and creativity and the pleasure of creating was on the other. You might say that it’s possible to combine the two. And you would be absolutely right! However, it didn’t feel right to me. My job took up a lot of time, and I didn’t have the energy left for creativity. So I took the first step toward my dream—I changed jobs to one that paid less but allowed me to study. Then came my first tentative steps in the profession. Help from friends. Support from my family. All of this made me stronger and more confident in my abilities. Step by step, I became more professional and made the necessary contacts. In short, a lot has changed. One thing hasn’t changed: I study a lot to stay up to date and know the trends.
So, from being an ordinary teacher, I became a full-time interior designer and photographer.

Mariya , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

The story of my business began by accident. I always wanted to be creative, which I did. But it wasn’t professional. I had been interested in photography for a long time: macro and food, and one day a friend asked me to take pictures of his house. I gladly agreed and at that very moment realized that this was what I wanted to do next.
I got a second degree in interior design, as it allows me to develop my creative side, combining it with technical skills and a love of architecture.
Today, my business, Design Photography LLC, provides 3D interior visualization and photo restoration services (a long-time hobby), as well as photography: architectural (both residential and commercial), product, and food.
I set high standards for my work (I am a Virgo and a perfectionist), and I provide high-quality, professional services because I think that every one of my clients deserves it.
I am very proud of my work and take immense pleasure in helping my clients run their businesses and achieve their goals.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Reputation is one of the fundamental things in business. Ask yourself, how do clients come to you? Most often, it is through recommendations. A client who is satisfied with the service provided will always be happy to share their contact details with a friend or family member. I can give you an example from my practice. Very often, people who are going to sell or rent their houses have no idea how to prepare for a photographer’s visit. You might say that there is a real estate agent. Yes, there is. But the real estate agent’s vision and the photographer’s needs do not always coincide. Before arriving at the address, I always send instructions on how to prepare the house, and I have heard many thanks for this. I also often help people on the spot. Mothers with small children or elderly people are often very confused and need help (including psychological support!). I try to make my photo shoots as comfortable as possible for everyone involved. And it works!

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

That’s a very interesting question. The main thing I would advise is not to go into too much detail, but to explain to the client as simply as possible (and preferably with pictures) what you do.
The client needs to understand that your professional experience will allow you to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary and reveal the best aspects of the object. And it doesn’t matter what you do, your task is to convince the client that your work will be done at the highest level and will be beneficial.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.photomobile.us
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anderson.photo.restoration
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariya-design-photography-anderson-41a048150/

Image Credits

Only me