We recently connected with Christina Barrett and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Christina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

I have always felt it was my calling to inspire others to see themselves in a beautiful way. As a photographer for more than a decade, I noticed that so many people (especially women) don’t see themselves the way others do. Confidence plays such a strong role in how we show up in our day to day lives. It shapes our decisions, what treatment we accept, the risks we’ll take to succeed and how worthy we think we are of all the good things in life.

Over time it became clear to me that as the years pass by we can sometimes get ruffed up and lose ourselves a little. Hearing stories and testimonials from my clients gave me the realization that what I was providing them was so much more than just pretty photos. I was giving them a glimpse of what I saw in them and it shifted their focus to see all the beauty they had to offer. This created a natural shift in my business mission. My purpose became helping my clients gain confidence in their unique beauty and since then that’s been the driving force of my photography business.
Whether I’m seeing someone for a beauty/boudoir session or fresh business headshots the mission doesn’t change. I want to lift them up, provide the best experience ever and ignite their confidence. I truly believe that confidence and self worth are life changing and I love that I get to be part of that.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My love of photography started at an early age. It wasn’t until I had children though that I truly realized the value of a beautiful photo. My business morphed quickly from a hobby to full time once I found my niche in boudoir, beauty and headshot photography. Dreams of a studio first became a reality when I converted part of my home to accommodate my growing business. I stayed in this space for about a year but quickly outgrew its size. Now I offer sessions in my downtown St. Pete, FL studio. It has a bright, airy aesthetic and all the props and furniture my heart desires to stay creative and inspired.

I have created a photo experience for my clients that takes the stress away from planning. The studio has in house professional hair and makeup, styling assistance and helpful guides to make every step easy, inspiring and fun. More than anything I want my clients to relax and enjoy the photo experience when they work with me. I think when this happens the most authentic photos are created and that’s where the magic is.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I was always told that you couldn’t make a hobby a career. I love what I do so much that most days it doesn’t really feel like work. For that reason I have been more successful than I ever thought possible. My journey creating and growing my business as taught me that anything is possible. Just because someone else can’t see your vision doesn’t mean you should give them the power to squash it. I cannot imagine still being stuck in my old job doing work that didn’t inspire me or excite me on a daily basis.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I really wish I would have used tools like YouTube to learn techniques when I first started. There is so much free information online that it blows my mind some days. The internet is literally a wealth of knowledge where you can learn to do almost anything. I also wish I would have given into my creative nature sooner. I fought hard to stay the course I thought was the safest route to success. I wish I would have taken more chances earlier!!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.luxelightimages.com
• Instagram: @luxelightimages
• Facebook: @luxelightimages
• Linkedin: @luxelightimages

Image Credits
All images were photographed by Christina Barrett, Luxe Light Images