We recently connected with Taylor Smith and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Taylor, 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?

When I finally took the opportunity to go full-time in my photography business, the absolute first thing I did was message friends and family members whom I thought would have any interest in receiving my services. I most definitely did not approach it in a manner of begging for their business. Instead, I casually let them know that I made a transition in my business pursue photography full-time, and that I was currently open for booking for the holiday season. I provided an intention or a reason that they might need my services at the point of contact.

I am not sure how true this is for most people as photographers, but I recently saw someone’s reel on Instagram that resonated with my experience as a small business owner. It stated, “A client will become your friend faster than a friend will become your client”. Regardless of how many people ignored, dismissed, or declined that initial message, I stayed confident in what I had to offer. Not everyone has to love your specific style of photography to be supportive, and not everyone has to support your business just because they know you.

How many friends and family members support us should not be the barometer of our success. There is such thing as an “ideal client” or “avatar”, and personal friends and family members are not guaranteed to fit into that category.

Lastly, there are plenty of other ways that friends and family members can support our business that doesn’t cost them anything: liking, commenting, sharing, and saving our posts on Instagram and Facebook, telling other people about our business, offering potential props they may have in their basements that they haven’t touched in years, offering to use their property for a shoot, etc.

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?

I am a wedding, family, couples, and portrait photographer based out of the suburbs of Atlanta, GA. I love photographing people in all stages and celebrations of life, so I take on many different types of clients for that reason. I truly started enjoying taking pictures as a young Girl Scout at camp with disposable cameras and polaroids, making scrapbooks and organizing photo albums, being amazed by my 8 megapixel Kodak digital camera, and then witnessing the evolution of my interest in subject matter. I started DSLR photography in 2012 and have grown into the artist I am today.

I like to think that I produce a unique editing style that I don’t see among my peers. My imagery is bold and sharp, with a naturalistic depiction of my subjects. I aim for natural skin tones, vibrance, and visual impact. I think the term “moody” that we see as a current trend is too broad a category.

Aside from creative distinction, I feel I stand out in terms of communication, organization, and customer service. I am constantly making lists and notes of things that need to be completed, keeping track of deadlines for both me and my clients, and following through with the things I promise or contractually agree to. I am exceptionally responsive to a point that I have had to set boundaries to prevent work from blending with personal obligations.

I would say I am most proud of my growth and my reach. I never would have thought I’d have as many inquiries, clients, repeat clients, partnerships, etc. My resilience has contributed to the improvement of my artistic abilities, my ability to promote myself, and my ability to maintain relationships with those I have worked with. I feel this has subsequently contributed to how many new people have discovered or paid for my work.

One thing I’d love potential clients to know is that while we love what we do as photographers, it also takes an insane amount of effort. This industry demands us to be both creative and logical thinkers in order to function as professionals. It’s easy to lose sight of that when simply taking a “good” picture with an iPhone is within reach. We provide a service beyond “clicking a button” that is not easily replicated without practice, educational tools, and the right equipment.

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

I realize that knowledge is power, regardless of how much we think we already know. I am constantly learning from something, whether it’s news articles, YouTube videos, blog posts, books, etc.

I recently stumbled across an engaging book while browsing a bookstore, and felt it would be applicable to my business. I am always appreciative of new perspectives, in the event there is a different angle in which I can approach potential clients. While I have not finished it, I am actively reading “The Communication Habit” by Laura Joan Katen. It breaks down what we typically experience in professional communication, and how to transform those connections with people. I feel this is especially important in demonstrating confidence, and eventually influencing clients to trust in and commit to our creative services.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

At the beginning of my professional photography career, I was made to believe that every single person wanted every single blemish, every stray eyebrow hair, every freckle, every facial crease or wrinkle, every neckline, etc. removed in the editing process. I found myself so critical of what I was producing that the result of my editing ended up visually unbelievable after so much time spent at the computer. There were moments of frustration, and I let self-doubt get the best of me.

I gave myself some breathing room, and when I returned, I gradually shifted in the direction of photographing and editing images the way I saw them instead of what I “thought” the client wanted. This was so important in establishing my editing style. Doing things that made me fall in love with the work was ultimately when I saw a change in how they were presented to and received by my clients.

Contact Info:

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

Image Credits
Taylor Smith Images