We recently connected with Lanly Le and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lanly thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

Being a business owner takes discipline and constant work — its not easy, and its hard to work normal business hours — you are working all of the time, and I am more sensitive to taking things more personally and comparing myself rather than just doing something I don’t care about. But the freedom is something that is immeasurable and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

I have had many jobs. I have done corporate, and I have done photography for corporate. All of the other jobs taught me nuances and skills that allow me to be a more organized entrepreneur and the full time photographer that I am now — but they all had something in common. I was always split — my mind was always elsewhere. I was always under the control of someone else’s ridiculous and ever-changing rules. There was no creative control — it was just a never-ending cycle of functions and going with the motion — but no heart, no spirit. I felt like an automaton robot. Minutes drag on in the day, and I am always wishing I am somewhere else. It was torturous.

Photography and creating is the only long-term relationship I’ve had with something that keeps growing and is not in a dead-end. When I am on a shoot, time FLIES because nothing is scripted. Everything is living in the moment–all the creatives working as a team. Everyone feels accomplished at the end of the day and we have created something beautiful together.

It’s almost as if my only option is to be my own entrepreneur or I’d go crazy. I’ve been discouraged by family members who have never taken the risk themselves — they always want to give me the safe route. But I’ve seen how the world works, and it gave me confidence to move forward and take a risk. This is the age where if you are passionate in something, as long as you are growing in it and give it consistent effort, you will grow, and you will attract those who share your passion and want to support your business. Yes, the world really works like this! And all it takes is you being honest with yourself and not being afraid to try. That’s harder than it sounds! You will also make mistakes and you will also have days where you are struggling — but you WILL always grow. It is like climbing a mountain — as long as you are taking one step at a time, you keep reaching higher. Plus, there is so much information and resources in today’s world that can help a person, that there is no excuse not to try!

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 fine art portrait photographer. I specialize in people portraits but am now expanding to product photography. My work ranges from modeling, acting, business, family, maternity, boudoir, bridal, to commercial fashion and products.

Clients choose my work when they want something simple and timeless. My style also has a clean editorial composition that is attractive to those who want professional and polished visuals. Working with me is a flexible and fluid process — I can work with a brand that gives me inspirations on exactly what they want, or I can take full control as a creative director.

Most people do not know that I am also my own retoucher. My style is natural and not overdone — this is probably the reason why most people don’t even know that I retouched the image.

With my work, I am most proud when I can deliver images that a client loves.

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

I look back and I think I would have been overwhelmed by all of the resources that are available today. There were great resources back then that I couldn’t receive because I was not ready, but now make sense in hindsight because of all the mistakes that I had made. My journey has been through a solid trial and error of each step of the way. I think everyone has their own speed of growth, and it can only be done one step at a time. Get really good at one tool, the tool you have right now, and then slowly expand from there.

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

This is more of a holistic answer but…everything is connected! 1. Showing up
2. Being clear in communication and plans — making sure everyone is on the same page
3. Treating people with respect and respecting their time
4. Consistency
5. Gratitude
6. Constant practicing, experimenting, self-reflection
7. Balancing all aspects of my life and taking care of myself

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lanlyle.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/lanlylephoto

Image Credits
Anna Liljestrand, Kim Kim, Lindsey Johnson, Miranda Sullivan, Angelina Shannon, Elizabeth Grace, Isabella Zeier, Emma Harmelink, Paige Grissom, Corrin Schneider