We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Theresa Regan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Theresa below.

Theresa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

One of the greatest things my parents did for me was teaching me the importance of being a hard worker. My mother is the strongest, smartest, kindest, most resilient person I have ever met, and has had her own accounting business for as long as I can remember. Growing up, she taught me the importance of running a small woman-owned business simply by leading by example. I never thought twice about a mother of three kids being able to juggle home life with clients, it just seemed so normal. There was never a doubt in my mind that I could grow up to do the same thing. When it was finally time for me to start my own, she was there for me with any advice and support I needed. She set the ground work from day one, and seeing her work so hard for so many years set me up so well to be my own independent business owner.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Theresa Regan, and I was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. I got my start in Photography in high school when I saved up and bought my very first camera. I taught myself how to use every setting, and started photographing everything from flowers, to friends and family, and even experimenting with lighting techniques and light painting. I got I knew I had found my passion. I went on to get a degree in Photojournalism from Temple University, and had continued to learn and grow in my love for storytelling. Knowing I didn’t necessarily want to pursue a career at a news outlet, I found a job managing a photo studio a year out of college, and was introduced to the worlds of commercial and product photography. I was fortunate enough to have met one of my mentors at this studio, and ten years later, we are still best friends.

She showed me what it was to be a successful woman working in a field that is fast paced, always changing, and dominated by men, and I knew from the start that that is what I wanted to do. With her help, and the help of several other photographers who worked at the studio, I was able to learn the ins and outs of the business, spent a good amount of time assisting, and was able to build my client base through referrals.

Now, ten years later, I specialize in product photography, commercial advertising and event photography. I love working with small businesses to tell a story about their brand, whether that be for social media, newsletters, print advertising or websites. My clients range from high-end jewelers, to gyms, to healthcare organizations, to non-profits and everything in between. Every day is something different, and I absolutely love that about my work. I think what sets me apart from some of the others in my field is that I absolutely love building a relationship with every one of my clients. I love getting to really know their brands and figuring out the best way to really showcase their strong suits.

I am most proud of the connections I have made throughout my career, not only with clients, but with colleagues in my field. Two women specifically have been the most influential and talented mentors who have taught me mostly everything I know, and who continue to help boost me in my career. Being in a job that doesn’t have an office setting where you get to spend time with colleagues, I have come to value these and the other friendships I have made with so many other photographers, designers and creatives.

I love being able to challenge myself, explore new techniques, learn new things and push myself to think outside the box. The work that I do allows me to do these things mostly every day, and I will forever be grateful for how creative my clients allow me to be. I love working with companies big and small and am so excited to continue to grow my client base and see where my photography can take me!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think the thing that is most difficult to explain to my friends and family outside of the creative industry, specifically as someone who owns their own business, is that work never “turns off.” I don’t get to post the *slams laptop shut till Monday* memes every Friday, because I’m never really off the hook for calls and emails. Owning your own business can be wildly rewarding, but it comes with a ton of sacrifices. I have missed countless birthdays, baby and wedding showers, girls nights, family gatherings, you name it. Not having a set Monday through Friday work week, I am constantly booking work whenever I can for my clients. A lot of times this means shooting most Saturdays and Sundays throughout the more “fun” times of year. Luckily, my family, boyfriend and friends are so incredibly supportive and have continued to put up with my “sorry, I can’t, I have a shoot.” I’m also lucky to have such amazing clients that I usually don’t mind working on the weekends!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

The thing that illustrates the most resilience for me and my business is keeping my doors open throughout and after the pandemic. My business came to a screeching halt in March of 2020, as did mostly everyone else’s in my field. It was terrifying to see my books go from cancelling gigs two weeks out, to a month, to everything gone for the next six months. There were so many times I panicked and thought “okay, what do we do now? I’m sure I could take up another gig for now.” Luckily, work started picking back up once the world was allowed to open again, and I made sure to take on every single gig that I could. Being there for my clients, taking on any new work I could get my hands on, and building up my book with new personal work truly got me back on my feet and saved my career. It’s crazy to look back on now, but I’m so thankful that I was able to keep my business afloat through that unprecedented time.

Contact Info:

• Website: theresaregan.com
• Instagram: theresaregan_photo

Image Credits
Theresa Regan Photography