We were lucky to catch up with Dawn Young recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dawn, thanks for joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

In early 2022, I had the privilege of photographing an engagement session for a beautiful couple who had recently returned to their hometown from California. As a photographer, one of the things I love most about my job is meeting new people and establishing meaningful connections. During the session, we hit it off and quickly became friends. Although I wasn’t initially interested in shooting weddings, this couple convinced me to photograph their fall nuptials. I’m so glad they did because their wedding day was one of my career’s most enjoyable and fulfilling experiences. The couple and their guests were warm, loving, and welcoming, making my job a joy. However, when I began editing the images, I discovered that two hours of the wedding day, including the ceremony, were missing from the gallery. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t recover the corrupted files, and it was heartbreaking to tell the couple that they wouldn’t have these essential memories. Losing those photos was a blow to my passion for photography, but it taught me an important lesson. I now save my images to multiple memory cards and hard drives to prevent this from happening again.

Dawn, 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?

From a young age, I have had a passion for taking pictures. I am sentimental, and capturing moments and memories through photos has always been important to me. I fondly remember taking pictures on family vacations with disposable cameras and displaying images from different events in our home. My grandmother even gifted my siblings and cousins Polaroid cameras for Christmas, my favorite gift.

I can’t pinpoint a specific moment or thing that made me want to pursue photography; I just loved taking photos. I remember buying my first camera, a Canon Rebel T3, from Walmart’s website. I was thrilled to get a great deal on it, and I immediately started taking pictures of anything and everything – animals, landscapes, and friends. I followed several photographers and creators on YouTube, and they became my biggest inspirations.

A few years ago, I had a bad experience with a client, which temporarily put me off photography. But, I realized that I shouldn’t let one negative experience keep me from doing what I love. Photography is my passion, and I have been working hard to pursue it ever since. I have learned so much and even started booking more jobs this year. Each session has taught me something new, and it has made me excited to continue shooting. My significant accomplishment was making my photography business an LLC this past year, and I am proud of how far I have come. Though I still have goals to meet, I look forward to what’s to come next year.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding thing about photography is the clients’ reactions. The mission of The Young Lens is to capture moments that last a lifetime. My favorite thing about it is the look on people’s faces when they get their photos back. I do it for the “wow!” I do it because it can often be negative when someone sees themselves the way other people see them. You grow up with peer pressure to look a certain way and little insecurities that make you question how the world views you. But when you consider yourself through the eye of an artist or creator, it’s always positive. It’s always more defined and beautiful than you would think. When I’m taking pictures of someone, and I turn the camera around and show them what they look like, they get to see the beauty I see in them. That’s what motivates me. There’s so much pressure in our world telling us we must be a specific size, color, etc., but we are all beautiful and unique as God intended. I approach the world with an artist’s eye, seeing the beauty in people and nature. When I capture a perfect shot, I can’t help but dance with joy, knowing that it made the session worth it. Seeing the smile on my client’s face is what keeps me passionate about my work.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

My most effective strategy has been being consistent on social media and having an excellent website. The internet plays a huge part in everything! If you can keep an outstanding online presence on top of giving excellent service to your clients, you can succeed. People talk, but they also post on social media. Word of mouth goes a long way. Someone can read a post from a client and view the images, and decide if they want to hire the same photographer. I post photos and videos frequently, which has helped get my work in front of more people, bringing new clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theyounglens.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/theyoung.lens
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/younglensphotography

Image Credits
Shay Smith – Timeless Captures Ohio