We were lucky to catch up with Heather Lato recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Heather, thanks for joining us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

That’s a fantastic question, and reflecting on my journey as a photographer. I’m not sure there is much that I would change other than believing in myself sooner.

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 Heather Lato, and while I am primarily a self-taught photographer, my passion for photography emerged before my teenage years. Later on, I pursued formal education in digital art, design, and photography at Southeastern Louisiana University. However, after a year in that program, I made the decision to switch to marketing. This change provided the balance I needed, as the structure of the photography classes had somewhat stifled my creativity. During this period, I had the pleasure of working alongside a wedding and studio portrait photographer, from whom I gained invaluable knowledge and experiences.

It is my marketing career that has shaped both my professional and personal life, starting with my role as a marketing director in the orthodontics field immediately after college. Along the way, I rediscovered my passion for photography and began practicing it alongside my marketing responsibilities. Even now, as the manager of Shelby Clement Marketing, I remain deeply involved in marketing while also having the opportunity to engage in brand photography for our clients, which is something I truly adore.

Although my love for family sessions and capturing important milestones is still very much alive, what truly excites me is the creative direction I can provide in brand shoots.

Overall, my journey reflects the power of combining my love for photography and marketing expertise. It has allowed me to create a fulfilling career that merges artistic expression with effective branding strategies. Through this unique blend, I strive to deliver exceptional photography experiences to clients who value both creativity and growing their business.

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 quickly had to figure out that while you can learn from another artist, you should never compare your work to someone else’s. You should only compare your work to your own past work to see how far you have come!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me having my clients trust me to capture and create art with special moments in their lives is something that I will always be grateful for.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: heatherlato_photo

Image Credits
Heather Lato Photography