Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Missy White. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Missy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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?

Starting a business is definitely hard enough on its own, especially when the business you chose to start is one where you need to show your work in order to get work. Photography is one of those businesses, where in order to get clients, you have to have a portfolio or a gathering of your best photographs to show clients so they will book you for their photography needs.

Photographers have portfolios as a resume of sorts. It is something we can show clients so they can view your work and artistic style. If the client likes your specific style, it’s the hope that they will select you for their photographer needs. Photography is very competitive, there are so many photographers to choose from so it is important to get a portfolio together of your best work to help you stand out and book more clients.

While starting out and gathering a portfolio you determine what type of photography you want to specialize in, for me it was portraits (families, couples, headshots, ect.), and take photos…Sounds easy enough right?
Or so I thought… Then I realized that I needed to find people and places to photograph and also come up with the concepts or types of styles and looks I wanted and gather them for my portfolio. Then make it happen. When I started my portfolio and photography business I was a stay at home first time new mother of a precious baby girl. I did not get out and socialize too much nor did I have a large network, so finding people to photograph to make my visions for my portfolio was a bit challenging.

I started by asking friends and family to do photoshoot here and there but it still didn’t seem enough to create a diverse portfolio I wanted to portray. One day another learning photographer friend of mine introduced me to a facebook group Women networking in Arizona, where it was all about networking in photography with models, hair and make up artists and more. I started branching out and going to group networking meetups, having free photoshoots or TFP trade for photos where both photographers and models collaborate together to make an artistic vision come to life without traditional payment to better their career or improve their work. Those meet ups and collaborations assisted me in not only growing my portfolio but it also helped me improve and try new things in photography.

Another way I got my portfolio completed and continue to update it to this day is I attend a meet up in Whitman Arizona called the Junk Yard Shootout hosted by another photographer friend of mine and his wife. The gathering was full of makeup and hair artists, photographers, models and even fire throwers who all meet in this junkyard for a day of networking. There were over a hundred people from photographers, make-up artists, models and even fire throwers that all got together to take amazing photos together, learn from one another and collaborate together.

If it weren’t for the support of my friends and family allowing me to photograph them when I first started out, and teaching me of these facebook groups and hosting these events, I would not be nearly as successful nor would my portfolio be as diverse and intriguing as I have. So I am very thankful, I had and continue to have such a wonderful support system in my family and friends as I continue to grow my photography.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hey all my name is Missy I am a full-time working mother of two amazingly precious kiddos K&K, and married to a wonderful supportive husband. I am pursuing my passion in photography and turning it into a fun loving part-time career here in the East Valley Arizona (Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, Phoenix).
I specialize in Portrait Photography, Family, Couples, Maternity, Newborn/Children and Artistic Collaborations. I look forward to capturing your moments & memories.
Thank you for your support!

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

Oh yes, there are quite a few resources I wish I knew earlier on or before starting my journey in photography.

One Resource I wish I learned sooner was how many photography groups many photography groups there are in Facebook.. There are groups from beginners in photography to learning photoshop to networking with other creatives and even ones for photography events. Since learning of these groups I have taken full advantage! I have learned a tremendous amount, met an amazing people and gained some support systems.

Another resource I wish I had more of earlier on my journey was more photographer friends to seek advise from. I have one really great photographer friend who is amazing, that assisted me alot starting out and still does assists me in so many ways. She answers any questions I have regarding my camera, editing, locations, social media, poses and more.

It wasn’t until I joined some Facebook groups and did more networking that I now have a great support system of more photographer friends that are there for me when needing advice (so I can stop bugging my one friend all the time lol) I don’t feel like I would be as successful today if it wasn’t for the amazing photographer friends that have stood beside me and helped me along my journey thus far.

Those are just a few things I wish I knew more about before I started my journey.

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

There are many things I have been rewarded with since my journey of starting my photography business. I’ve been blessed and lucky enough to be published in numerous magazines, I get to meet and capture the most amazing people’s memories and moments, and I get to let out my creativity and visions in my photography. But the most rewarding of them all is the experience of meeting the fantastic people I get to shoot. I love getting to know their story and reflecting that in my photography. The best is after you deliver the final gallery to your clients, you get to see how much they love what you captured. Seeing them post your work and recommend you as a photographer is the most rewarding feeling.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.purepreciousphotography.com
• Instagram: Www.instagram.com/purepreciousphotography
• Facebook: Www.facebook.com/purepreciousphotography

Image Credits
Photo of me – @destinyslens Modles- @ms.hollywoodrae @Aurora.o.levy @wolf_beautiful_disaster @model_ruth