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

Allison, appreciate you joining us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later?

I started out teaching Art and I taught every grade level from Kindergarten to twelfth grade. I was working in New Hampshire at the beginning of my teaching career and because I was new, I would be the first one cut due to budget issues.

After a few years of being cut and then rehired in a different position in the same school district, the opportunity came along for a job teaching Photography. After the current Photography teacher retired, I started taking classes and learning how to teach film in anticipation of interviewing for the job. After a year of teaching in Photography, which I realized was my dream job, my husband and I moved to Delaware.

I was lucky enough to be hired teaching Black and White Photography to high school students. While teaching in Delaware, I had a lot of horrible experiences with administration. We also had an active shooter drill while in my school district. The school district brought in actual men with assault rifles who shot up the school with blanks and the experience was so traumatic that I developed PTSD.

I went through the next six years teaching with PTSD and although I was seeking help through therapy, the experience was still extremely difficult to pursue a teaching career.

Since I had such problems with the horrible administration and my mental health, my husband, Joe, kept trying to convince me to resign from teaching and focus on our children and my business. I went on to teach until 2018.

Finally in May of 2018, I resigned from teaching and I can’t tell you the feeling I felt the last day I left my school building. It was literally like a weight lifted off of my shoulders and I had never felt more free.

I wish I listened to my more than supportive husband all those years prior. I am beyond grateful that we are in a position that I can work on my business and take care of my children. It is one of those moments I wish I could reverse and start sooner.

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 started my business because my husband told a co-worker that I could shoot his wedding. I had never photographed a wedding before and when he came home and told me about his co-worker, I asked him if he was crazy. There was no way I was going to be able to photograph a wedding; I didn’t even have all the necessary equipment that it takes to shoot a wedding.

My husband, Joe, was extremely supportive and encouraged me to take the job. And I reluctantly agreed to photograph his co-workers wedding. Shortly after the wedding in 2013, I started my side business, Allison Iannone Photography.

I photograph all types of events and milestones for families. I photograph family sessions, engagements, graduations newborns and weddings. Out of all the milestones I photograph, newborns and family portraits are my favorite sessions to photograph.

The hardest clients I have are children but for some reason kids like me and I work well with them. A lot of times, parents will tell me that their child never looks at the camera or that their child is too excitable to get a good picture out of the them but I have this way of working with children and I always get happy parents after I deliver a gallery.

I am most proud when I deliver galleries because I am finally in a healthy place where I know my work is good enough. I love hearing from clients and hearing their excitement when a gallery is delivered.

I want the public to know that I am easy to work with. Sometimes taking photographs can be awkward but I try to make it a fun experience through humor and getting to know my clients on a personal level. Making people feel comfortable is one of my favorite parts about being a photographer.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I have spent a long time building my audience on social media and I primarily use Facebook to help with my online presence. I feel like my target market is using Facebook the most so I try to put ads up if I know I have an important event coming up.

Mostly my following comes from word of mouth. I am extremely grateful to my clients who tell their friends and family about me and also for the clients that come back year to year. Without my clients I wouldn’t have a business.

My biggest advice for those photographers starting out is that your following on social media is not going to happen over night. There is no magic formula to gain more followers; it honestly comes in time. If you have a good product, the people will come and they will bring their friends and family. Just be patient and don’t give up.

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

I think a lot of people do not always understand what I do. My business makes money but it isn’t as steady as having a full time job with a salary and benefits.

But there is one thing that is more important than money and benefits for me and that is my happiness and my mental health. I am extremely fortunate that my husband and I are in the position that I can be a stay at home mom that has a side business. And I could go out and have a more steady career that earns more income for our family but honestly, it just wouldn’t make me happy.

I am extremely happy and grateful that I get to do photography everyday and although it doesn’t pay all the bills, it keeps my sanity.

Contact Info:

• Website: AllisonIannonePhotography.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/allisoniannonephotography/
• Facebook: facebook.com/allisoniannonephotography
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/allison-iannone-photography-newark
• Other: AllisonIannonePhotography@yahoo.com