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

Hi Bella, thanks for joining us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

Most people think that taking photos is all about the perfect pose, expression, or technical ability. All of those are important, but my main focus is in my mission statement: capturing genuine emotions. My main goal is to make sure my clients end the session feeling joy. I want them to feel good about how they posed in front of the camera instead of agonizing over the little details. I’ve found the majority of people who “hate taking photos” are really saying that they didn’t feel comfortable in front of the camera. The best photographers I’ve worked with have encouraged their subjects in positivity, constantly affirming that they are beautiful. That is the mentality that I have adopted; I want everyone to feel like themselves in their photos. Because who you are is worth capturing.

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 photography business after I graduated from university, but I’ve always had a camera in my hands. Whether it was photographing flowers or my family, I was hungry for a creative outlet. That hunger bled into my post-grad life as I was looking for a way to express my creativity in another form. The main difference between my photography and others, is that my primary objective is to capture genuine joy. I feel most fulfilled when I can snap a photo just as a person is at their happiest. This goal has helped me connect with so many amazing people, and it makes me excited to do it all over again the next day. Instead of focusing on the optics of a pose, I want to make my clients feel comfortable in front of a camera. It’s a daunting position to be in, it’s very vulnerable and frightening. At the end of every session, I want my clients to walk away feeling comfortable with how they were in front of the camera. I don’t want them obsessing over every detail of a pose, I want them to enjoy the whole process from start to finish. I believe that a person is most beautiful when they are happy. Joy is my priority above all else.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

One resource that I wish I had taken advantage of earlier was editing presets. It has dramatically changed my workflow from a moderate pace to an expressed delivery time. They have saved me hours of work and helped grow my visual style. I allow the preset to do most of the work on the back end so I don’t have to worry about hours of recoloring or micro-editing every small detail.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Obviously the product is what rewards me. Seeing a creative vision come to life is truly a wonder. However, I mostly love how my clients respond to seeing their photos for the first time. After I deliver their galleries, I have the privilege of hearing their reactions. Most of my clients are shocked that they have so much life in their photos, and it brings me joy in knowing they are satisfied with the results. I also find a reward in the unexpected. Sometimes I will take a photo and surprise myself in the editing phase. Seeing a photo on a computer brings a new and unique perspective where I did not think potential was originally. All three of these are what makes it so rewarding to be a creative, in my opinion.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bellaleephotography.work/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bella_lee.photography/

Image Credits

Bella Lee Photography