We recently connected with Brooke Modifica and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Brooke, thanks for joining us today. Do you take vacations? How do you keep things going – any advice for entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation?

One of the greatest joys of being a photographer is getting to be a part of and documenting such special memories for my clients. I have gotten to be there for proposals, weddings, births, vacations, family reunions, birthdays, and more. But, it’s so easy to get wrapped up in documenting and preserving such special moments for others, that I have often forgotten to take time off of work, go on vacations, and make the time to make memories of my own.

In 2019, I worked 7 days a week – sometimes 90 or more hours a week. My husband was unemployed do to an injury/disability and all of the pressure to keep our family afloat fell onto my business. It wasn’t sustainable, and it lead to burn out. Then, when the pandemic hit in 2020, I was able to spend such a valuable amount of time with my family. I spent every waking moment with my husband and children and it helped me to really see what I had been missing and to re-evaluate my priorities and goals.

Yes, I still completely enjoy being a photographer and documenting my client’s most special moments. But when I think back on my life and consider what I want t be held accountable for – my top priorities are my own health and wellness, the health and wellness of my family, being there for my children at the big and small moments in their lives, my marriage, and financial stability. My photography business can help me to maintain those priorities and meet my goals, but I need balance. So, this year I made a point to set aside time on my calendar to be home with my family more, time for my friends and extended family to visit, and time for vacations.

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?

Hi! I’m Brooke, the award winning San Diego and Temecula family photographer behind Loni Brooke Photography. I’m a beach obsessed, vegan, mom with an addiction to true crime podcasts! When I’m not running my kids around to all of their activities or in the middle of a Netflix binge with my husband, I’m likely photographing beautiful families at the beach or in wine country. As a mother and business owner myself, I understand your busy life and what you need and want in a portrait session. I will take the stress off of you and guide you through the process every step of the way! My goal is to document your memories in a relaxed, intimate, and authentic way that can be shared and celebrated for generations. My photography style can be described as relaxed portraiture, featuring vibrant, authentic and timeless photographs. As your photographer, it’s important to me that you feel comfortable during your session and for you to enjoy the shoot as much as you love the photographs.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Almost ten years ago, I suffered from a stroke. I had an injury that tore my vertebral artery. This lead to a blood clot and ischemic stroke in my cerebellum. For months, I was unable to take care of myself or my child. I really loved the quote that I “fought like a girl” and over came! This life changing and near death experience really caused me to evaluate my life. I was working in a job that I did enjoy, but I was not passionate about. It was a year after the accident that I realized that life is too short. I picked up and moved to San Diego and eventually decided to follow my dreams of starting my own business as a photographer.

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

I’m just now really digging into learning SEO and getting my website seen by my ideal clients. I have spent so much time, money and effort with other avenues of marketing and I really wish I had hit the ground running with my SEO from the start.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lonibrookephotography.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/lonibrookephotography
• Facebook: http://Facebook.com/lonibrookephotography

Image Credits
My Headshot by: Oh My Goddard Photography All other images: Loni Brooke Photography