We caught up with the brilliant and insightful CHRISTINA HUERTA a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, CHRISTINA thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

I hope that my legacy will be one of inspiration. I hope I inspire people to chase after their dreams. Not matter how big or small. Even when they feel overwhelmed, under qualified or have crippling imposter syndrome. I hope that despite all those things, whatever the thing is that you want to, you just do it. I have had every range of emotion starting my photography business and now opening a studio. I’ve cried, I’’ve doubted myself. I wondered who would show up and support me but I chose to push past it and do it anyway. Oh it’s been done before? Do it anyway! Make it your own. And if you fail at least you can say you tried.

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

I have loved taking pictures for as long as I can remember. I used to have collages and collages of photos of my friends on my walls growing up. My parents were always trying out new cameras and camcorders and I loved the idea of documenting your life; giving fleeting moments permanence. Life changes in a blink.

I first learned to take pictures in high school in a film photography class and as a photographer for the yearbook. I then went on to get a Bachelor’s degree in communication (Journalism) and worked as a freelance journalist/photographer for my local newspaper.

As I got into the photography industry I had a lot of questions and I felt like there was a lot of gatekeeping in the community. A lot of how I learned was through YouTube and trial and error. Workshops and shooting courses were just really expensive and I wanted to create a space where people could learn and self educate. Somewhere where you could mess around with lights and props and learn to shoot indoors. I had rented other studio spaces in the past and I wanted to create one in the community where I grew up. Photographers alway say “Community over competition” and so my studio is a way to bring creatives together. There is no exclusivity for the space. Any and all skill levels are welcome and hourly rentals are affordable.

I consider myself a life long student and am continually learning new tricks of the trade. I hope my space gives other creatives the opportunity to expand their skill set and grow in their specialties.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I’ve been in this industry for 10 years and the majority of my business comes from word-of-mouth. Whether that’s referrals or tags on social media, I’ve done essentially minimal advertising. Social media gets a lot of flack but as a business owner, it’s become an essential tool now. If you want to be seen, you need to be where people are looking the most and that’s at their screens.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

My love for photography grew after I had kids. I wanted to document every second of their life. I was borrowing and renting cameras and trying to teach myself how to take better pictures. Then I started offering free pictures to family so that I could practice. People liked what they saw and I started getting referrals. I didn’t start charging for pictures for about a year and then I got overwhelmed with requests. That’s when I started seeking education and more professional equipment. I was only shooting on weekends because I was also raising tiny humans but over the years it expanded and now I’m doing it full time. I think the biggest factor in transitioning to full time is just putting myself out there. Letting my work be seen and putting myself in the position to grow. Whether that’s learning from criticism, expanding my education or taking on gigs that I normally wouldn’t. It helps me find my strengths and work on my weaknesses.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ohsnapstudio.simplybook.me/v2//, https://www.ohsnapphotographyut.com/,
• Instagram: @ohsnapstudio, @ohsnapphotographyut
• Facebook: Facebook.com/ohsnapphotographyut, Facebook.com/ohsnapstudioUT