We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dorese Bilal a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Dorese thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
I did eventually begin to make a full time living from photography however it wasn’t since day one. I actually was working in Quality Assurance at a Bank and ended up getting news that lay offs would be happening soon. I took that news and processed what that meant for me I would be out of a job in less than a year. I made sure to do all the research I could, gather friends and family to practice on, and ultimately trying to make sure I was sharpening my tool for when the time came. When the day finally came 6 months before schedule I jumped in immediately to post about my new business and then I also had a portfolio to show as well which helped to widen my reach. In a matter of I would say 4-5 months I was up and running with my business and then about a year in I was making enough to cover the job I had just lost.
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?
For those who don’t know me my photography name is Dorese Jenae Portraits. I started the business because I was always in love with taking pictures. One day, someone asked me you know you’re good enough to get paid for this right? I hadn’t even thought about it I just loved photography so much I didn’t think about making it an actual business. The reason was because I loved love and empowerment so much. I wanted women to be able to see the true beauty in themselves after having kids, after maturing in age, after trauma, EVERYTHING. So, after talking things through with my husband and understanding I was soon going to be getting laid off from my job it seemed like everything just lined up perfectly for me to jump in and start my business.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I love seeing the moments I am able to capture in different places and in different forms. People that are proud enough of my work to hang on their wall, to send out on a Christmas card, or even set on their profile. The fact that my clients can see the beauty that others see in them all the time. Capturing others most important memories and freezing some of those moments in time for them to enjoy for their lifetime. That is the most rewarding aspect of my job.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Word of mouth and instagram have been my most effective strategy for building my clientele.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://doresejenaeportraits.mypixieset.com/
- Instagram: @doresejenaeportraits
- Facebook: Dorese Jenae Portraits
- Other: Tik Tok: Doresejenaeportraits
Image Credits
Dorese Jenae Portraits