We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elizabeth Maguire. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elizabeth below.
Elizabeth, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
Photography is such a unique art form! Learning photography is all about personal experience, trial and error, and finding your own style. It’s not something you can fully be taught, although learning the basics is extremely helpful!
When I first started photography, I watched dozens of YouTube videos and studied other photographers’ Instagram pages. While this was helpful, it formed creative barriers, making me believe that my art had to match the style of the most popular photographers. Looking back, I realize that it actually dimmed my creativity and forced me into a certain box.
Finding my own style has made me more confident in my work and my clients have certainly noticed! As a business owner, it’s vital to stand out from other business owners who offer similar services, and the best way to do that is to stay true to your own artwork! Yes, I own a business, but I am also an artist and I have to remind myself of that constantly!
If I were to give advice to photographers just starting out, I would tell them to constantly put themselves in a position to learn. There is an endless amount of learning to be had when it comes to lighting, composition, color theory, and framing! Additionally, go out and photograph everything! Go outside and study what the light looks like at different times of the day, and practice photographing different colors. Your art is your craft and learning as much as possible is the key to mastering it!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I began my photography journey when I was about thirteen years old! My grandpa is an amazing landscape photographer and I have to give him credit for being the first to put a camera in my hands. I quickly learned that landscape photography was not my passion, but capturing the connections and personalities of people was!
As my work progressed, I finally felt like I had discovered my own artistic style. My clients have described my work as warm, cinematic, natural, in the moment, and like something out of a book. One of my highest priorities during a shoot with a client is to make them feel as comfortable as possible!
I started my business one year ago. Since then, I have learned so much and I absolutely love it! It feels so amazing to be running my own business and doing what I am most passionate about. I get so excited before every shoot, and seeing my clients’ positive reactions when they receive their galleries never gets old! I adore my clients and I have made so many new friends through this business!
I believe it is my job to carry out my clients’ visions and work with them to create the photoshoot they have always dreamed of receiving! We show our kids and grandchildren photos of our lives because they are such a precious way to preserve memories. I want to display my clients as naturally and authentically as possible. One way I do this is by creating a super fun atmosphere! My photoshoots consist of music, running around, dancing, laughing, and getting to know my new friends’ stories! I walk away from every single shoot feeling happy and smiling so big.
One thing I am most proud of is the fact that I edit all of my photos from scratch. Presets can be a great way to edit photos and I know many photographers that use them! However, I decided from the beginning that I wanted my art to be thoroughly my own. I take each photo myself and edit them from scratch! While this process certainly takes quite a bit of time, it leaves me feeling completely satisfied with my work because I know that my clients are receiving photographs that are uniquely theirs. This process also helped me find my personal style so quickly!
It’s difficult to find someone who truly loves their job. I feel incredibly lucky to be so passionate about photography and I actually look forward to working every day! I can’t wait to see where my business goes and I’m so grateful to everyone who has supported me so far!
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Word-of-mouth and actively connecting with people have been the best sources of new clients for me! My clients are truly amazing and so helpful when it comes to recommending my business to others. While both my Instagram and website contain my artwork and full information about what I do, ultimately, potential clients trust other people the most. It makes sense, right? When you buy a product online, don’t you typically read through reviews from other people who have bought the same product?
It is essential to understand that the connections you make as both an artist and a business owner represent your work! If you do not see the interactions with your clients or potential clients as having the most impact on your business, you must shift your perspective. People are the highest priority and when you treat them as such, it will pay off!
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
As a creative, vulnerability is a significant aspect of my job. I know my art won’t be loved by everyone since each individual has their own style and preferences, but it’s still somewhat anxiety-inducing to release my art to the public! However, the rewards from it are incredible! To me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the joy I get to give others. Nothing compares to a client’s obsession with their engagement photos, a mom’s emotion while looking through her family session, or a senior in high school who absolutely adores her senior pictures!
I know what it’s like to wait so long for a special gallery and end up hating every photo because it wasn’t what I had envisioned. It’s heartbreaking! That is exactly why I put every amount of effort into understanding what my client’s vision is and executing it to the best of my abilities. The reward is in my clients, and it will never wear out!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://byelliepearl.mypixieset.com/
- Instagram: @byelliepearl
Image Credits
Ellie Maguire