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

Hi Emily, thanks for joining 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 am super proud to earn a full-time living from my creative work. Do I have full benefits and sit on heaps of cash? Not really, but I do work hard and am constantly seeking the best work-life balance possible. Accepting photo jobs started with a gig here and there. When I started getting more serious about shooting photos, I changed jobs in 2016 to allow for more flexibility to take photo work while still making a baseline income. In 2018 I went full-time freelance, which was scary at first, but now I am comfortable with the ebbs and flows of business. Making a living from creative work is not for everyone, but hard work and being smart financially make it totally possible.

Emily, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an outdoor action and lifestyle photographer based in Colorado. I work with a variety of clients: from outdoor brands and magazines to tourism boards. If I’ve done my job well, my imagery connects with viewers and inspires them. I especially love photographing people excelling in their craft or sport, conveying their strengths and confidence through photos. My business was born out of my love for photography. It was an organic process of shooting photos as a hobby, then slowly getting hired for my work. I’ve dabbled in many types of photography, finally landing in the outdoor industry. I am constantly motivated by the people I work with–capturing someone else’s passion and beauty fuels my fire.

Seeing growth in a “job” that I absolutely love doing is what I am most proud of. Honestly, I’ve never been good at setting big goals, but when I reflect on my business, I can see several small accomplishments that are a big deal to me: my business growing bigger every year (both financially and client-wise), working with dream brands, getting paid to travel to incredible places, and being able to give a voice to people in front of my camera.

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

I wish I had used other creatives as a resource earlier in my career–as in reached out with questions and advice early on. There have been plenty of trial-and-error moments, and I wish I hadn’t been so shy and sought mentorship.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There’s a level of power being a photographer, and I love giving a voice to those in front of my lens. Helping others feel “seen” is something that has surprised me as an artist, and is endlessly rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.emilysierra.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/em.sierra
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/EmilySierraPhotography
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/emily-sierra-taylor-099857124

Image Credits
All photos: Emily Sierra Photography