We were lucky to catch up with Erin McDonald recently and have shared our conversation below.

Erin , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

I think success is achieved through hard work, devotion and courage. It takes courage to put yourself out there in a world that is constantly judging and comparing. It takes devotion to your craft to grow and flourish. Lots of hard work is needed to grow a business.

Unfortunately, I had to pause my photography bookings from November-May due to pregnancy complications. I had to cancel/postpone sessions with new clients and it left me heartbroken. I was nervous about how this would impact my business, how far back would this set me? I constantly have to remind myself that success doesn’t happen overnight. The last few months have reminded me to be patient and accept that sometimes time is our only answer.

Erin , 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 art teacher for an online school. I teach 6th-8th grade art and high school digital photography. I have been an educator for the past 8 years.

I have created numerous 2D works for people (paintings and drawings) and my most recent business & creative endeavor is my photography business (ErinVivianPhotos).

Social media can make it incredibly difficult to feel like your work is unique and valuable. There is SO MUCH out there. There are a lot of artists that create amazing work & there are a lot of photographers that capture amazing moments. But, there is room for ALL creatives in this world. Although there are a lot of photographers, there are beautiful faces and beautiful moments for all of us to capture.

With my photography style, I try to emphasize emotion. Whether I am photographing a family session, a newborn session or a branding session, I want to capture feeling. Photography is such a beautiful art form with so many possibilities.

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

As I mentioned prior, I had a challenging pregnancy. I was at high risk for preterm labor and I had to have multiple surgeries during my pregnancy. There were a lot of unknowns, lots of tears, and lots and lots of anxious days. I really struggled with coping and I struggled to find hope. Honestly, my pregnancy took me down a dark path with many dark days.

My photography business & my creativity were all put on hold, I essentially took a creative leave. Thankfully, my pregnancy journey has a happy ending and I now have a beautiful baby boy who is almost 3 months old. The past 3 months, I have had to take myself on a journey to find my creative self again. I have had to remind myself of the creative spirit I have and the preexisting confidence to further my business and accept nothing but success.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

I think social media plays a role but I also think that word of mouth is incredibly helpful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://erinvivianphotos.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: erinvivianphotos
• Facebook: Erin Vivian Photos

Image Credits
Erin Vivian Photos