We recently connected with Glynnis Christensen and have shared our conversation below.
Glynnis, appreciate you joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?
Prior to launching my business in 2020, I worked in full time ministry for over a decade. My husband and I even lived overseas as missionaries for 4 of those years (Mozambique, Africa and Italy) which was super fun! Sadly, I know not everyone who works in a ministry setting has a positive experience, but I’m so grateful that the church we worked for was full of genuine people and we honestly loved it. One of our organizational Core Values was “people are a big deal” and that was very much infused into everything we did. When it was time for me to launch out on my own I knew that one of the core values I wanted to bring into my own business was serving people well. More than hitting a certain figure of income or even gaining notoriety for beautiful images, I wanted the foundation of my business to be in creating genuine connection with my clients through a service-based approach…and I’ve used that as my guide in creating everything from my Client Experience to how I take my photos (ensuring that lighting is optimal, guiding my clients into flatting poses, etc.). At every touchpoint from their first inquiry to our consultation call to their wedding day and onto their final gallery delivery, I want my clients to know that they matter to me and this incredible season they’re in IS a big deal.
Glynnis, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My journey with photography began when my husband and I lived overseas as missionaries from 2016-2020. The church we worked for handed me a DSLR Camera, gave me a 20 minutes crash course on how to use it and literally said “good luck!”. It still makes me laugh to think they they trusted me to document the work that was being done when I had zero prior experience. Over those four years I fell IN LOVE with the idea of telling stories through images. Because we lived overseas I took it to heart that part of my responsibility was not only taking the photos, but also creating a visual representation of the work that was being done…because the reality is that most members of our congregation would never come and see it for themselves. By the end of those four years I became known as the resident photographer in our overseas campus and as we began to make plans to return to the US I was so sad to think about laying the camera down.
Fast forward to 2020 when we moved back stateside. We had no idea what was coming when we landed in February 2020, but of course we all know that we were on the brink of a global pandemic. Even though lockdown was not at all what we had envisioned for our first months back in the States, it ended up being a huge blessing in disguise. My husband went to work immediately (first virtually, and then in person) and because there was so much instability with schools and daycares at the time I ended up taking on the primary responsibility for taking care of our children. Since I couldn’t really work during that time I decided to different and honestly unexpected route and take online courses for photography. There was a tiny dream in my heart that just maybe I could launch my own business but I knew that I needed (and wanted) a more formal education before doing so. So for months I consumed every piece of photography education resource that I could get my hands on. Some of my favorite educators early on were Amy and Jordan Demos and Katelyn James….and the list has only grown since then. I decided to specialize in natural light photography so the signature of my work are images that look and feel light and bright.
After months of education, taking the plunge to invest in my own camera and buying my first business logo on Etsy (which has since changed 😉) I officially launched my business on September 1, 2020. I remember that first fall season SO well! Booking more than 1 session a month felt like a HUGE win for me because I was starting from literally zero. I am so grateful for all of my clients, but especially those special few who booked me in those early months,
I started with a desire to only capture portraits, but the end of 2020 brought me a surprise when I was asked to photograph my first wedding. I honestly didn’t know if I could handle the stress of capturing a wedding day but I found that my background in capturing endless events overseas combined with my formal training in portrait photography created the perfect experience for capturing weddings really, really well. I love that my experience overseas taught me how to photograph a room while being present, but not invasive,…something that I truly believe sets me apart as a photographer. After that first wedding I was HOOKED and immediately began to intentionally grow the wedding side of my business.
A foundation of my business approach is serving my clients well. I create a stress-free experience through serving my clients well every step of our journey together – from Client Experience Guides, blog resources and more. I am most proud when my clients tell me that I’ve exceeded their expectations, not only in the images that they receive but in their overall experience. I also take so much pride and joy in serving repeat clients year after year….some of my very favorites being former brides and grooms who I later get to work with as a new mom and dad. Those moments are priceless to me!
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
When I started my business, we didn’t have a ton of discretionary income to invest into gear. I consulted with other photographers to ask what they had done and received a huge range of advice – everything from buy used to taking out a loan to buy the very best gear. My husband and I had worked very hard our entire marriage to stay out of debt and felt that maintaining a debt-free approach would be the best fit for my business finances. So rather than buying the latest and greatest gear to start, I opted to buy a camera used. My initial investment was around $1,100 I think for one camera body and two lenses. To be very honest, the majority of my income for several months went straight back into my business. One, because it took me a while to begin booking business consistently and two because it felt like there was always something else needed to continue growing my business (CRM subscriptions, legal fees for my LLC, editing software, computer equipment, etc.). If I needed extra gear for a wedding, I would rent rather than buy until I had enough money saved to buy it outright. My last big investment was upgrading to a new camera body (my R6 which I LOVE) and new lenses. It’s always tempting to want more….more gear, more services, more courses, etc. but I have to weigh the ROI of any investment against the cost and determine if its the right fit to help my business continue to grow or not.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding part of being a photographer for me is capturing memories that I know my clients will cherish for a lifetime. As a wife I know that wedding photos are priceless and, quite literally, once in a lifetime. As a mom I know that portraits freeze a moment in time because our babies grow up way too fast, It’s a constant reminder than being a photographer is so much more than just a job…I have the incredible opportunity to document people’s lives and I’m so grateful for that.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.glynnischristensen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glynnischristensenphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glynnischristensenphotographync
Image Credits
Studio Photos / Headshots: Captured by Tamara Gibson (Edited by Glynnis Christensen Photography) Wedding Photos: Captured by Lauren Maher (Edited by Glynnis Christensen Photography)