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

Hannah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I have always felt a true spark in my soul when talking to people about entrepreneurship. In college I was going for a business degree with a concentration in marketing but found myself most inspired by the psychology behind people finding their passions and a way to make that profitable.

When I was younger, maybe 16/17 I was already gravitating towards a visual story telling direction. I was so intrigued by photoshop and the pop culture world. Mesmerized by the way a magazine could give such visuals of the celebrities we enjoyed at the time or a movie poster. I found myself taking pictures just to be able to play around in photoshop. Achieving that was no easy mark because gear at that time was expensive. Luckily I was fortunate enough to have had a parent that had somewhat of a decent camera just to snap a few action shots of our family in sports. I quickly found a way to borrow it from time to time and head out to shoot.

By my senior year of high school I was taking portraits of others for their yearbook profile! Starting out for the lowest price to gain experience in quantity. I didn’t know at the time that this was much of a career path at all. I had never met a photographer and really had a focus in math & science not giving the creative arts much thought in terms of a true industry. I certainly wish that I could go back to my younger self now and tell her just how much creativity would mean to the future world.

Seeing content creation become one of the rising career paths in EVERY business there is now is incredible. That obviously came just along side the social media BOOM. Now every single business in the world seems to have and need a presence along all platforms and with that comes a need of imagery and creative minds.

I was someone who really thought that the natural path was high school, then college, then working a 9-5. I could not have been more boxed in by that reality. However, just as I was finishing college I met another girl who inspired me in a way I had never been before. She offered me an opportunity to grow a business from the ground up, along side her, in New York City. A business specializing in building confidence in young women and encouraging them to live the well rounded life of their dreams. After one year of working along side this person, I realized it was the most remarkable experience that ultimately lead me to understand I wanted to work for myself. I was 23 years old when I made the jump to full time self employed creative.

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 background and context?

My name is Hannah Ziegeler, I am a photographer and a creative consultant.

The truest form of my first business was a lifestyle photographer. I was photographing weddings for couples and that is truly what gave me my start. The market was there to allow me to grow my craft, pay my bills, and LEARN.

I was moving back from the east coast to the midwest where I grew up and learning what it meant to start a client base.

Being a wedding photographer you learn SO much. The art of it comes from the discipline of committing yourself to a date a year in advance, showing up for people who trust you to document the most important day of their life and performing under extreme stress and uncontrolled variables. From timelines, to differing personalities, to unpredictable weather, you learn to adapt, create, and lead. I was so grateful to have my start in this specific niche to really get myself comfortable and build my confidence. It took years before I felt deserving of the title of wedding photographer but I finally can say I love what I do and truly feel like I have helped so many couples feel well documented.

Now, I offer a wide range of photography sessions, a general umbrella would be calling them lifestyle. Along side that I shoot commercially for anything from a medical spa and a dental office to a hair salon, restaurant, and even a brewery. I also have started mentoring other photographers on building their own businesses. My latest venture is opening up a studio that allows multiple photographers to create in a shared space.

I believe deeply in the human connection and hiring people based on those feelings. I offer myself and services to my clients in a way that brings them comfort in a process and true trust. My couples, families, mentees, and businesses are more than just those labels they become friends and feel like family. I am proud of the lasting bond I have with so many who then invite me to the most sacred life milestones. Championing others through this craft has brought me more joy than I ever thought I would experience in a lifetime. Ribbon cuttings, first birthdays, multi cultural wedding ceremonies, and workshops, EVERY day is remarkable and different.

I think what I have learned recently is that as a creative it is critical to allow yourself to be inspired by many different things. Traveling, creating, painting, reading, listening to all that is offered around you will really help you thrive in your work. There were years where I struggled with a work life balance and while I can say I have not harmonized that yet I am certainly learning and thriving in a different way.

I want my work to feel rejuvenating, fresh, and passionate. Most importantly, I want it to feel authentic and human.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

My goal for my business now is to continue to serve others as passionately and eagerly as I did day one.

I want to stay humble in my craft and remember where I started. That has helped me to encourage others in the same way. I truly believe in community over competition. I would say that educating my fellow photographers has proven to be truly rewarding and by starting a new venture in studio creation I am excited to see that grow.

The thing that shocks me every day is that I get to be in the drivers seat of my daily life. It is a lot of pressure to know that you will only get what you put in. A day off for me is a day off for the business and that can be a weight that feels overwhelming. As I grow and my life changes its something that I think about a lot. As I mentioned before allowing myself to create in other mediums has been a way for me to refuel and bring a new perspective to the work.

I also think in today’s social world it can feel like the space we are in is crowded. Instagram is full of creatives showing their faces, with viral reels, and amazing email lists, but I only have one mantra and that is there is only ONE of YOU.

Have you ever had to pivot?

While I can say there has been many pivots in my business and life I know that theres one thing that has yet to happen for me and I know it will change many things.

I am yet to become a parent and I know theres SO many people who can speak to this far better than I. I have been on this ride as a creative business owner for nearly 10 years now, but all this time I have been growing, and learning, and improving my craft with my business being the only “baby” I have known!

I am about to turn 30, I have an amazing partner and I think it is time to consider what this path will look like along side the journey to motherhood. I have no idea what to expect, how to plan, if you can even plan it at all! So I will say I am excited to learn from others on this platform who have already paved a way. If motherhood is anything like entrepreneurship I am sure it will be filled with many challenges but with that comes the most incredible triumphs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hannahziegeler.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hzphotos/?hl=en

Image Credits
Photo Credit HZ Photography