We recently connected with Hollie Leggett and have shared our conversation below.

Hollie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I often grapple with the idea of what my life would look like if I didn’t take up photography right when I graduated high school. I wonder what it would look like for me to come home from a job at the end of the night and not have to keep thinking about work.

While I am still a student, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work for myself, creating my hours and doing what I love. But there is still a part of me that wishes I could just be a student. Sometimes it feels as if I am not succeeding at either role.

This past summer, I remember having the first feelings of dread and burnout regarding photography. I am astonished that it took this long for these feelings to come around. But I remember the feeling of all my free time tainted with the impending doom of the copious amounts of work I have yet to finish.

While these feelings are not always bad, they keep me on task; I still find it hard to fight against the urges to shut myself out of life and continue working on my own business.

My parents were always hard workers, and they still are. My grandfather owned a business that he later passed down to my dad, so the idea of working all hours has always been in my cards. My mom was not necessarily involved with the family business, but never has she been one to stay still. Constantly looking for a new project to take up.

Regardless, this idea of constantly working has always been in my blood, for better or worse. Sometimes I wonder if my choice of career has made me this way or if these same struggles would have found me regardless of what I do during my “working hours.”

I hope to find balance in my idea of “working hours,” and I hope to find solace in what I choose to put my energy toward. Working for yourself and working for someone else each has its battles. But I think each of these battles is a highly personal experience different for everyone who experiences them.

As I approach the close of my college career, I anticipate what lies ahead. Will I freelance full-time? Will I work for someone else? Will I do both? I still do not have an answer to this, and I honestly don’t know if I ever will. But that is beautiful about growth; there is no way to anticipate what is ahead.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Hollie Leggett, and I am a student at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design where I study Web and Multimedia Environments. Outside of school, I am a freelance photographer, where I dabble in just about every sector of portrait photography. Right now I am searching for an avenue for these two worlds to collide. However, sometimes I enjoy the fact that they are so separate.

I found myself in the creative industry by exploring photography in high school, but before that, I was a novice YouTube influencer. I continue to explore photography as a way to insert myself into the community. Having a camera strapped around my neck gives me the confidence to walk up to any group of strangers. The people I have met through photography have also inspired me to keep going. Whether my clients or other creatives in the field, I have met all the most remarkable people.

Photography makes me feel like I can show people what they need to see. Every time someone is excited about their pictures and their confidence is boosted for even just one instance. I feel like I am making a difference. In a way, photography is like holding up a magic mirror, showing people parts of themselves that may have been hidden before.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Many of my new clients find me through Instagram. It is such a crazy tool. I suppose I use hashtags that generate some sort of stir. But I also don’t want to put any damper on the classic “word of mouth” tactic. I think that has worked to my advantage as well.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is the idea that I constantly have the opportunity to speak to issues that are important to me. Whether it is something born out of my introspection or something that is happening in politics, art allows me to have a voice.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.holliephotos.com/
• Instagram: @holliephotos__
• Facebook: @hjolliephotos
• Linkedin: @hollieleggett

Image Credits
Jackson Orta