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

Alright, Holly thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with 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 have! It definitely didn’t happen overnight. I remember getting laid off from my last job (this was about 14 years ago now) and thinking “now what?” I went to the library the next day and started doing research because I decided then and there that I was all in on my new full-time self-employment. I still had a few odd jobs off and on for a while, but gradually I built up my SEO, clientele, word of mouth, and kept putting myself out there. The inquiries became more steady and I’ve built up some great relationships in my community that are so invaluable to me. I don’t think the process could have really been sped up, and like most businesses, mine has evolved over time. I’m not doing exactly now what I was doing 10 years ago. I also don’t know that I would change anything in particular, but I could definitely see a few things I could have done better or improved upon. Networking is huge for me now and part of me wishes I would’ve pushed that a little more early on after I went full-time.

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 back background and context?

In college I was looking for a part-time job, and I became a campus party photography manager. That got my foot in the door with photography, mostly doing events at the time. I also told my boss there that I didn’t want to do weddings, Until a few years later when my cousin asked me to photograph his wedding. I then photographed weddings for 17 years until 2024 when I didn’t photography any weddings. I made the gradual transition over the course of a couple of year to a brand & commercial photographer. I now primarily photograph products, headshots, events, sports, and any other marketing photography that brands & businesses need. True-to-life, bright colors and usage of flash has always been super important to me and my brand and I take pride in the fact that people in my area can often recognize my work. And my experience using flash makes me confident that I can walk into any environment and be able to light it correctly and get great photos for my clients.

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

Oh yes, absolutely. Technology has obviously changed over time, but when I first started I was doing all my contracts on paper. I’ve now had my online CRM for probably close to a decade and it’s so much better having an electronic paper trail and having everything about all my sessions and clients in on easily accessible database. I also read the book Profit First a couple of years ago and it has been a game changer for me and my business. I’ve seen my business thrive just by changing the way I manage my money within my business.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I definitely pivoted between 2023-24 when I decided to stop photographing weddings. It was a big decision that I didn’t come to lightly. But I also worked super hard and a few things fell into place (I won’t call it luck) for me to be able to go that direction. Before I decided I had to make sure that it would financially work for our family, but at the same time, I wanted my weekends back and wanted to be able to spend more time with my kids before they’re all grown up. One of my clients offered me a big contract for 2023-24 that would about equal what I had made on weddings the previous year, so that was what ultimately helped me make the decision. I needed that financial cushion to know I could make it work, and that was the sign I was looking for. And I haven’t looked back! Best decision I ever made for my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: hollybirchphotography.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/hollybirchphoto
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/hollybirchphoto
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-smith-1504919/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hollybirchphoto

Image Credits
Chanel Nicole Co