We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Joanna Crichton. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Joanna below.
Hi Joanna , thanks for joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
Being able to do what I love is the definition of success for me. My motivation to create art has existed since I was a child and has been a driving factor in the success of my photography business. When I started my business, I was determined and refused to let anything, including myself, get in the way. From the beginning, having a strong vision for my brand—an extension of myself—laid the foundation for my business nearly 10 years ago.
Motherhood has consistently been the focus of my career. Inspired by my own family photos and being raised by my mom, I felt an instinctual urge to become a mother. This led me to experience the full range of emotional, physical, and mental aspects of motherhood. I began pulled to capture my own experiences and then those of others. I have leaned into the raw, messy, and beautiful sides of motherhood through my work, seeking truth and story with an editorial flair. My goal is for woman to feel empowered looking at their images.
Over the years, I have dedicated myself fully to my art, my clients, and my personal growth. By listening to my inner voice and letting my ideas flow intuitively, I have learned to slow down and take on fewer projects. This allows me to enrich the sessions I am naturally drawn to. Observing and being aware of moments is a key aspect of my work, a skill I have nurtured over the years.
After experiencing multiple burnouts, I have prioritized my well-being to achieve peace. Knowing myself allows me to give and receive more from others, adding depth to my sessions.
Adapting to situations and changing plans on the spot is crucial for success—whether dealing with children’s (&adults) meltdowns, weather changes, clients’ needs and comfort levels, or unexpected life events. Being able to make the most out of the unexpected and recognizing the possibilities and beauty in the chaos.
Finally, I don’t follow rules. I enjoy making art my way, allowing myself to evolve and change my style as I feel inspired. Years of shooting have given me the confidence and freedom to explore the unknown with curiosity rather than fear. Recently, I have experimented with shooting film, and the process has been a wonderful challenge.
Joanna , 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?
Hey everyone, I’m Joanna, the owner of Joanna Crichton Photography since 2014. I specialize in motherhood, maternity, family, couples, branding, and creative portrait photography. As an only child, I spent hours alone, immersing myself in anything creative. It wasn’t until high school that I took a film photography class and began envisioning the shots I wanted to create. Despite my love for the arts, I followed in my mother’s footsteps and became a teacher, thinking that being an artist wasn’t a financially viable career option for me.
After seven years of teaching and having my son, I knew I was ready for a change. I took a basic photography course at Georgian College and learned how to use my digital camera. From there, my hunger to build my photography business blossomed. I overlapped teaching and shooting for about a year until I felt ready to work full-time as a photographer. I have never looked back.
Running my own business has brought both significant challenges and incredible highs, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I feel incredibly lucky to connect with people and document the gritty, beautiful, emotional, and messy parts of their lives. Being welcomed into people’s homes and openly sharing our vulnerabilities and struggles with one another to create art is everything I could ever ask for. During each session, I give a part of myself to my clients in hopes they will do the same. I love shooting everyday rituals with families—bathing, gardening, cooking, painting, doing the dishes, getting dressed. I am always in search of a fleeting moment, an emotion or bond, whether it’s through physical touch, a look, or an intangible feeling. That’s the good stuff you’ll want to hold on to and remember.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Social media is certainly a strong component of my business and how many of my clients find me. Over the years, I’ve learned not to waste too much time overanalyzing every move. I have taught myself to use IG for my benefit, not the other way around. My goal is not to gain followers but to share the work I put my heart and soul into. If people want to follow, wonderful; if not, that’s okay. Post what you like best, not what you think your audience will like best. Staying true to who I am is more important than pleasing everyone, and in the end, will attract the right people to me.
One thing I wish someone had told me early on is to detach my self-worth from my business performance. At the beginning of starting my Instagram
Account, the thought of sharing my work with the world felt extremely exposing. It felt like everyone could see my insides. Early on, I would be crushed if people didn’t “like” my post. But after working on myself for years and gaining experience in photography and life, I can now be okay if something isn’t performing well online. I don’t put much weight on things like that anymore. So despite my fears that my work might not be understood or received well, I pushed myself to do it anyway. My drive to do what I loved always won over my “what if” games. A reminder that even if you’re scared, do it anyways.
It’s wild how powerful Instagram is. I have online friends I have never met in person, and we have connected strictly through our IG presence. I think it’s important to remember when you are first starting out that having fewer followers who support and want to work with you is so much richer than having all the followers without engagement. It’s a beneficial outlet to share not only your art but also the person behind it. Having an online platform allows your clients to get a sense of who you are so when you show up to their home, they can feel at ease, already feeling like they know you.
Lastly don’t feel like you need to stick to one lane, use them all! Stand out from the crowd by trying something different and new. You do not need to pick one thing. I love seeing artist’s push themselves rather then hop on board to a yet another trend. I think it’s really beautiful quality in an artist.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I believe I’ve built a reputation within my market because I work hard and put everything I have into what I do. I’m not afraid to try something different or showcase the human body in all its glorious forms. I love delving into the rawness of people; that’s where the magic lies. I think clients feel comfortable sharing vulnerable and intimate sessions with me after seeing my work with others. Many people are attracted to stripping away the fluff and seeing what’s behind the veil, and I have always leaned in this direction. A significant portion of my clients are other photographers, which I consider the highest compliment. Additionally, I think simply being kind and curious goes farther than anything else.
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Instagram: @joanna.crichton
