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

Lacey, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think it takes to be successful?

I think everyone has a different vision of what success looks like to them. In the beginning you just want to feed your dog and pay your bills while attempting to staying true to yourself and goals. I was fortunate enough to work for two very amazing and different photographers. One was well known for her ability to create the most beautiful portraits that captured the simple essence of a child but really wasn’t a kid person. The other was an insanely talented commercial photographer with mind blowing lighting skills but really loved capturing a more casual natural style of people. I knew I didn’t want to get to middle age and have niched down so much that my heart wasn’t in it. I decided when I went out on my own to try everything once and mark things off my list that I knew I didn’t want to do for one reason or another. I have always felt like success is a balance of happiness and money. You can get joy from your job and be happy, or you can make a bunch of money and use that to do the things that make you happy. The scale is different for every individual. I fortunately love people and sometimes while the actual individual job itself might not bring me joy, I enjoy the people I work with creating the images.

For a few years I would be a guest speaker at Central High School in Little Rock for their Communications class. They were learning about interviewing. As a freelance photographer you are literally interviewing for every single new client. I loved getting to speak to the kids and hear their questions. One day this hand casually shot up and this kid stopped me in my tracks. He asked me what I thought it would mean specifically to me to be successful. Where was my line when I would know that I had made it. I had to stop and think about it for a moment. You are constantly reaching for your goals and money while trying to balance happiness. I had to come back to him. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks. “When I am comfortable enough to turn down all August weddings because it is too hot in Arkansas to get married in August. No body is ever happy with their perfectly exposed emotional photos because every single person is a hot sweaty mess. There is only so much photoshopping you can do.”

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

I am simply a person that loves meeting new people and capturing those little moments. My galleries tend to be a little bigger because if it strikes an emotion from me, I am leaving it in your gallery. Total funny outtake that I know you will probably not hang on your wall…It is hilarious and even if you don’t buy it, I want you to see it and giggle with me.

My goal is to make my sessions as smooth and easy as possible for my families. I work quickly to get as many smiles from these littles as possible. It can sometimes feel chaotic. Especially with moody toddlers, but I won’t send you home unless I know we have gotten a full gallery with some of the best smiles possible. At the end of the day though these babies are humans and every now and then it is just not their day. I am happy to be as flexible as my schedule allows.

I mostly sell digitals but am happy to order prints for my clients. I have an insane amount of newborn and studio props. I am always adding and adjusting what I have to fit what my clients are looking for.

I am a perfect fit for a busy parent that wants to get great photos with their kiddos but doesn’t always have to time to sit down and order or have a 2-hour session. Plus, most kids will not last past an hour. You can order and pay for digitals and prints online that are sent directly to you. You can also download your purchased digitals and order prints on your own. I am always here to help if needed, but you really only have to show up for your session.

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

NFTs for me are digital files of your portraits. For me personally if I had to decide which images I wanted to print and what size on the spot, I would spiral into a massive indecisive decision fatigue rut and never be able to finalize my decision. I would be afraid I was making the wrong decision. My packages include a set number of images with options to purchase additional images if you choose to after seeing your gallery. Sometimes I need an image for holiday cards and want to print the others eventually but for today…..I just need these one or two images to complete my current project. I know that some people want full service, and I will happily provide that for clients. Sometimes it is a budget thing as well. I have clients purchase digitals and come back 6+ months later to order their prints from me.

I would love to control the print quality of all of the images I create, but I think in this busy digital age my time and overthinking could benefit my clients more in a different area.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Life is a journey, and the road is always changing. Especially in the digital age. Plus, we literally are aging and while I like to think I am still in my 20s and can do it all, I am actually in my mid 40s and cannot go and go and go like I used to. I used to photograph a ton of real estate but the turn around speed, the tightening of the tripod, all that time in the car, the physical up and downs, the heat in the summer…..I just could not do it anymore. But I love real estate and homes and seeing people’s spaces. Fortunately, I still photograph houses for an interior decorator and an agent here and there.

Slightly same story with weddings. I LOVE love & being a part of people’s stories. I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in my mid 30s, and I just should not be on my feet for 8-10 hours a day. My toxic trait is I can be so in the moment that I forget to listen to my body. The second my job is done though my body would scream at me. I would go from running from one end to the other of the reception to hobbling to my car in an instant. And would pay dearly for it the following day. I have yes days and can easily be talked into photographing smaller weddings. I still love spending the time with couples and celebrating them, so finding some boundaries has been key for me.

I think pivoting, setting boundaries and knowing your limits is key. And knowing your cost of doing business helps with that. You know how much you need to earn to make it worth it. Then stick to it. Creating a circle of photographer friends that specialize in different areas and create consistent work is great! I try to send a few different styles and price points. Learning to say no and referring out is so important to maintaining balance in all the things.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.laceyduncanphotography.com
• Instagram: laceydphoto
• Facebook: laceyduncanphoto
• Linkedin: lacey-duncan-52542996

Image Credits

Headshot of Lacey by FTP Collective