We were lucky to catch up with Laura Eleanor Williams recently and have shared our conversation below.

Laura Eleanor, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Any thoughts about whether to ask friends and family to support your business. What’s okay in your view?

Let’s be honest, it is always uncomfortable to charge friends for a service. Acts of service is a love language so it can feel greedy and selfish to ask for money in exchange for your services. If you work for a company that allows you to give out friends and family discounts, that is taking away from the profits from the company, not you. But when it is your small business, your sacrificed time and service is a direct loss to you. Sure, you did not necessarily spend money to do the service (though usually you do), but whether your business is a side hustle or your full time job, those kind of sacrifices affect your ability to either turn that side hustle into your main job, or keep your business going strong. Does that mean never giving discounts or free services? No! At least not in my book. But what I keep having to remind myself of is that if I ensure that I am consistently and fairly compensated, it will give me the flexibility to give my time as I choose and not because I feel obligated. On one hand, professional photos are a luxury, so not everyone is going to be able to pay me. It cannot be my responsibility to make photos affordable for everyone. However, having professional photos done can be such a special, priceless experience and I want all people to be able to afford them! THAT is motivation to make sure I make enough of a living to be able to offer my time where I want to! Situation to situation is kind of how I roll. But that has not made my life particularly easy. Friends are what started my business. Friends have helped to sustain it! Both through copious encouragement, being the first to insist on paying me, and at times posing for all of my random creative ideas. So my friends are an integral part of my business! But it is still a business. It is my responsibility to be clear about compensation. There does not have to be awkwardness around that. Don’t leave room for assumptions regarding compensation. That will almost always end in confusion, frustration, and awkwardness on one or both ends.

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

My business really developed because of my love of photography and need for money in college. I never imagined it would take me as far as it has! Truly everything I get to photograph feels like such a gift and honor! Because of photography, I have gotten to be a part of the graduations, love stories, and happiest moments of so many friends. Because my photography is something that started while in school at The University of Georgia, the majority of my work has been senior sessions. Over the past year I have had so much fun branching out to weddings. I think my ideal photography work involves traveling. So the dream is anything destination. Send me to a random mountain to take elopement photos and my creativity will take off! I want to capture who the people are, not just the moment that they are in. A picture can hold so much meaning even though it only captures a millisecond of all that someone is. You learn so much about a person through how they move, how they talk, and the way they look at you. I want to pack as much of who somebody is into a single photo. That requires being able to quickly read a person and create a space where they feel comfortable being themselves. The connections I make in and through photography are my favorite part. I want to tell stories through my photos and I hope that will take me many places! I am most proud of myself for how much I grew my business while in school and having a social life. That was not easy. It definitely involved breakdowns. Three semesters in a row I was underwater with grad photos during finals. I graduated 0.01 under the Magna Cum Laude GPA for UGA. That could have driven me crazy but I know how much I balanced. It is good to give the things you do everything you’ve got, but within reason. I could not give everything I was doing my everything. That does not have to lesson satisfaction in achievements. As much sleep as I lost doing photography, it also involved getting to be part of so many special memories! I have taken so many graduation photos of friends, and looking back on those shoots makes me feel so sentimental! One of the coolest full circle moments came just a few weeks ago when I photographed the wedding of my dear friend, Ansley! She has been a constant supporter who has also sparked my creativity like no other! I have both been hired by her and also used her to bring to life my random creative ideas! Being hired to photograph her wedding day meant the world. I have never wanted to deliver so badly! She was there at the beginning as a friend and cheerleader, inspiration for my creativity, and a faithful client and supporter of my business. Seeing the difference in my skill from my first shoots with her to this most recent one was so incredible. It reflects such growth in both of our lives, and I am just beyond grateful for a skill that allows me to be part of so many sacred moments.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I want everyone to feel comfortable in front of the camera and to be able to appreciate themselves more through the experience. I know how scary it can be to have photos taken. The pressure to look as good as possible for a shoot, the dread as you wait to see the photos because you know you will soon be critiquing every part of your body, and your self-esteem shattering based on one unflattering photo. At least that is something I have experienced. I suffered from anorexia for over half of high school. The obsessiveness over analyzing my body made photos something I dreaded. A single photo held so much power over me. I have been recovered for a while now, but photos are still uncomfortable at times. Something I practice is taking a little time before looking at photos of myself that I do not feel good about. Time usually softens the lens through which you see yourself. I know what it is like to feel horrible in front of a camera and to feel flustered and awkward beyond belief. I also know what it feels like to feel joy and confidence in front of a camera! It can be so tempting to skip over capturing special moments based on how you feel in your skin. I see you. And you deserve to celebrate those moments in a way that you can look back on and see joy! I want to leave you with great photos, but more importantly I want to leave you feeling more comfortable in your own skin. It is so possible for the process to grow your confidence and I want to partner with people to do that!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There will never be someone with my exact point of view! As much as it can seem like there are a million photographers who do it almost just like you, nobody has identical visions. Instead of getting bogged down with imposter syndrome, I consistently remind myself that there is no “right way” to be creative. There will always be room for improvement. Sure, that means you are not perfect and never will be, but it also means you will never grow bored or stagnant. Measuring skill in art is not done on a strict, objective scale. There are so many ways to measure your progress as a creative. You should be the one determining the things that are most indicative of your growth. Take inspiration and advice from others, but remember that you are the expert when it comes to your own creativity!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lauraeleanorphotography.com/
• Instagram: lauraeleanorphoto
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Laura-Eleanor-Photography/100080346634120/