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

Alright, Lucia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I believe success is about persistence, passion, and adaptability. Not solely about reaching a final destination, like a dream career or a specific income, but about growing and evolving in your work. Success is when I see progress, even in small ways. When I shot my first tour, it felt like a breakthrough moment. It wasn’t a massive production by any means, but it was proof that the hard work I’d been putting in was paying off.

To me, the most meaningful meter of success is using my craft to help others succeed – that feeling of having captured something meaningful for someone else. I’ve had musicians use my photos for promotional purposes, and hearing them say that my work represents who they are and how they want to be seen is incredibly fulfilling. It’s in those moments that I realize my work can have a lasting impact beyond just a single image. Those moments remind me that success is more about impact and personal growth than societal benchmarks.

I’ve learned that success isn’t linear. The journey of freelancing has its ups and downs, and part of being successful is learning how to navigate both with resilience. It’s winning the battle against self doubt. Every small win – a new client, a creative project that lights a spark, or even the courage to reach out to someone I admire for advice feels like success to me.

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?

I’m a freelance photographer specializing in live music, theatre, and lifestyle photography. I’ve always had a passion for storytelling through images, but it wasn’t until I attended my first concert with a camera in hand that I realized photography could be more than just a hobby — it could be a way to capture the energy, emotion, and connection that music brings to people. Since then, I’ve been working to build a career around capturing those moments in ways that feel authentic and meaningful.

I’ve been snapping photos since I had the ability to hold up a camera on my own. It was always my creative outlet while I pursued other career paths. It wasn’t until I gained the self awareness to recognize that I had the ability and talent to pursue this art that I love so much as a career. I fell in love with specifically music photography after photographing local shows as a favor to my musician friends. The big turning point came when I was able to go on tour for the first time. Being part of the fast-paced, ever-changing tour environment taught me everything about capturing moments as they happen and working under pressure. That experience made me realize that photography, especially in the music industry, is where I feel most at home.

My photography is about capturing honest moments that help my clients feel represented as well as creating an environment that’s both collaborative and judgement free. Without fail, this helps bring out the best of who they are. My goal is to use that trust between us to capture moments that reflect their personality, artistry, and the emotion they bring to their work. I want my clients to walk away from a shoot feeling not only seen, but inspired. I believe what sets me apart is the empathy and understanding in my approach.

That being said, I’m most proud of the relationships I’ve built through my work. Seeing my photos being used for album releases, promotional, and social media content is incredibly fulfilling. I’m proud of the small steps I’ve taken to make photography a bigger part of my life. It hasn’t always been easy, but every project and connection feels like a step toward something bigger.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Like the majority of us in Los Angeles, I moved here to become a working actor. I’d been acting since I was a kid and went to college to study and make it my career. I swore up and down that it was my only path in life and wouldn’t be happen unless I made it my living. I had myself believing that I wasn’t qualified to do anything else. It wasn’t until I was face to face with the film industry tanking that I was forced to reevaluate what I wanted and what I was capable of. I had no choice but to dig deeper to find that fear is what held me back. Fear of letting a dream die. Fear of failure. Fear of what others might think when I decide to start over at the age of 30. Fear that I’ll discover that I have no real skills. Starting from scratch was daunting but I was tired of letting that fear orchestrate my every move. I found myself, for the first time in nearly 10 years, having no auditions to submit and no agents to answer to. There is no handbook for starting over but I can share what worked for me – going back to the basics. I had to ask myself, “As far back as I can remember, what used to bring me joy?” Since I had nothing but time on my hands, I nurtured that inner child. I did everything from painting, rollerskating, writing silly stories until, finally, I started snapping photos again. Something I’d been doing all my life was there for me all along. I was just moving too fast to see it. Sometimes you have to slow down to speed up.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

It’s everything to me. I believe that any creative can agree it’s what keeps the blood pumping through our veins. With photography in particular, I get to see the world through a literal and figurative lens that not many people have the ability to see. It is a privilege to be the one to capture the moments that I can see and show the world my point of view.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @_lucialedoux

Image Credits

Lucia Ledoux