We were lucky to catch up with May Caudillo recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, May thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?
I’m really happy as a business owner! I truly can’t imagine having a “regular” job, because I’m 26 and I’ve never had one. I’ve always known that I’m self motivated and don’t enjoy working for others, so I do everything I can to stay in a creative field. I love the freedom and being able to be completely hands on in my job. It’s very rewarding. I think about how much I love being a photography business owner often, because I have a lot of friends who work regular 9-5 schedules, and I’m really grateful that I have a work schedule that works for me and my goals!
May, 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?
I’m a wedding and portrait photographer based in Raleigh, NC. I offer documentary style photography with a timeless, artful, and editorial feel. My photographs are film inspired and a little nostalgic.
I want to work with clients who want to be fully present on their wedding day and not have to worry about spending the entire day away from their guests because they have to pose for pictures. I want to deliver galleries that are full of beautiful candid moments and genuine emotions.
I first got into photography because one of my friends was a videographer and always had his camera on him. I was naturally curious about it, and one day I just asked him to show me what he does! He took some photos of me after work and then showed me how he made his edits in Photoshop. It was love at first sight for me! Of course, I had already dabbled in photography on my phone and on my dad’s DSLR camera, but it was just for fun. I bought my first camera with a kit lens and started teaching myself everything I could! Shortly after, my friend Carolina asked me to photograph her upcoming clothing line reveal for her ethical fashion company. This was my first ever “professional” photography job, my first creating my own presets in Lightroom, and my first time using a gallery delivery sight for a client! It was an incredible experience that led me to pursue photography professionally.
I’m most proud of how much I’ve grown as a photographer and business owner since I started. My photography is constantly evolving and improving, and when I look back I still love my old work but love how it’s changed, too.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson I learned early on that I had to unlearn is to start marketing yourself in a bigger market and then niche down. More specifically, when I first started photography I always heard from other photographer’ that it’s easier to start in weddings or portraits and then move on to other niches such as editorial or brand photography. I wish that I had just followed my heart from the start and pursued the type of photography I loved, instead of trying to produce the kind of mainstream photography that I thought everyone wanted. My current style resonates so much more with who I am as a person and I love going further and further with that as I continue my career. Recently, I’ve seen so many photographers start with a really niche style in terms of editing, ideal clients, and style who have been very successful off the bat! I commend them for producing work that’s true to them instead of going for a more basic style.
Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?
Most of the time as photographers we market ourselves online through social media, SEO, email lists, etc. But one of my favorite ways which I’ve won over a client was by shamelessly promoting myself in person! In 2021 I went out to eat at a restaurant where my friend worked, and the owner was there. I wanted to begin dabbling in food and beverage photography, so I saw it as the perfect opportunity to create a sale. I introduced myself to the owner, hyped up my work, and offered to do photography for their restaurant. The next day he got in touch with me and hired me right away! To this day I still do photography for them on a monthly basis and have an awesome relationship with their management. I even worked as their social media manager for close to a year. I’m constantly wanting to put myself in more opportunistic situations like this one that led to an incredible work relationship. I’m grateful for the opportunity to this day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maycaudillo.com
- Instagram: @maycaudillophoto