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

Hi Meghan, thanks for joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

First, I feel like I should define my own version of success, because we all have different definitions of what it means to be successful. For me, success has always been more of a feeling than it is a measurable quantity. Like the feeling of freedom, of having agency over my own time. Freedom to spend my days how I want to spend them. Freedom to create for a living and to follow each new curiosity, and being able to do so with an abundant vs scarcity mindset. It’s being content in a home that is less about size and more about being an inspirational space, with just enough I can garden on and play with my dogs. It’s having a healthy work/life balance where I am able to have quality downtime and also be an emotionally available partner. It’s having the ability to take a few trips each year to further expand, learn, grow, be re-inspired. To have a creative career, which allows me all the above, feels like my life’s most biggest success.

As for what it takes for a person to reach their version of success, well, over the years I’ve seen people in my industry come and go and I have observed a few things within myself and in those that have come to me looking for answers. And I feel that after you take all the business talk and skillset talk away (that can all be learned with practice), finding TRUE success really comes down to two fundamental innate qualities a person must have.

The first is you have to be FEARLESS in the pursuit of your dreams. You have to be more afraid of the regret you’ll always feel for not trying, than the fear of trying something but failing. It’s the fear of failure that blocks most people from ever starting. They’ll study and research and prepare themselves, sometimes for years, but they’ll never take the *action*. They remain stuck. They’re afraid to just go for it. To be successful, it is essential that you push past the uncomfortable zone. Push past the fear or what other people might think, and instead focus on what your future self might think. Wouldn’t the biggest failure be not ever giving it a fair shot? Believe in the possibility and pursue your passion with reckless abandon.

Once you’ve pushed past that initial fear, and you’re out there *doing* it, this adrenaline and feeling of PASSION has to be maintained in the long term. Because as soon as passion is lost, you are now just going through the motions. And when you’re going through the motions, your audience, your clients, your circle will be able to feel that energy from you. It’s very easy in this beginning “doing” phase to put all your energy into it while the adrenaline is there, but always be mindful of the potential for burnout. Take rests, reflect on your “why” often, pivot if you have to, but never let your overall PASSION for what you are doing die. Without passion, there is no success. Internally, and eventually externally. Because when you’re not in alignment internally, it will become a domino effect for all other areas of your life.

Once you’ve pushed past that initial growing stage, you’ve entered into the flowing, creative, oh-my-this-is-actually-working stage of “doing,” and have continued through the inevitable ebbs and flows sustaining that passion long-term, once you’ve done all this I have found it’s very hard to not reach (or have already reached) your own version of success. There may be difficult times, of course. There will be years you feel super aligned, and other years you may consider a pivot. But ultimately, where there is PASSION (love of the art, purpose, or impact), coupled with that continued FEARLESS dedication (continuously showing up, always striving for growth and taking the necessary forward action), you will find your version of success.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I didn’t know I wanted to be a creative entrepreneur, a photographer, or specifically a wedding photographer, until I started planning my own wedding! I found so much joy in the creative process, that it actually was the catalyst that returned me to my creative roots. I was wildly creative and artistic as a child, often being suggested by teachers and classmates, “you should be an artist or an art teacher someday!” I was always such a lover of learning and greatly idolized my teachers. It was the reason why ever since my first experience in a classroom at age five I had wanted to be a teacher. I eventually did go on to pursue teaching in college, ending up with a math degree to teach middle and high school education. But after a semester in an 8th grade classroom, let’s just say I quickly realized I much more preferred being a student and learner than a teacher!

Fast forward a couple more years to me becoming engaged to be married, and winding up in the insurance industry. Not exactly what I felt called towards, but it offered some stability and wedding funds for the time being. I busied myself with wedding planning projects, and I became almost obsessed? Okay obsessed with wedding imagery. I dove in deep, gaining inspiration through many wedding magazines and blogs. Becoming amazed at how these modern photographers were able to illustrate all aspects of a wedding day, from the tiniest of details to the most important of human interactions, all in such a natural modern way. Admittedly, I hadn’t really opened a wedding magazine or blog until being engaged. So in my mind I was still going off my parent’s and aunt and uncle’s wedding albums back in the 80’s. Group pictures at the church, stiff smiles, maybe a few moments cutting the cake later. Wedding photography had come a long way, and I fell in love with the new modern style of soft, bright, and dreamy photography styles. Blurry backdrops that isolate detail and subjects. And I loved that they weren’t taken indoors in low lighting, and was refreshed to see couples had begun to celebrate outdoors.

I became really inspired by our own, natural-light wedding photographer we hired. Not only for her art, dreamy tones, and the way she photographed humans naturally. But she also made me realize that being a photographer doesn’t have to be strictly about the art or the photos. As with any artist, you can be in the shadows or you can put your face out there. You can make an IMPACT with your clients and audience (which is what pulled me initially towards teaching). I loved reading her blog, how she carefully articulated and demonstrated her brand, how she gave advice to couples (I swear she was always in my ear answering all my questions I had), and I also found it so admirable when she would open up even more and share daily glimpses into her own life and self. This was all happening at the start of Instagram and the word “brand” or “influencer” wasn’t a thing quite yet, but I loved her brand and essence and how she was able to articulate that through the form of an online blog and social media. It was at this time I started to dream and ask myself what building up my own corner of the internet would be like, what art and ideas would I share, how could I build community with my audience, or inspire someone as I have been inspired?

After my wedding day was over, and the creative outlet went with it too, I felt very much at a crossroads. I knew in my soul that I was not meant for a corporate 9-5. Planning a wedding reignited a creative spark within me, and when it suddenly was gone and I felt that undeniable void, it became so clear to me that I was meant for a different and creative life. And from the moment my mind spoke those words into conscious thought, my body never let me forget. It was like every cell was now bouncing around in me, telling me YES. Go for it. Queue the Beach Boys, because I was literally picking up the “good vibrations.”

Okay, so from this point on, things started happening very fast. I realized I wanted to stay within the wedding industry, it just felt so sad for it all to be over and all the joy it gave me. I have always been a romantic at heart and I just fell in love with all the creative and expressive details and the entire creative vendor team that went into weddings. Weddings were no longer cookie cutter like they used to be decades ago, they had become a way for the couple to express themselves and their unique story to their loved ones, every decision from the venue they choose down to the cleverly designed and thematic seating charts. I loved that weddings combined both romance and art. Love aside, it felt like being a part of a wedding was like being involved in one big art project or creative production, with the final piece of that production being the resulting, beautiful photos. And I wanted to be the one responsible for illustrating that final production.

So, shortly after my August wedding in 2016, I used our wedding funds to buy a DSLR camera (thanks to my always supporting husband who has been my cheerleader since day one and encourages me to follow my curiosity). Looking back, I kind of did everything backwards. I wasn’t a skilled photographer who found themselves in weddings. I was first and foremost a lover of weddings who found themselves wanting to narrow in on wedding photography and then learn the necessary skills. But once I decided to become a wedding photographer, I fully acted as if I already was. Almost like I skipped the “doing” part and just went from “dreaming” to “being.” Even before having my camera, I began posting on Instagram letting people get to know me and my passionate goals and building my audience. I wanted to put my dream out there to the world, partly to hold myself accountable, but also so others could have the chance to see the starting point, because we all start somewhere! I wanted to grow an audience that could cheer alongside me in this journey, and perhaps as a result maybe I would even inspire someone else to follow their own curiosity.

Once my professional camera arrived, it felt I could finally get things to take off. I practiced on my sisters and their boyfriends so I could build up a “couple’s-based” portfolio, and immediately felt such a creative adrenaline rush. I realized I already had the knack for posing people and composition (thanks to many years with a point-and-shoot), and now with the right settings, and intentional post-production editing, I already felt super close to the style of photography I wanted. I continued to put everything out there on social media, and it’s amazing how quickly that takes off. Soon, others you know reach out to have their family photos captured, and the person you work with who just got engaged is asking you to shoot her engagement photos, and eventually her wedding. This is what happened with me, and exactly one year to the date of my wedding, I was photographing someone else’s wedding in 2017, along with a dozen engagement sessions for a fully booked 2018 wedding season to follow.

The only problem was, I still had my corporate job. I had stayed working full time, pursuing photography on the side, but now it was reaching a point where I was getting enough bookings that I could leave my corporate job if I wanted to. The thing that they don’t tell you about pursuing your passion, is that you vibrate at a higher frequency and now your aura becomes more attractable to other possibilities. You are living in alignment and naturally other people want to buy into that energy. I started receiving promotions at my corporate job – eventually making my way up to a leadership role. I had also made some great friendships and I enjoyed working there. Did I really want to leave this all? And my stable 9-5 with a great 401k, and the feeling of financial security? Or do I want to take a leap of faith into the unknown territory of being my own boss, and go full-time into wedding photography?

Luckily for me, I didn’t have the option of agonizing this decision for months or years. Because the universe gave me a very clear sign. All employees had to sit in on a call, where we would learn our company was in process of being bought out, and that each of our positions would not be transferring with. We were all given an upcoming termination date. My husband had also recently been hired on. So, suddenly, we had no security blanket at all. But very luckily, I had been building my photography on the side and so despite me not feeling fully ready, this was really the real big push I needed to go full-time in my business. Without this push, I would have taken my sweet comfortable time, waiting to be “really ready.” But this blessing in disguise forced me to do so much earlier on, and at the start of my career.

So two years after my wedding, I was now a full-time wedding photographer. My husband ended up joining me as my assistant photographer, and we spent our first summer shooting weddings all over the state of Wisconsin, and spent our first few winter off-seasons on various road trips out west, and eventually overseas, finally getting to see more of this beautiful world. I used my corner of the internet to share bits of weddings, travel, and our personal life journey every step of the way. Most days I have to pinch myself because it has become so much more than I ever dreamed initially.

Today, we are about to enter our 8th wedding season together. We’ve now had the privilege of photographing over 100 couples and counting on their most important day, and have had the remarkable privilege of time flexibility to travel all over. I’ve just accomplished having my work featured in one of the most renown wedding publications, one that inspired me during my own planning a decade ago. It has been surreal to be on the other side of things, where once I used to be the bride-to-be inspired by those images, I am now the one taking the images and inspiring others in the wedding planning journey. And while I’ve grown and changed a lot in the process, I am proud that my photography outlook has always remained the same.

While yes, the art of photography is sacred and important to me, and I feel immense joy in being able to give my couple’s the gift of their memories, these truly fleeting moments in time that they can hold onto and keep with them forever. I can think of no greater tangible gift. It is why when a house is burning, it is the first thing being saved. But I still go back to my first dream and reason that I wanted to be a teacher growing up. And it was all about impact.

When all is said and done, I want to inspire others as I have been inspired. And one of the best things about having a creative career, is that you truly have the freedom to make your brand whatever you wish, and share as much as you wish. You are the artist of your world. Some artists choose to keep it entirely focused on the art, and keep an air of mystery. But I love to share who I am as an artist behind just the pretty photos. I love that since the very start, I have organically grown my own community of people, sharing/blogging our life along the way in what feels like my own corner of the internet. It’s taught me the beauty of showing up as my real self, because that is how I can deepen the connections with my couples and other creatives in a way that feels supportive, genuine, and fully aligned. It’s always been about impact. And not much makes me happier than hearing from a stranger, “your trip to ____ made me decide to take my own!” Or when we lived on wheels, hearing “you inspired us to take a three month long road trip this summer!” or from past brides of mine, “You’ve inspired me to get into photography” or from fellow industry friends “your flower garden made me decide to try one this coming summer!” I realize for me, art and creativity is less about filling my own void or expressing myself. It’s always been about sharing and impact, and redirecting that inspiration outward, inspiring others to follow their own curiosity.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think the biggest challenge for creatives is that our creativity ebbs and flows. Therefore it’s harder to maintain a typical work schedule where we can punch in like everyone else and pick back up where we left off yesterday. Some days creatives can feel really “on”, and we’re following that flow of inspiration to the fullest. Time/space doesn’t exist and we’re leaning 100% into whatever idea or thing we are currently focused on. Whereas other days inspiration is nowhere to be found, and we are just feeling very burnt out. And what we really need is to take time for rest and reflection to allow for a new creative wave. It requires a lot of energy to be a constant creative and think innovatively all the time, and I think the hardest thing for non-creatives to understand is that we creatives need a lot more personal rest and breaks in order to maintain our stamina. Allowing ourselves to be still, take a few days off, have time to meditate, etc can all really help our brains restore and bring out some of the best new ideas. Unfortunately with hustle culture, this can feel like we are a bit too unstructured or undisciplined at times. Because if we try to stick to a set schedule, we can end up feeling rushed through the process, the work could end up suffering, or we are now feeling pressure having to let others down because we have to extend a deadline. It’s hard to put a timeframe to art, creativity, innovation. So it really is so crucial to allow creatives the respect of their time and space, within reason of course, and not rush these minds through the process or expect them to always be in the flow of creation mode. (I promise, if we take time to self-care, we will always get back to the creative flow of things and the rest will be worth it)!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Pretty much as soon as I got my camera and had a few sessions to showcase in my social media, I made the bold move to reach out to a wedding planning company I admired and ask them to collaborate on a styled wedding shoot with me. I knew that couples booked weddings about twelve months in advance, so if I wanted to be a wedding photographer any time soon I would need something bridal to showcase, along with a website as soon as I possibly could. While yes, I could have reached out to a venue and created and sourced a styled shoot myself, I did feel like I wanted to have a more seasoned industry professional to help me with this process, and of course as a result, help build some credibility to my own brand if all went smoothly! I knew this ask might be a long shot, as I essentially had no portfolio to show these planners, so I took the time to really develop my vision board. I had friends who recently got married that I thought would make great models. I knew the color theme I wanted, and I knew I wanted the dress to be a nontraditional color, and I knew the venue I wanted to shoot at. In other words, I took on a lot of the initial planning load already, and in return made it much easier for the planning team to see my effort, commitment, and determination, and say yes to me.
I was extremely elated when they agreed they would be available. And together we proceeded to source the other vendors involved. I had a pretty clear vision in what I wanted these end result images, essentially my “brand’s launch/debut” to look like, but I also wanted to respect their efforts and wishes for the shoot as well, giving them final say over design specifics and other things they wanted to incorporate. At the end of the day I was just excited and grateful this was even happening and that they were kind enough to put their trust into me.

This shoot ended up being the main driver in catapulting my career, and much sooner than I was even ready for (I still didn’t have the systems in place to be able to take bookings, but quickly learned on the fly)! Not only did the resulting photos give me a portfolio of images to build my website, and share with my social media audience, and attract clients. But being able to put on a beautiful shoot with many talented local vendors helped build my reputation in the local industry. It helped put my name out there a little more, build my local audience, etc. But the biggest boost to my business happened after it was picked up by Wisconsin Bride magazine in both print and online. This publication really gave inquiring couples of mine the confidence to book with me, despite not having a large portfolio that comes with years of experience to back myself up. But my starting price was reasonable, and people placed their bet on me. As a result, I was able to fully book myself for the next wedding season.

Looking back, reaching out to these planners was a very brave move as I essentially had **no idea** what I was even doing yet and it could have potentially backfired and ruined my reputation before it even started (I shot the entire thing on auto mode and mainly on other rented gear — shh!!!) But it turns out, you really don’t have to be the best of the best starting out, and you don’t have to have everything figured out to start making those big moves. Really, as long as you believe in yourself, others will too. And I always believe that what is meant for you will come to you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://meghanleeharris.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meghanleeharris/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meghanleeharris/

Image Credits

Meghan Lee Harris