We were lucky to catch up with Melinda Roth recently and have shared our conversation below.

Melinda, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s something you believe that most people in your industry (or in general) disagree with?

The biggest myth in my industry is that EVERYONE is in competition. When I look around the world of photography, more so now even than when I started 8yrs ago, there are a billion photographers (especially in LA) so I always had the attitude of, “the more the merrier, there is enough work to go around”. Well, unfortunately that’s not the mind set of everyone in this biz. I remember reaching out to a few photographers I admired when I first started, asking if I could have coffee with them and pick their brain, or just a simple question of, “what lens did you use for this shot” and people would just NOT answer or say no. They would say things like, “can’t give away the secret sauce” wink wink. I swore I would never do that to anyone, no matter how successful I got. In my opinion there are enough families for all of us. People that have different budgets, styles and vibes. Some love dark and moody images, some love bright and airy, studio, outdoors etc. I LOVE having conversations with other creatives and learning what their process is. The only person I’m in competition with is myself and I remind that to myself daily. Especially when I’m getting imposter syndrome which is a whole other conversation. LOL

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

I’m mainly a Family Photographer and work with natural light. I do Maternity, Newborn and Family Sessions and Boudoir. Occasionally I will do Weddings, but I limit those to elopements or very small ceremonies where I can capture intimate moments without a lot of fuss. Toss in some Headshots along the way to mix things up, and luckily since I’ve made good impressions along the way, I also get requests for Editorial Shoots which is a ton of fun and lets my creative brain stretch a bit more.

My biggest goal in any shoot is to take the stress off of my client so they can actually ENJOY the process. It’s rare that people love taking photos (unless you’re working with models) and my biggest compliment is when we are done with our session and my client says, “Oh my gosh, I was so nervous and dreading this but you made it so easy and fun!” Score! My day is made! I also pride myself on being really good with kids and can make the most unruly ones shape up, or at least make it look like they shaped up later when I edit. ha ha.
I leave a lot of shoots feeling like I was in a tornado but I always seem to capture images that make the whirlwind look seamless.

My main goal with my work is that I capture genuine, authentic moments with my clients. I may start them with a pose or a prompt, because everyone needs a little guidance, but that these prompts turn into real hugs, giggles and smiles that aren’t forced. Even if I’m shooting in my studio I go for a more barefoot vibe than a buttoned up one.

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

Well, when I first started out my only goal was to make money. But very quickly I realized that if this was my only goal it wouldn’t be a very enjoyable process and wasn’t necessarily true anyway. What I really wanted was to make money WHILE doing something I actually enjoyed and loved. So I decided I needed to change my train of thought. I reframed my thinking to making sure that while I was starting my business I would do it the way I would want it to be if I was hiring myself. I’ve put myself in my clients shoes from day one, because I basically am my client. I am a Mom with two kiddos, trying to live on a budget, wanting beautiful images of my kids and family but wanting it to be no fuss. I think envisioning myself as my client every step of the way is what has made me most successful. And also helped my creative journey because it meant I could totally be true to who I was and create exactly what I wanted because I AM the client.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to really talk myself out of imposter syndrome early on. Some days I still have micro moments rear their ugly head. When you are first starting out there are SO MANY talented people out there. You are bombarded by gorgeous work and when you look at what you’ve created it just doesn’t seem to add up. I literally had to have a conversation with myself the way I would with one of my kids. I would never talk to them the way I would talk to myself. I mean, I was just learning! Practice makes perfect! You are your only competition! All of these phrases that sounded trivial in the past were so very relevant to me and my life and I needed to re-learn them. The words you say to yourself truly do make who you are so why not make those words, kind, patient and loving.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.melindarothphotography.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/melindarothphotography

Image Credits
All images belong to me