We were lucky to catch up with Melissa Stewardson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Melissa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

Yes, for the past 12 years my full time job has been my photography business. Luckily for me, my husband was and still is the breadwinner in our family so the income from my business didn’t have to be huge when I first started. I do remember my goal was to make $500 a month when I first started. I just wanted to have a little extra money in the bank, be able to go out to dinner, see a movie, go shopping, etc. I was lucky to be able to make hit the goal and far exceed that goal even in my first year of business. As the years went on I began to make a substantial income with Melissa Stewardson Photography. Today I can say my family would definitely miss my income if I wasn’t running my business.

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?

Back in 2012 I was a young stay at home mom with two girls, ages 1 and 3. I loved being a mom but also missed the workforce. Before kids I worked for a large corporate business as a project manager. I honestly started to get bored at home and began thinking about what I could do for work that wouldn’t take me away from my kids. I had my own family photos taken and after that I started thinking that was something I could do. So I bought and entry level DSLR camera and began practicing on my kids and friends. After I while I bought a new lens and starting practicing even more. I finally had enough photos to have a portfolio and then I decide to launch Melissa Stewardson Photography. One of things I am most proud of is that I am a self taught photographer and have run the entire business myself since 2012. Potential clients should know their photo session will be fun and effortless for them. I will go the extra mile for my clients and spend a lot of time before their session to ensure they will love their photos in the end.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of clients has always been word of mouth and referrals. And that is such a huge compliment! Social media is also a big source of new clients. I don’t have a ton of followers, but I try to be consistent with posting 2-3 times a week.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, hearing that a mom cried when they saw their high school seniors photos or getting an heartfelt message from a client about loving their photos is the most rewarding aspect of my job. I don’t run my business to gain social media followers or admirers. My goal is to hear that my clients love their photos and have them book me again in the future.

Contact Info:

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

Image Credits
Alice Akiyama – my head shot Melissa Stewardson Photography