We were lucky to catch up with Milly Vadi recently and have shared our conversation below.

Milly, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?

Oh yes we do! Before becoming a photographer I was working in the field of child welfare. It was a very stressful environment. I worked so much and barely took days off or vacation time. Mostly because I was a single mom and well, every penny I could make was absolutely needed. Taking care of my clients, ensuring their safety and putting food on the table was my main priority. It wasn’t until I met my husband that together we realized how important it is to travel and take time away from the stresses of work and life in general. We started taking trips together in order to get to know each other. These trips led to us visiting several National Parks, eloping in Yosemite National Park and becoming a photography/videography duo. We have now been to Iceland, Ireland and Scotland and plan many more international trips in the future. Our vacations allow us to connect as husband and wife and inspire our creativity.

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

Hi! I am Milly Vadi, I was born in Puerto Rico. I like to say I made the typical Puerto Rican move which is Puerto Rico to New York and New York to Florida, therefore, I feel I was raised in all three. That is probably where I get my ability to adapt to my environment very quickly. I am pretty much comfortable anywhere. Something else to know about me… I like to think of myself as a coffee connoisseur but the truth is I just love drinking a ridiculous amount of coffee. I am always open to client consultations at any coffee shop. I also love nature and hiking adventures with my husband. I am a mommy of four awesome kids and two fur babies.

My passion for photography came a little later in life than for others. After our engagement, my husband and I knew we wanted to get married in Yosemite National Park and began looking for a photographer in that area. This was a great experience for us and it led me to purchasing my first camera right after we got back from our wedding. I became obsessed with learning how to professionally use my small Sony a6000. I learned so quickly I began offering sessions, updating my equipment to more professional gear and quitting my full time job as a Child Protective Investigator to take on being a full time wedding and elopement photographer.

I now get to serve the most amazing couples who just like me and my husband, fell in love and decided they want their special day documented. While working in child welfare we had a very important saying, “if it’s not documented, it didn’t happen.” I feel that’s what photography is about, documenting those very special occasions in your life that did happen and are some of the happiest memories in your life. I look at my wedding photos and I can remember exactly how I felt, the scent of my perfume, the way my husband hugged me, how my bouquet felt in my hands, how my husband cried the first time he saw me in my wedding dress… All of those details matter!

I offer my clients very personalized services. My clients know I am always a phone call away. We plan out consultations to stay updated on their wedding details. I make myself available for venue walkthroughs where we discuss the best areas for their photos and I give them many tips to ensure their wedding day goes smoothly. We also work together on the best timeline for them. I am just another part of the team, so I like to make myself available to the couple and their vendors as needed. My clients know if they need referrals or advice they can always reach out. It is a lot of pressure on me, but I do want my client’s to feel they can put their full trust on me to help them capture their love story.

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

Referrals!!! Yes, referrals have been my main source of receiving new clients. To me it is the most important source of all. It is the biggest compliment when I get an inquiry and it says they were referred to me by a previous client. That makes me so happy because I know that my previous client was happy and satisfied with my services and they want their family and friends to have the same experience, with me! I am so grateful to everyone who has referred me. They are helping me grow my business and without those referrals I wouldn’t be where I am today.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There are two rewarding aspects for me. The first is seeing my clients so happy with their photos. Getting emails and pictures from my clients showing me that they hung their photos on their walls or how they created a photo book to display on their coffee table. Seeing my clients immediately change all of their social media photos to a photo that I took. It makes me happy to see my clients happy with my work. The second rewarding aspect is knowing that I am doing something that I enjoy doing every single day. This is fun and exciting for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.millyvadiphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/millyvadiphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/millyvadiphotography
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/millyvadiphotography/