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

Hi Molly, thanks for joining us today. How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?

As the owner of a photography business, I understand how hard it can be to disconnect, even for a short time. When I first started photographing people and events professionally, I thought I couldn’t possibly leave for even a weekend without everything falling apart. But I’ve learned a few tricks over the years that allow me to actually enjoy my vacations now.

The most important thing is to have a great team in place that you trust completely. Make sure you have a competent, reliable people in place who can handle issues that pop up. Train them thoroughly so they understand your processes and standards.

I schedule my vacations well in advance and let clients know when I’ll be out of the office. I offer to line up freelance photographers that I’ve worked with previously to assist with any shoots that are scheduled during my time away, and I’m still available via text or phone in case of emergencies.

I prepare to meet deadlines early, before I depart, and finish edits, invoicing, etc. ahead of time.

Vacations are essential for avoiding burnout and maintaining passion for your business. You’ll return relaxed and recharged, ready to to exercise your creative muscles and provide the best service for your clientele.

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?

I started out working in the office of a wedding vendor company right out of college, a company which subcontracted photographers, videographers, etc for weddings. I was hired to do data entry, however during my downtime there I started learning Adobe Photoshop on the company computers. Eventually, I was sent out as a photography assistant, and then after I bought my own camera I began working freelance on events, with other photographers! Today I am working and making a living photographing events and portraits via connections I have established over the past 15 years as a self-employed photographer.

I am a creative photographer with extensive experience and a deep understanding of the art and craft of photography, lighting, and digital photo editing. I specialize in timeless portraiture of people and skillful coverage of both social and corporate events and lifestyle and know how to capture moments that will last a lifetime.

Something I am able to uniquely offer my clientele is proficient digital photo editing and retouching, so I can ensure each image is as perfect as possible before delivery. My clients also love that my relaxed demeanor puts them at ease for their sessions.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

It’s never a smooth road! The COVID-19 pandemic presented numerous challenges, most notably the complete shutdown of the events industry, as well as a struggle to balance child care during “part time” pandemic schooling. The past year has involved rebuilding business contacts after so many professional referral sources moved around following the pandemic.

During this time I began photographing a much higher number of elopements and “microweddings” and found that they were very rewarding, often with abundant time for creative posing and editing. I have continued to elopement and microwedding photography post-pandemic and enjoy it immensely.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

When I first started, social media had not yet become the platform that it now is for sharing, advertising, and showcasing creative work and businesses. I feel like sometimes the devotion to growing an audience and network of contacts required a larger investment of time face-to-face with key persons than it does now, as well as more money invested in traditional advertising for small businesses. I remember being reluctant to start an Instagram page because at the time it was designed for consumers’ everyday ‘microblogging,’ not viewed as an app for showing off professional work. How that has changed!

Contact Info:

• Website: Luminaireimages.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/luminaireimages
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luminaireimages
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luminaireimages/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/luminaire-images-newport-beach-2

Image Credits
All photographs © Luminaire Images Photography