We recently connected with Monica Justesen and have shared our conversation below.

Monica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I’m lucky enough to have had the honor of working on many meaningful projects over the years, and I’ve cultivated a business that specializes in holding and capturing significant moments of all kinds. Having said that, I think of two projects in particular: one was a woman with cancer in her body, recently given a terminal diagnosis. Our mission was to showcase her gratitude for her body, and her connection to her physical vessel and to tap into the waves of emotions that can accompany a diagnosis like that. It was truly something I’ll never forget and reminded me on a soul level what is possible in this work, and why it means so much. The other project that comes to mind is the time I gathered with four generations of women from the same family to photograph them artfully all together, in a way that honored their lineage and all of the decisions and moments that led them to that day, four strong women embracing in front of my lens. Another powerful testament to the magick of this work – being trusted to capture the story of four generations of women for their entire ancestry to look back on. Thinking about both of these projects fills me with emotion, even now.

Monica, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I began my business shortly after graduating high school, and have run the gamut of every niche within the photography industry until I eventually found my footing. Very quickly I realized I was more interested in the raw and the real than I was in the fake and overly curated. Over the years, I found my magick in capturing brands + small businesses (especially women-owned businesses in the wellness space), documenting international retreats, and eventually created my signature offering, the Initiation, a nature-based, somatic, photographic Ceremony experience.

As counterintuitive as it may sound, I adore working with folks who despise having their photo taken. It lights me up to be able to create an experience that once felt scary or intimidating and turn it into a joyful, creative experience that results in images that truly feel like them. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had clients tell me how effortless the shoot felt or how much they saw the real them reflected in their photos.

There is nothing that fills my soul up more than being able to capture and reflect someone’s magick back to them. To be able to show and remind you that you’re beautiful and perfect and magickal, exactly as you are right now. And I’m incredibly proud to have built a business that honors that, that communicates and calls in clients that align with that, and that fosters the trust needed for true co-creation to occur.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source of new clients for me has always been word-of-mouth. There is no better quality of review than a client showing off their images and telling a family member or friend how much they loved their experience. It immediately creates a deep sense of trust and an understanding that they don’t need to worry about anything throughout the process because I’ve got them. There have been many seasons in my business where nearly all of my bookings came from word-of-mouth referrals from former clients. Of course, clients using the images we create together always go a long way, too, but what always goes the extra mile is hearing from someone you know and love about what an enjoyable, magickal, or even transformative experience it was to work with me.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Helping remind people of their magick. Whether I’m reflecting it to them through photos or videos or helping them (re)connect with their bodies through somatic movement, the most rewarding part of choosing this career path is being able to facilitate that remembering. I would also say a close second is letting yourself lean into out-of-box thinking and living. Choosing a life as an artist and a creative can often mean taking leaps of faith, leaning into the weird or hard things, and going against the grain. It can feel like an uphill battle. But the rewards of being able to build a life that you only once dreamed about, on your own terms, feels hard to beat.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.monicajustesen.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/monicajustesen/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/monica-justesen-photography-biddeford

Image Credits
Photo of Monica taken by Jessica LaFleur