We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nia Rowland a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Nia , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I am so grateful to be a small business owner! Though it is not Rainbows and Unicorns, I could not imagine doing anything else. I get to do what I am passionate about and honestly, How rad is that?! Being a small business owner takes hard work, dedication and discipline. I photograph milestones in people’s lives. Weddings, Engagements, Elopements, Families and Graduations! I am there for the happiest moments of peoples lives. Seriously, can my job be any more awesome?!

I do think about what it would be like to work a regular job. Clock in a 9AM and working all day until 5:30PM. Sitting in traffic, being exhausted then trying to keep up with personal life, friends and family. Yeah, that does not seem ideal for me personally. It works for some people and that is awesome! But I have tried it and it simply does not work for me. It’s funny because some people think being a small business owner is working a 40 hour work week but it is 24/7. Would I trade that in for a 9 to 5? Absolutely not. I feel so fulfilled being a Portrait Photographer.

Nia , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi there! My name is Nia (N-eye-uh) and I am a San Diego native. I am a Portrait Photographer based out of San Diego, CA. I have been a Portrait Photographer for 4 years. I shoot Weddings, Elopements, Surprise Proposals, Boudoir, Engagements, Families, Graduations, and Events! Lately, Surprise Proposals are my niche. It is such a fun moment to be apart of!

I got into Photography at a young age. I always loved looking at old family photos. It always interested me how life was back then. Then growing up, I knew I wanted to do some kind of art form as a career. I tried Graphic Design in college and it did not stick with me. Then I decided to try a Black and White darkroom class and a photo composition class. Well, the rest is history!

I think what sets me apart from other photographers is my personality traits. I am thee ultimate hype woman. It is so natural for me to photograph and hype up my clients. I say a ton of phrases that just come out. ” YASS QUEEN” “GET IT GIRL!” “OMG YASS!” I liked to have fun at photoshoots! I think that a photo session should not be so serious. Before being a photographer, I remember being photographed and being SOOOOO nervous in front of the camera. So I try my best to allow my clients to relax and have a good time!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part about my job has to be knowing that my photos will live forever in my client’s lives. Family session, Graduation session, Engagements, Weddings. All milestones in peoples lives. Moments you can’t replay but I get to freeze that moment in time in a fun and creative way.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I enjoy listening to podcasts! One in particular is called “Make your Break” by Jai Long. He provides such great guidance on how to run small business as an entrepreneur. I give it a listen while I edit or take my dog on a walk. Jai is so knowledgeable! The guests he brings on to the show are also photographers and it is so interesting hearing how they have over come obstacles.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.niarowland.com
• Instagram: niarowlandphoto
• Facebook: Nia Rowland Photography