We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Niki Wright Owner and photographer of Just Wright Photography a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Niki, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

What does it take to be successful? Let’s look at the definition of successful: “Accomplishing an aim or purpose. Having achieved popularity, profit, or distinction.”

When looking at the definition of success, we can all achieve it in our daily lives. It takes a mix of determination, letting your work have value, having humility and a positive outlook, and allowing yourself to fail and learn.

The voice of comparison tries to convince me I am not good enough, or that my work is never going to be as good as other photographers. But that voice is worthless. I have learned to boldly offer my unique perspective, and clients are willing to pay for that viewpoint. I am determined to not allow comparison to lie to me, though it is still something I deal with on a weekly basis. But it has become a friend. It has pushed me to be a more creative and better skilled photographer, and I am thankful that I can use something negative for good.

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 background and context?

I decided to pursue photography during my last year of college. While completeing a degree in Advertising Design, I took one photography class. I was hooked! I knew I could do well and love every minute of it. I later married my husband Bob, went to photography school, and had a few kids. This was when I realized I might just be able to do photography as my career, though it took me 5 years to get the nerve! My husband convinced me I would be a success. I have been in business for 12 years, and I am going strong–booking appointments and weddings, and even having opportunities to travel to distant settings!

My clients often remark that I capture who they really are. That is specifically important to me. It is one thing to get your photo taken, but it is quite another to see who you really are in that photograph. I strive to not just bring a good and creative photograph to my clients, but something that can be loved for years to come.

Have you ever had to pivot?

During COVID in 2020, many people were in quarantine and not able to work. Since photography was not considered an “essential” business, I was one of those people. I was haunted by fear that this was it for my business…I worried I would not book any future clients. That said, I am a determined person and in my core, I could not accept this fear as truth. I continued to express my creativity in fun shoots with my family, and as the quarantine lifted, I did my best to honor social distancing guidelines while shooting outdoors with high school seniors. Over time, business began to pick up again! I pushed past the negative narrative all around me and kept on going. Soon enough, I was booking more and more seniors and weddings. In the 2 years since the height of the pandemic, I have been delighted to find myself busier than ever. I learned when I’m in a rut and feel like I can’t keep going, to look at everything afresh, with a beginner’s mind. Keep pursuing the dream! You will find creative ways to make it be successful and rediscover your passion.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

As my bookings filled beyond capacity, I decided that in order to be able to have more time with my family, I would need to raise my prices. I am not driven by income, so this concept was tough for me. I love doing what I do; getting paid is a bonus. But I’ve also learned to receive wisdom and to value my skill. In researching my prices, I realized I was charging a significant amount less for weddings than the others in my area! I was blown away. I released a new pricing schedule and within a week, I booked 2 weddings with the new pricing. I have learned to know the true value of my work, and to put the fair price on it. Your time is very important, and if my work is going to take time from my family, it needs to be worth it. I’m also learning to not overbook. I love every opportunity and I want to do them all–but I’m learning to prioritize, say no, and focus on the projects I truly love to undertake.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://justwrightphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justwrightphotographypa/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063629344248

Image Credits
Niki Wright’s portrait by Brianna Hunsberger Photography