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

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

Success for me used to be about how much money I was making and how much “better” my work/art was than everyone else in my field. I’ve learned success to me is actually just happiness. I know I’ve succeeded when I feel like my most authentic self. I know now that I don’t want to be the “best” at what I do, I want to create simply because I am a creative being – we all are. I think to figure out what it takes to be “successful” you must first find what exactly that means to you. I feel successful when I’ve been truly seen and recognized for what I’ve put out into the world, no matter how “good” it may be, and that feeling of success starts with recognizing myself first.

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

Being from Memphis and growing up in the south, I was always finding inspiration as a child whether it through nature or constantly being surrounded by music, as most of the people in my family played an instrument of some sort. For whatever reason, I was inspired visually throughout my life by these things, especially the music.

My mother and father had me as teens and are both big movie buffs so cinema, and the unconventional way of living, had taken hold of me from a very young age. I loved how each of these creative elements, music and movies, could tell stories in their own magical ways. I always wanted to be a part of it, no matter how I got there or what I did. I knew I was meant to be a creator.

I started seriously investing into photography in high school but I always had an intuitive feeling that I would end up in Hollywood some day, so I decided to go to the Art Institute for Digital Filmmaking and Video Production.

3 years after I had graduated, I was still working a restaurant job trying to figure out how to get to where I wanted to be while simultaneously understanding this was part of my path and I would eventually get there. Then 2020 happened along with COVID and I ended up being jobless so of course I thought, “Well, what a perfect time to just go ahead and start my business!”
I know most people would think that’s the worst time to dive into the unknown but I put all of my trust into myself and the universe. It had to work, and it did!
By letting go and diving into something completely terrifying to me, while also knowing my worth, I somehow found myself where I wanted to be all along.

My work in photography sticks out on its own, I believe, because it’s so influenced by my cinematic vision. It’s more than a moment captured, it’s an entire world and story in one frame.

Keeping up with my portfolio seemed like it would be a hassle, but when you truly love something like that the work becomes almost unreal, accompanied by an overwhelming sense of gratitude.
I also waited for the invitations to create, I never wanted to force anything. So when I felt uninspired or unmotivated I let myself rest. I knew, and know, that what is meant for me will come in all aspects of my life, even work.

Most of my video work is currently music based, and my photography ranges, as my art is extremely versatile. I never want to limit myself. I am not just one type of creator, I follow my gut and listen to my intuition when it comes to taking clients. I say no to things that do not resonate with me and I almost always meditate on a client before deciding to take them. I want my work to feel close to me and I want to love it, I never do work just for the money now. The money always comes when it’s needed, all I have to do is trust in that and follow my joy.

Im proud to have come to this place and mindset in my life where I can firmly stand up for myself and my work. When people try to talk my prices down, which they do, I remind myself of my worth and know that the people who truly recognize me will want to pay me what I’m worth and anyone that doesn’t simply isn’t a client of mine.

I believe that everyone is a mirror of yourself, so when you put out your worth and show up for yourself you will absolutely see that mirrored back to you from people who see you and trust your vision. Your reality can be a dream come true and you are worthy of every part of it.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

As a young person who was practically raised by the internet, I do think I had a head start by having an Instagram and following since I was 15. Even then people knew I was an artist and it was evident the internet was going to catapult me into the realm of creators. I think by simply being authentic, kind, loving, and caring people gravitated towards me and were interested in what I had to say.
I also did everything creative I could get into. Being in front of the camera for several years helped me build a modeling audience, and befriending every model I met helped my photography to blast off.
Keeping up with my socials and hyping up other creatives also is a big part of it. I think when you truly feel you’ve found your community, your name finds its way into rooms when you’re not there.

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

Instagram has honestly been one of the only places I’ve gotten my clients from. I tried other platforms before, which never really turned into anything, and now moving on to TikTok and keeping up with the new way of social media has at least gotten me a larger audience. I don’t separate myself from my business because I am my business, so by simply being myself and putting myself out there it has given me many reoccurring clients as well as new ones.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://society6.com/raenaskyy
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/rraenaskyy?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raena.lannom.33
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCtqQHRszHsSs48c9nRfNSSA

Image Credits
photos by Raena Skyy Lannom