Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Randi Idelle. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Randi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
In the beginning I will admit that I was overconfident in my skill! I thought that because I had a relatively nice camera and had watched every season of America’s next top model that I could produce the same wow worthy images without actually knowing how to use my camera. After a few sessions that took me hours and hours to edit because they weren’t turning out the way I had hoped, I decided to invest in education. I highly recommend to anyone getting into photography that they invest in education. Even if you already know how to use your camera in manual mode, there is so much to learn! I am still learning to this day (7 years later) and I’m sure that I will be forever. For me, learning how to switch my camera from automatic to manual and still control my exposure made the biggest difference in my journey. From there I was free to explore a ton of different lighting scenarios and curate a style. I will admit that sticking to one style is sometimes difficult! There are endless ways to shoot and edit sometimes it feels like being a kid in a candy store!
Randi, 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?
Before 2015, I had never really given much thought to my future. I lived very presently, working a job for a while until it no longer interested me and then finding a new one. My partner at the time asked me “So what do you want to be when you grow up?”. I don’t think anyone had asked me that since first grade! I knew that I wanted to do something artistic and there were so many options that I loved but photography kept coming up again and again. At 26 years old I was incredibly shy and unsure as to how little old me would ever start a business. Luckily for me, my partner was incredibly helpful and much more outspoken than myself! After 5 years of being in business together, we decided that it was time for me to take the reins and I will forever be thankful for the question, “so what do you want to be when you grow up?“
I provide portraits for families and weddings. I somehow found my niche as a mainly family photographer and I love it! I have seen so many families grow in these past seven years and I am so thankful for that opportunity. Every person who books a session with me will get a client experience guide with tips on how to dress the entire family and very clear-cut instructions as to what is coming next so that they never have to wonder. I also offer mini sessions throughout the year so that photography can be more accessible to everyone! I have a light and airy photography style that sets me apart from a lot of the more moody styles that I’m seeing on Instagram lately. I’m very proud of the fact that I am continuing to learn and grow every day. There’s nobody pushing me to be better but myself and I think than anyone in that position should feel a sense of pride. I’ve never publicly come out about this but I am also autistic and that sometimes comes with its own challenges but I have been able to overcome everything thrown my way so far. It is my hope that all of my potential clients know that I will put 100% of myself into every single session. It is my passion to capture these moments that so many let slip by. I will create beautiful memories that your family can look back on for generations.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
There are endless photography education blogs, podcasts, videos and courses out there! I wish that I had found them a little bit earlier, before I actually started shooting strangers. If I had dedicated even just one month to education before jumping in with both feet, I think that I would have started much stronger.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
For those of you who don’t know, photography is expensive! If I had known how expensive it was right out of the gate I may have been dissuaded. I started my journey with a camera and lens that I had purchased from a friend years before. As I learned about the different types of gear that I would be needing, I would buy them one at a time, usually used and always with cash. I have never taken out a loan or used a credit card to buy gear. That’s a one-way ticket to debt mountain! There are still so many things that I’ve had my eye on but I’m patient!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://randiidellephotography.com/
- Instagram: @randiidellephotography
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Randiidellephotography/
- Other: Join my mailing list: https://randiidellephotography.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a7aa10bd1a9de146c4a3978ae&id=df70cd8e19