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

Hi Rebekah , thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I began this just as fun–I didn’t even realize how interested in photography I was until my husband gave me my first “big” camera as a Christmas present. Looking back now, I see I had a lot of natural talent for photography, I just didn’t understand the technical mindset that created those beautiful images. That came later as I began taking free webinars, then paid educational courses from educators like Katelyn James.

If I had dived into shooting completely manual earlier on, I think my skill with my camera would have vastly sped up my confidence, but really, my work hasn’t experienced a massive glow up like so many. As time as gone on, my experience has brought me consistency and refinement in my work.

Rebekah , 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?

I joke I’m an accidental photographer, because from the time I was 7, until my 20s, I intended to become a zoo curator (actually dream job was tiger trainer in Australia), so the degree to which photography has become a part of my life is incredibly surprising. But I’ve always loved stories, whether reading or writing them, and photography is continuing that storytelling process.

After receiving my camera from my husband, I used it to document our life in Europe, which I shared through blogging so family and friends could follow along with our escapades. When we came back to the US, like many photographers, I ended up taking photos for family and friends and it grew from that.

I never intended into enter the wedding industry, because we had gone the inexpensive route with our own wedding and didn’t hire an actual wedding photographer. I was so disappointed in our photos, I never wanted to do that to anyone else. However, when a college friend was getting married, I offered her a portrait session but when she revealed they weren’t going to have a photographer at their wedding, I wasn’t going to let that happen. I gave my husband a week’s crash course in shooting manual–because I was not taking a wedding on by myself. We had such an amazing time, we became wedding photographers!

Besides amazing photos, the biggest thing I give my clients is confidence. We give an engagement session to every couple, because I want them to feel completely comfortable around myself, my husband, and our cameras. By the time their wedding day comes, all of my couples rock the camera like they’re a model–yes even the ones convinced they’re awkward or unphotogenic. On top of that, I take a very personal approach, so I am more a friend than a hired professional–I care as much about their experience as I do the final gallery I create for them.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Early on, I discovered Katelyn James, an amazing photographer and woman in Virginia. 90% of what I know of photography and business comes from her, and I would not be where I am today if I had not discovered her.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Done is better than perfect, and creativity, in many ways, is a muscle, it needs to be used to work. Creatives balk about non-creative things, and non-creatives balk when they need to do something creative. Yes, people are gifted in different areas, but I find, when you stop worrying about you have to do, and just take care of it, it’s not that bad.

To quote my dad, the dread is worse than the doing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://byraclaborn.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photographybyraclaborn/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photographybyraclaborn
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebekah-claborn-6417252b2/
• Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RQdQJxBLTmbvRZuQ9