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

Riley , appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what y

ou do?

The best teacher for me has been trial and error. I spent a lot of time trying to stay inside of a safe box when I first started with photography. I would try to replicate Pinterest photos and only take pictures straight on. I think many photographer begin this way. I quickly learned that this was not going to get me the results I wanted. Now I am all about trying new things and getting creative with angles, lighting and composition. When I lay in bed at night new ideas for photos come to my mind and I keep a notebook by the side of my bed to write them down.

If I could go back I would begin taking risks sooner. Confidence in myself has been the most essential skill. I think the biggest obstacle that most people face is fear. I used to be so afraid to try something different because what if it didn’t turn out exactly as I pictured? I had to learn to stop thinking so much about everything that I was doing. There will always be reasons not to try something new, but I had to stop letting those fears hold me back from going all in.

Riley , 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?

I had always dabbled in photography as a hobby. I took some classes in high school and did photoshoots for friends and family through college. I had never considered that I could turn my passion into my career. Several years ago I had a good friend getting married and I offered to photograph her wedding for free. To my surprise, she took me up on my offer and that is when my husband and I upgraded our equipment and launched Garner Photography as an official business.

We have been blown away with the love and support we have received and are thrilled with the success our business has seen so far. Today we specialize in couples and weddings, but currently offer senior photography and family portraits as well. A major focus for Garner Photography is creativity. We are less interested in the run of the mill photos and instead love to create an experience for our clients that results in incredible photos.

How’d you meet your business partner?

I met my business partner, RJ, on our first date at Greater’s Ice Cream. He had no idea at the time that he would become my future business partner or that we would start a photography business, but years later and we are now married and running Garner Photography together. RJ is a Mechanical Engineer and he has an incredible memory, so he quickly learned the ins and outs of photography. He is considered “The Brains” of Garner Photography and runs the behind the scenes of the business. He also accompanies me on sessions and enjoys second shooting weddings with me. He is an invaluable asset to Garner Photography.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Our mission is to curate amazing experiences for our clients and work with them to create unique and personal photos they will treasure for a lifetime.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.garnerphotography.net/
• Instagram: @_garner_photography_
• Facebook: Garner Photography

Image Credits
All photos taken by me (Garner Photography)