We were lucky to catch up with Ryan Smith recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ryan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later

I graduated college in 2020 with my Bachelors in Biology and I had intentions on pursuing the medical field. I worked as a certified nurse aid while I went through my bachelors degree to help with experience and to pay my way through my degree. During all of this time my intentions were to get into the medical field, make money to start my own business and never look back. During my schooling I felt so lost and stuck between letting go of security and gaining freedom or gaining my freedom and losing financial security. I would discuss my trials and concerns with my family and husband and they were all so gracious and patient with me. Once graduating, and the world was tilted on its axis due to illness I realized I was not living the life I truly wanted and I was letting fear hold me back. I tell people I had an ego death before I finally took the leap to start my business because I finally let go of the desire to have financial security, a big job title, and the safety of working for someone else. After many, many conversations with my husband I finally took the leap. I bought my gear, started a website and reached out to some of my fellow military wives for free photos and that’s how it began.
Once it began…I never looked back. I have never missed aiming for the corporate world and climbing the ladder. When I started my business, my life truly came together. When I finally gave into what the Lord had planned and designed for me all along, I truly found my purpose.
So, yes I wish I would have started my business sooner. I wish I had more courage to believe in myself and not let fear dictate my life earlier on. However, I am a true believer in God’s timing and I would like to think I have so much more love for my business because I know what it feels like to be lost and confused and make it out of the fire and into this beautiful life I have created. It makes me appreciate what I do and I pour all that I am into it because I never want to live without it.

Ryan, 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 am Ryan, owner and photographer of Canvas Worthy Studio. I am an avid hiker, wayfarer, proud dog mom and wife. I am down to earth and obsessed with a good cup of coffee. I value intentional connection and long talks about traveling, life and creating art. I have the honor of photographing people when they feel most beautiful and most loved, their wedding day. I am an elopement and wedding photographer rooted in Chattanooga, TN but I travel more often than not. While I photograph weddings and elopements I also photograph all things couples. Maybe that’s a lifestyle session, maternity or you want to have your surprise proposal documented. Either way I take my job very seriously. It is a true honor to be chosen to not only document but to be present for your life events.
For I know the moments I am apart of will be shared with generations to come and the perfectly documented moments will become memories.
A few words I would like to share that describe who I am and what I bring to my work would be: Vulnerable, Earthy, Abundant and Authentic. I would like to think throughout your experience with me, you feel safe enough to bring your most authentic self forward. My goal is for you to leave our photoshoot more in love with yourself and each other than before we met.
I have been capturing abundant love since 2022 and I never have intentions of stopping. I love what I do and my soul is in every ounce that I have to offer. I hope to continue capturing lives well lived, lives well traveled and most of all lives well loved.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

There were several lessons I needed to unlearn but I will leave you with one of the biggest ones. I had to unlearn rules and how things are ‘supposed’ to be done.

I used to struggle with perfection and what my life was ‘supposed’ to look like. I needed to walk the straight line, get the best grades, get the amazing job and be the best worker bee my company has ever known. There was always a part of me that fought this desire to be perfect and craved freedom, creativity and travel in all of its forms. I would just daydream about a future where I ran my own business and never had to work for someone but I let fear hold me back from making the leap for a long time.

When I made the leap in 2022 I began to realize there is no right or wrong way to run a business. There is no such thing as ‘supposed’ to be, especially when it comes to a business. We are all different and desire a different experience for our clients. I know it sounds silly but to truly sit and realize you can run your business however you see fit is remarkable. Sure, there is an etiquette you can follow but you do not have to. You can take free sessions forever and only sale your prints. You can edit all of your photos in black and white or only take on a specific clientele….The rules are non existent, the rules are what you decide works best for you and your business. There is nobody enforcing them on you! Decide what business structure works best for you, be confident in the choices you are making and I believe the rest begins to fall into place.

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

Building your reputation can be tough because you are not in control of what others are saying about you. However, I am as authentic as I can possibly be when it comes to my business. In my business you are treated professionally but also as a friend. I personally value deep connections and that is what I offer in my business. I keep in touch with almost every single one of my clients. Some I see and grab a coffee with and some we just chat and hype one another up over social media. I think what helped my reputation is staying true to who I am. My character never waivers based on my circumstances. I am who I am over social media, over email or in person. My clients know exactly who they are getting when they book with me. As a photographer people book you because they love your work but I would like to think the other fifty percent is because they love and resonate with who you are as a human as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.canvasworthystudio.co
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/canvasworthystudio
• Facebook: Canvas Worthy Studio
• Other: Pinterest: Canvas Worthy Studio