We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Samantha Okazaki. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Samantha below.

Samantha, appreciate you joining us today. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

I think the biggest challenge to profitability as a professional photographer right now is the fact that everyone and their uncle has a camera! Whether it’s film, a DSLR, or just a really great smartphone, it seems as though everyone has the technology at their fingertips to snap a photo.

And I’m no stranger to this! My iPhone camera roll is full to the brim with pictures of my dogs, my daughter, really good breakfasts, and beach sunsets. It’s too easy these days to take a great quality photo – or 400!

But for the real cherry on top: there are creators who are willing to offer their images for little or no payment. It’s so common these days to shoot photos for trade or exposure, and when you do stand firm with a fair value price, you’re often passed over for someone who will do more for less. It can be really hard to stand out in an over-saturated market, and harder still to price yourself for your worth! In a world where anyone can take a photo, what makes yours different?

I’ve learned that the key to setting myself apart is to be sincere in my values; by having a strong artistic style and clear voice, by photographing a true moment rather than a million shots of the same staged pose, and by being an experience to work alongside and not just a human tripod. For me personally, I’ve found that the more I lean into being myself, the deeper the connections I build with my clients. It may feel hard to wade through when you’re just starting out, but ultimately the the people who want you will hire you, and those who share your values will see that you are worth the price tag.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hey there! I’m professionally known as Samantha Okazaki Photography, but you can call me Sam.

I’m a Los Angeles-based photographer who specializes in family lifestyle content, which basically means that I take photos of families – all shapes, sizes, and stages. I’m a firm believer that it’s not about waiting for the “right” moment or the “perfect” outfit; life moves really fast, and it’s my goal to capture your world just as it is.

I actually have a degree in photojournalism (rare and *possibly unnecessary* in this day and age) from Syracuse University, so my camera and I go way back. Post-college I worked as a photographer for the TODAY show. Working in the news industry was such a cool experience, albeit an exhausting one!

My background in documentary journalism has shaped my approach to photography into the fun, easygoing style that it is today. If working at the TODAY show taught me one thing, it’s that you have to be able to find calm in total chaos!

So when it comes to family shoots I observe, I participate, and I have a knack for making even the most camera-shy people comfortable enough to get those sweet, authentic moments captured for a lifetime.

Oh and in 2023 I became a mother (!!!!!) to the sweetest little gal. Nothing on this earth makes me happier than being her mom, and it is so cool to be able to have firsthand experience after years of witnessing my clients crush the parenting game.

Have you ever had to pivot?

2022 was a year of huge change for me, both professionally and personally. I didn’t intend to shake everything up at once, but I moved across the country, had a wedding, and found out I was pregnant all in a matter of months. I felt so extremely lucky, happy, and totally freaked out.

It meant starting my business from scratch in a brand new state, with zero client base. It was, and continues to be, a slow burn for me.

It meant learning to take time off, which I am very bad at! As someone who works for themselves (and by themselves!) I do not get paid when I take days off.

And it meant discovering new parts of my identity, both as a business owner and as a human being. I got the opportunity to rebrand and reprioritize, which was a pretty cool silver lining to those forced slow days.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I heard this phrase once that I really love: surprise and delight!

I am constantly trying to surprise and delight my clients. Maybe that’s in the form of bringing a small gift to my newborn shoots or delivering a few extra photos in a gallery. It’s sort of like the concept of underpromise/overdeliver but with a more fun spin!

One of my favorite little things I do is send a Mother’s Day Card to all of my clients who identify as a Mom. It’s usually a mom who books me, a mom who plans the outfits, a mom who responds to my emails. They do all the hard work, so they deserve a little treat!

Every year I pick out my favorite photos of my mom clients to print and I write a little handwritten note for them. I think it’s just something special to remind them that they are loved, cherished, and seen.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://samanthaokazaki.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthaokazaki/

Image Credits
Samantha Okazaki Photography Nicki Sebastian