We were lucky to catch up with Sara Hanna recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Sara, thanks for joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?
I actually think my career began exactly when it was supposed to. It’s a unique story, how I became a photographer. I never had any intention on becoming one. I actually never even knew I was any good at taking photos until I was 35 years old. I randomly decided to take a photography class for the fun of it as I wanted to be able to take nice images of my nieces & nephews (they were all toddlers at the time). It was in that class that my passion began…and I realized I actually had a knack for it. I took every class the school offered over the following year and learned the fundamentals. That summer I was at a friend’s party and had my camera (as I carried it with me everywhere at that point). I shared the images with the rest of the guests…one of whom was a friend of mine who also happened to be the editor of Jezebel Magazine. A week later I get a call from her where she said she thought I had a really good eye and shared that Jezebel needed a photographer to cover a last minute event and would I be interested in doing it? I said “sure, why not!”. She really liked the job I did on that shoot, so she offered me a job shooting someone’s portrait…then a restaurant food shoot…and so on and so on. Not only did she continue to offer me jobs, but the people I had been sent to shoot started hiring me and referring me as well…in 6 months I had enough business, I quit my job and have been a full-time photographer ever since.
Sara, 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?
As for what I offer, specifically, I am a commercial and editorial photographer. I specialize in portraits, product/food, and beauty/fashion photography. I am one of the key photographers for Modern Luxury, having shot for Jezebel, The Atlantan and their other books for basically the last 15 years. This past year was one of my most fun and rewarding years as I shot their 50 Most Beautiful issue and The 20 Most Eligible…along with two different 8 page editorial spreads (one fashion, one beauty). The fashion and beauty features were especially rewarding (and challenging) as I produced both shoots myself, which is such a unique opportunity and an honor…for a magazine to put that much faith in you and allow you to flex your creative muscles like that. It basically never happens in the editorial world. I was able to put together the exact team of creatives I thought would be best for every aspect of the shoot…from the models, to hair and makeup, to the creative/styling aspects the shoot, to photo assistants and videographers. We all worked together to create an end result that allowed all of our creative voices to be highlighted. Shoots on this level (with a team of 15+ people) take on a life of their own! When you have a group like this all working together on a singular mission (to create the most elevated photos possible), magic happens. These large scale project are the most demanding…but also the most fun and fulfilling. I have another in the work right now that I can’t wait to share! Keep an eye out for the June issue of Jezebel Magazine!
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I’ve had my instagram page for many years at this point…about 10 years now. I used to post a wide variety of different types of images…from my various magazine covers, to food, to jewelry, to travel, to portraits. And my following great very slowly. About two years ago I decided to make a change and only post images in the beauty and fashion category (as those are the images I most gravitate towards when I peruse my favorite photographers on social media). It was a risk, as that is a small part of what I do. But making that change has greatly impacted my online presence…in the 8 years previously, I had only generated about 1,500 followers. Since changing and narrowing the focus of my posts, I’ve quadrupled that number in less than two years (I’m almost at 6,000 followers). It’s interesting to me how much business I’ve generated from this change as people will reach out to me for a shoot that has nothing to do with fashion or pure beauty photography. But they see my style and what I bring to the table, and want me to do the same for their project. So, it has been a great change!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of my job is all of the amazing people I’ve got to meet, shoot, and work with over the past 15 years, many of whom have become dear friends. Shooting someone’s portrait, or helping them convey the beauty, or deliciousness, of their product or menu item, is a uniquely bonding experience. I sometimes feel like a therapist or instant best friend as I truly aim to get to know my clients and their goals on every level in order to create the best end result. As such, they share everything from their most basic needs to their most personal dreams. It’s such a fun, creative process…there is much more to it than just showing up and pulling out my camera. As I share with all of my clients…I view the images as just as much mine as they are theirs. As such, no detail is too small to discuss in order to ensure the final image exceeds all expectations.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.SaraHanna.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atlphotos/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahannaphotography/
Image Credits
I shot all of the images myself. :)