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

Sarah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on as a photographer has been photographing military homecomings – when partners, families, and loved ones reunite with their service member when they return from a deployment. It’s always a little hectic to schedule because the arrival time is usually given very last minute, and sometimes at odd hours of the day/night. When you arrive for the session, you usually have to wait with the family members and it’s a great time to capture their last moments apart. There’s a buzz in the air and everyone is excited and nervous and very anxious for the time to pass. There’s usually a short ceremony where the service members get to parade out, and then they “release” the audience and everyone madly makes their way to their service member for the reunion. As the photographer, I usually have to rush behind them while photographing everything to not miss their reunion. It’s usually a quick session, only really 15-20 minutes of just a lot of heartwarming hugs and kisses and tears and the biggest smiles. Then they gather their bags, walk back to the car, and go home. These sessions were always very meaningful and inspiring to me, because they are capturing the core of a family at a very heightened and emotion moment. Every look and action of the clients is completely genuine and unposed. It not only reminds me of why I love photographing families, but it also provides me with new inspiration. I watch the natural poses each family falls into when they reunite, and then I’ll take aspects of their poses or even copy the entire pose, for my regular family portrait sessions, which helps my regular portraiture work look more genuine and real, even if it is more posed than the original inspiration.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Sarah, an award winning, published, lifestyle and brand photographer based in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. My work has been described as natural, fun, and timeless. I love creating imagery for families and brands that love color, thoughtful details, and ingenuity. I’ve been a photographer for 10 years, and I have a background in elementary education, so working with families (especially children) feels like second nature to me.

Everyone always leaves their sessions with me happy, and even happier once they receive their images. The work that moves me most is showing the magic of every day life. When clients work with me, they can expect to see genuine love and laughter, the quiet, unheralded moments of family life, and beautiful, bold colors in my work.

Something unique about me is that my approach to photography is the perfect mix of documentary and portraiture. I won’t pose you into stiff, unnatural poses, nor will I leave you to your own devices to just wander aimlessly during your session. During each session, I give my clients simple and easy prompts and then let them fall into their own natural poses within the guidelines I’ve set. I find this is the best way to let clients show their genuine personalities and interactions while still making sure to capture those playful, intimate moments that they will cherish for years to come.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

I’ve had my fair share of trying to find new clients, as I’ve moved around 6 times in the past 10 years since I’ve started my business. What I’ve found through the various markets and years is that the best and most loyal clients always come from a previous clients’ recommendation. While this isn’t the largest source of the clients I serve, I’ve found that it’s always been my favorite way to receive clients because they not only have a great recommendation from their friend, but they already know my pricing and my style, and they usually are all in with letting me do my thing. Its’ a great reminder that the way you serve your current clients is the best way to bring in more and new clients in the future. Following up, providing a great experience, and delivering an amazing product does so much more than give you a good Google review.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I have read many books and listened to many podcasts about business/entrepreneurship and being an artist, and I have loved most of them. If I had to choose a favorite that I find myself coming back to again and again, it would be Andy J. Pizza’s “Creative Pep Talk” podcast. Not only is it a treasure trove of content waiting to be discovered, but every single episode not only leaves me feeling inspired and excited about my business and creative work. I walk away with a better attitude AND concrete ideas to implement immediately into my business or my creative practice. I highly recommend checking it out: https://www.andyjpizza.com/

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sarahlislephotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarah.lisle.photo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahlislephotography/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp42JTxSyK4yNQzLxuc0sCQ
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sarah-lisle-photography-highlands-ranch

Image Credits
Lindsay Stewart Photography Sarah Lisle Photography