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

Hi Savannah, thanks for joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I honestly learned through trial and error and watching videos! I definitely would have invested in more photography basics courses and reached out to other photographers sooner to shadow and learn from them. I think first and foremost learning how to shoot with my camera in manual mode (game changer), and second understanding client experience. I let intimidation and fear get in the way of putting myself out there! I would tell myself I wasn’t good enough and that no one would take me seriously.

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 Savannah Rae, owner of Coastal Rae Photo! I’ve been a professional photographer for three years, and have only recently hopped on social media this past year to try to grow my business! I’m a couples and brand photographer based in beautiful Ventura, California, but wherever you want me… I’M THERE! I LIVE to capture the real and raw moments in between when my couples think I’ve stopped shooting! I create personal branding images that showcase the most AUTHENTIC version of my clients that they’re OBSESSED with! I work with brands to dream up the most PERFECT session so that they get images that flaunt their business, product, or service!

My style is very candid and carefree! You can expect WARM, CREAMY, and BRIGHT images! I have the privilege and ability to to capture clients in a coastal (duh! COASTAL Rae Photo) setting. This is my happy place, and I know when clients book a session with me, my passion for the Ocean and environment will be one of the first things they see!

My client experience is fun and free but always professional! I’m there if you need help picking out an outfit or you have pre-session jitters! I like to bring a speaker to play music (client’s choice!) so that our atmosphere is laid back and my clients are comfortable being themselves. When a client books with me, I make sure their experience is memorable and that their gallery is everything they were hoping for! I want my clients to be able to relive those moments over and over again!

Future clients, I want you to know that the amount of Instagram followers your photographer has does not always dictate the kind of work they’re capable of producing. If you love their work, their follower count shouldn’t deter you from booking with them!

Coastal Rae Photo is for clients who want a girl so incredibly passionate not just about photos, but about YOUR story, YOUR likes and dislikes, and who cares about things like YOUR Pinterest board, YOUR dog’s name, and what YOUR go-to coffee order is! I’m already OBSESSED with your love story and your brand!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

A few years ago I was actually going to school to study animal health and behavior! I thought I wanted to be a zoologist. Then 2020 hit and school resumed online. It was extremely difficult for me to learn that way and I ended up putting school on hold. I had moved to Ventura and started working at the Channel Islands Kayak Center as a tour guide. I ended up really immersing myself in the community I had built around me and fell in love with this lifestyle. I would always come up here is a kid and as a teenager, to take photos on silver strand beach (I actually ended up moving there in 2021)! I was always editing videos and taking photos, but the funny thing is I always wanted to be in front of the camera. When being an Instagram influencer really became a thing, I thought that it would be fun! I learned quickly that it was not for me and I was searching for validation in the wrong places. What I then realized was I could still create, and edit, and shoot, but capture real and honest moments of things that sparked pure joy! I started a different Instagram account and shot footage of all the wildlife in Channel Islands! I then decided I wanted to shoot for brands, so I would photograph my friends for local businesses in exchange for the product or service they provided. I had a vision in mind, but then people kept asking me to do family portraits, or couples photos and I didn’t think that was for me. Once I started to develop my own style, I fully transitioned into couples photography as well! So now I’m here, camera in hand, but still OBSESSED with animals!

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

If my clients have an Instagram, especially when they tag me in posts, I always make sure I respond with a comment or a direct message! If I repost previous shoots I always try to make sure I tag them and will add a caption that might prompt them to think about booking another shoot. But here’s one of my little SECRETS … at the end of my sessions I will print out a little Polaroid for my clients as a fun and tangible memory of our session. It’s something the client can hang on to, put in a frame, hang up with other photos, put on their fridge, etc. This is a cute way to remind them of the session in a super candid and casual way!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @coastalraephoto