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

Hi Sierra, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I picked up a camera nearly 16 years ago and started really becoming interested in portrait photography. I did not learn traditionally from going to school, I am completely self-taught.

Google and Youtube were always my best friends in the early years. Any questions I may have had about my camera I could find on the internet. As time went on social media started growing a lot of photographers built communities through Facebook.

I have learned from watching other photographers and through my own failure as well. It is always about growth and in that I am never not learning.

Knowing what I know now I could have invested into mentorships and furthering my eduction. In my industry as a creative I don’t think one size fits all. It is a process and however you get there is ok.

The skills that were most essential were learning how to properly use my gear. Knowing what settings are needed for lighting and composition are definitely key. If you know your gear then you can likely take on any situation with confidence.

The biggest obstacle that stood in my way was me. Simply put. My insecurity in myself and not giving myself the grace needed to fail in order to learn. If you are new to photography the best was to grow is to keep trying. Even when you feel like giving up, don’t. There is so much on the other side and honestly you will never stop learning. There is so much more to photography that clicking the shutter.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I got into my industry simply because I wanted to take beautiful photos of my children. I wanted to document our life and create something that would make me feel happy and good. I was a military wife and stay at home mom at the time. We lived far away from family and I didn’t have many friends.

It was a way to occupy my time and it developed into something I couldn’t see myself living without.

When a family invests into a photo session I want them to walk away feeling excited and full of love. To have an experience with their family that will bring them closer together. Also to create photos that they will one day show their grandchildren. Something they will be proud of and cherish for generations.

My goal is to create an environment in which my families feel safe and secure enough to let their guard down. To capture true happiness and love. To photograph real smiles, not fake. A photograph has a feeling and meaning behind it. That is what I want to create.

I am a family, newborn, maternity, and milestone photographer. I serve families in the most important stages of their life.

What sets me apart is me. Everyone is their own brand and you can not be replaced. I want my clients to have an amazing experience in the way they feel and how they are treated throughout the whole process. From the moment they contact me until the moment their gallery is sent and after. My hope is they feel comfortable enough to come back and grow with me year after year.

The thing I am most proud of is my willingness to never give up. This industry isn’t easy and sometimes the intrusive thoughts creep in. You have to push through those tough moments and you will come out the other side better every time.

There is a quote that I love the most – Touch is a memory. – John Keats

The closeness and love of family is everything. Documenting your life’s most important milestones binds you together in a way that is special, adventurous, and unique.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Absolutely, the most important thing that separates creatives from non-creatives is that one size does not fit all. Everyones journey to their craft is completely different, especially since no two people see things exactly the same.

As a creative you are selling you, figuratively. The experience is the most important thing. Not everyone understands or appreciates the time and energy that goes into learning a craft they think is comparable to an iPhone.

There is a special part of the world that wants to devalue the hard work of a photographer, and any business owner at that.

Creatives deserve to be compensated fairly and the amount of hard work they put into their sessions. It is also a very expensive industry to be in.

I would say the next time you want to ask for a photographer who doesn’t charge and arm or a leg, don’t. Kindly ask for the services you need an also make mention of your budget. There is a flower for every bee. :)

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The goal that drive me to work hard in my creative journey is to one day be a photographer full-time. I currently have a 9-5 job and would love to be able to create more and give my time to what fills my soul.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.maverickphotocollective.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/maverickphotoco
• Facebook: Facebook.com/maverickphotocollective