We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Stacie Ehasz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Stacie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

When I started my business, it really began as a hobby. I was a hobby photographer just having fun taking pictures. I have always loved taking pictures. During lockdown in 2020, I decided to really invest in education and courses to better my craft and have photography become a side business for me. I practiced a lot and took growing my craft very seriously. In 2021, my full time job underwent a lot of changes. We were also being brought back in the office full time and I was absolutely miserable. I no longer felt like I could grow at my job and I missed the flexibility of being with my daughter more often. My husband and I were also trying to grow our family and I just did not want my full time job to consume any more of my energy. I took a massive leap of faith and quit my full time job to do something that was currently, just my side job. I had no idea if I could make enough to maintain photography full time but I took that risk anyway.

I calculated how many sessions I needed to do a week to maintain my paychecks that I was making before. I subtracted daycare, we no longer had my daughter in daycare so I was technically saving us money…right? Honestly, my business has done very well over the years. Some months are slower than others but I truly feel like God has called me to do this full time and he always provides. It is a lot of working. I have no days off and if I’m not working, I’m not making any money but I have also never been happier.

I don’t think I would change the timeline at how this all happened. I think everything happened the way that it did in the perfect timing of it all. It has been hard but it has been so worth it!!

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?

Hi! I’m Stacie, owner of Stacie Renea Photography. I’m from Loganville and reside, still in Loganville. I’m a light and airy family photographer. I focus on family sessions, maternity, and newborn. I love capturing motherhood. Seeing moms love on their families feels like such a treat for me. Moms rarely get good quality photos with their kids, they’re usually the ones behind the phone trying to capture the best images of that moment and milestone that they can. I love to be able to do that for moms. I love capturing her cuddling her babies, or holding their hands, maybe it’s her tickling them and getting those perfect belly laughs. It’s just…perfect. Little ones don’t stay little for long, so I am here to capture and eternalize that moment.

Honestly, I feel called to love and serve my clients like Jesus calls us to do. I try to love my people well. I try to be with them and be a part of their life, even after the session has ended and the gallery has been sent off. Once you book a session with me, we are connected and you are really important to me. I have been with some of my clients for years now and we have both experienced really amazing highs of life but also really low moments. I have clients that are also business owners and I am always cheering them on from the sidelines. They are so important to me and I never want them to forget that.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Word. of. Mouth.

Most of my clients, stay my clients. They book me over and over again, which makes us grow a closer connection. They feel comfortable with me. When clients feel comfortable with me, they tell others about it. They trust that not only will I take care of them and their family but I will also take care of their friends, coworkers, or family that they tell about my business. I can post all day on social media, and while I do maintain getting new clients from that, I get way more clients from word of mouth.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I get to capture what some people would consider “mundane” parts of life and show them how priceless it is.

I love to take a picture of a mom comforting her child. Maybe she is rocking them back in. forth, maybe it’s a hug or a hand hold, but that simple gesture just shows a mother/child bond. I’ll capture the child’s hand resting on mom’s arm because your child’s hand will never be that small again. I just love being able to take moments that people don’t even think about and show them just how special they really are.

I had this session last July. It was brutally hot. We were chasing a toddler around trying to get a picture, so we sat everyone down on a blanket and dad was tickling the toddler and mom was kissing on his feet and that picture to this day is one of my favorites. You just see the love and smiles jumping out and we took this really hot day and turned it into a beautiful moment that they will have forever.

I will always try to grab the photo of everyone looking at the camera, but at the end of the day, the imperfect photos are always the best. Photos that represent your family and this moment, that’s what you’ll want to remember.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://staciereneaphotography.mypixieset.com
• Instagram: @StacieReneaPhotography
• Facebook: Stacie Renea Photography