We were lucky to catch up with Suzie Barber recently and have shared our conversation below.

Suzie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry.

A new trend in the photography industry is the explosion of Artificial Intelligence or AI! This technology has completely changed the workflow of photographers and the finished outcome of professional images by allowing increased efficiency and creative enhancement. Timely retouching that used to be done by hand has been reduced to one click of a button across multiple photographs in seconds vs. hours. Additionally, AI can transform an ordinary picture into something extraordinary with embellishments like adding different background surroundings, such as enhanced skies. In my business, I can turn around a gallery of images for my client in days vs. weeks. When something crazy happens, like extreme wind on-location or a wardrobe malfunction, I can usually repair the effects with AI. For example, I recently photographed a sports team on a windy day, and AI helped tame the wild hairs in my post-processing much quicker than if I had done it by hand. Essentially, AI gives photographers the ability to work magic.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi, I’m Suzie Barber! I am a professional photographer specializing in high school seniors, athletes, and families. I have been photographing professionally since 2009, and I stumbled into this incredible journey because I fell in love with capturing my kids. While my kids have grown and flown, I have continued to learn, grow, and perfect my craft. I am primarily self-taught but have also taken numerous classes and have earned my Certified Professional Photographer certification through the Professional Photographers of America organization. I am passionate about people, the creative process, and making amazing images.

I offer my clients the experience of creating customized images through collaboration. Together, we work to capture their vision in photographs and then deliver final products in the form of digital media or print products.

Some of the most unique offerings I provide are with my athletes. I love to capture them in action and artfully showcase their talents. I use dramatic off-camera flash and light modifiers to enhance the athletic ability of my clients. I also have an underwater housing for my camera that allows me to capture swim athletes in action underwater. I love it!

One of the things I am most proud of is creating timeless memories for my clients. These images represent milestones for them and their families, and I hope they will cherish them forever.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source of new clients for me has been through referrals from my current clients. I can’t express how grateful I am to have my clients share their experiences with me and the images I create with others. I pride myself on offering a pleasant and hassle-free professional experience for my clients, and when it opens the door for new business, I’m thrilled.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I have a love/hate relationship with social media! It’s almost a full-time job because of constant creativity, time, and upkeep. While I don’t have a huge following, I have increased my presence in the last few years through slow perseverance. I would say the biggest key to social media is consistency. When my social media feed is consistent, I see growth in followers. My best advice for growth is to be authentic, entertaining, and educational. If you can offer those aspects in your feed, you can be successful. Find whatever consistency works for your business, and stick to it. You don’t need to be perfect you need to be out there. Good luck!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.freshphotobysuzie.com
• Instagram: @freshphotobysuzie
• Linkedin: Suzanne Barber

Image Credits
Ane Marie Photography photographed the picture of me. All other images are mine.