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

Sydney , appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

My photography business started out with what felt like a risk, albeit quite small at first. I had always convinced myself that there was no way I, Sydney Browning, would be able to make money and provide for a family through art. This limiting belief started clear back in junior high school and why I was so concerned with making money and providing for a family at such a young age is beyond me. A couple years into being married, after a couple less than optimal photoshoots (including our wedding, but that’s a story for another time), my husband and I were looking through the pictures of the most recent one at that time and he said, “you know you could do that.” At that point I think the last time I had picked up my camera were to do his senior portraits 5 years prior. However, his belief that I could be a photographer is what initially lit the flame and I took a risk in putting myself out there and dealing with the extreme imposter syndrome that came with starting a small business as well as calling myself a “photographer.”
Then in 2020 we were expecting our first kid. I was teaching at a high school at the time, my husband was going into his third year of medical school and we were searching for daycare options. To not have a second income and try to live and pay for daycare off of a teacher’s salary was going to be the same, if not sometimes less, than if I were to try and pick up photography full time and stay home with my baby instead. I trusted my gut and felt that staying home was going to be the best option for me and my growing family. Quitting my guaranteed-salaried job was terrifying but well worth the risk.
Right before I quit we learned my dad’s cancer wasn’t getting better but worse. Because I took that huge risk my dad was able to be the best grandpa for a year before passing in January of 2022. That year is one that I will always cherish and I’m so glad I trusted my gut and took the risk.

Sydney , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I didn’t always want to become a photographer however I should have known it would play some sort of role in my life considering I never left home without my digital camera all through junior high and high school- you never knew when a photoshoot opportunity would come up! Career wise, originally I wanted to be a nurse, then I got a college degree in Music Education, and now here I am! Photographer and honestly I am so happy with where I am. I love working as a photographer because it provides me with a creative outlet, a chance for my extroverted self to get to know people and be filled and is something that is “mine,” that I get to work on. Sometimes I feel somewhat shadowed by my husband’s choice of career (orthopedic surgeon) and it’s nice to be working on a contributing project that I feel so passionate about.

There’s a lot I could talk about on the subject of what drives my business but it all boils down to people. I love working with people and creating something that they will love. One package that I’ve just recently started offering is Bridal “do-overs.” I had heard from several clients that they didn’t get the wedding pictures that they would have wanted due to a variety of reasons and I thought why not get a chance to try and get bridals again? I offer the opportunity to rent dresses, buy flowers for a bouquet, we choose a location that fits the clients’ visions and then take the pictures that they were missing from their big day. It’s a problem that a lot of people don’t realize we could totally do something to fix. And who doesn’t want to play a little bit of dress-up or get to re-use their old wedding stuff?

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One limiting belief that I’ve had my entire life is that I am not good enough or capable enough to succeed in any career that included art. That could be anything having to do with music, photography, whatever. I told myself that these were not “viable careers” because I did not possess the talent to be good enough. Luckily, I slowly chipped away at that limiting belief as I served a mission for my church in Indonesia. While I was there I realized that it wasn’t my lack of talent that was keeping me from doing things I love but a lack in belief in myself. A lack of growth mindset if you will. When I came home I applied for a music program in my college and began to tackle that limiting belief (and side note, I know teach piano lessons out of my home). This set up the foundation for me to actually have the guts to take the risk of starting a photography business, even though I lacked the skills not only in shooting and editing but also in finances, negotiating, client management, content creation, marketing and just the overall skills needed to be a small business owner. Unlearning my limiting belief that talent is everything is an ongoing process but it’s one I am happily learning. Feels great believing in yourself!

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

One of my goals business wise for this year was to be able to travel for work. To be so desired that someone just “has to have you” would be awesome as well as I love the idea of getting the opportunity to explore new places. While I was taking engagement photos for one of my couples we were talking about their wedding day and how they lived in North Carolina but would be getting married just outside of Chicago where they grew up. With this goal on my mind I brought up possibly shooting their wedding and they kindly told me they would consider it however they were going to look in the Chicago area since the travel fee would be kind of hefty. Totally understand! A couple months later I got a text from the bride asking if my off to come to Chicago to shoot their wedding still stood. She said they had met with several other photographers but didn’t vibe with them the same way we did and that I had set the bar so high for them that they’d love for me to come be their wedding photographer. Cloud nine was not high enough for how happy that made me! I just shot their wedding last month and it was an awesome experience. I can’t wait to travel again!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sydneybphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sydneybphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sydneybphotographync