We were lucky to catch up with Sydnie Pettingill recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Sydnie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I am very happy being self employed. I can be more flexible with hours (to an extent)

, I can choose which jobs I take and which ones I don’t. I choose how much I get paid and best of all, I get to work from home most days! The downsides are that I don’t always have a consistent paycheck or consistent hours. Working on a wedding day calls for long hours, travel (sometimes for 2-6 hours round trip), I have to manage everything from emails, social media, advertising, contracts, taxes, insurance, shooting and editing plus maintaining equipment. There’s never not a time when I’m not thinking about work. I am always thinking about what needs to be done next and its always weighing on my mind.

I have thought about going back to a normal 9-5 job. Every time I have this thought its usually when I am feeling stuck and that I’m not progressing as I think I should. That being said, its not for everyone. I don’t enjoy working in the office environment, traveling for work etc. I very much enjoy keeping to myself and having my pup at my feet!

Sydnie, 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 got started in photography when I was in high school. It blossomed into wildlife photography and I eventually got into portraits and then weddings. From there I found my love for adventure elopements! Its a perfect mix of getting to be in the great outdoors with jaw dropping backdrops and working with some amazing people who share my love for state and national parks. I love when I get a couple that has a vision of wanting to spend their day running around in the desert or on cliffsides waiting for the sun to come up. Getting the opportunity to take these one of a kind photos is like being in a dream. I’m often taken away by the view of my world through the lens. These are the things that I am most proud of!

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

When I was doing wildlife photography I was living in Alaska and traveling a lot between semesters. I came back to Utah for a semester of college and I met who I knew I wanted to marry. It was then that I knew that I didn’t want to travel anymore because I wanted to be with him. That was the time that I pivoted my business to portrait photography and then got into weddings.

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

I had to learn that I’m not perfect. neither is anyone else! I had to find myself in the creative process. Through that process I made mistakes. I had to discover what I loved and it took TIME. Many people think you can build a business in a month, 6 months or even a year. Chances are slim that most people can do it in that amount of time. Most people take years to perfect their craft and find their passion. Don’t be discouraged. Keep trying! Keep looking! Keep experimenting! It took me 2 years to find my editing style and from there its only blossomed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sydnienoelphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sydnienoelphotographyllc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SydnieNoelPhotography