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

Victoria, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

As a photographer, mastering your craft requires years of practice and embracing failure. If you’re not failing, you’re not progressing. It’s through mistakes that you truly learn and grow in your art.

I’ve spent countless years watching videos, experimenting with random settings, and capturing images incorrectly, all to learn from my mistakes and grow from them. As a business owner and photographer, you need to explore various paths and face numerous obstacles, but it’s these challenges that ultimately lead you to success.

A few ways I have become successful:
1- Be visible. Your clients want to know who YOU are. Who will be behind the camera? Are you fun or more reserved? For clients to truly connect with your work, they need to connect with you first. Artists come from all walks of life—some infuse deep emotion into their work, while others take a more direct approach. To provide your clients with an exceptional experience, it’s essential to build that personal connection.
2- Create exceptional work. While there’s a client for everyone, it’s crucial to keep learning and educating yourself. If you don’t strive for growth, you won’t improve your craft.
3- You have to invest to see returns. If you’re complacent in your personal growth, your life, or your art, your income will reflect that. To succeed, you need to invest in your education, attend retreats, and participate in workshops to improve yourself—not just as an artist, but as a business owner. These experiences will help you discover what truly resonates with you and what doesn’t.
4- In photography, there are three types of photographers: 1- Those who excel at their craft but lack a strong business model. 2- Those who are savvy in business but not particularly skilled in photography. 3- Those who are both exceptional photographers and successful business owners. Strive to be number 3.
5- One final key to success: Fake it until you make it. When I first started photography, I went on Craigslist (yes, I know, lol) and sold my work for a super low price. I booked my first paying session and showed up with the confidence of someone who’d been doing this for years. Now, 14 years later, I’ve been named Charleston’s Best Photographer twice and built a globally successful photography preset business. If I hadn’t taken that first step toward my future, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Victoria, 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?

Hi,

I’m Victoria, the owner of Victorious Photography and co-creator of Salty Sailor Presets for photographers. Based in Charleston, SC, I specialize in portraits, fine art, maternity, and boudoir photography.

As a portrait photographer, I’m committed to providing a full experience for my clients. From ensuring that every outfit is perfectly styled and color-coordinated to helping you select everything from hair accessories to socks, I make sure you look and feel your best.

After your session, you’ll feel empowered. I love to joke around and keep things light-hearted because making my clients comfortable and having fun—whether it’s a family session or boudoir shoot—is crucial. Photography should never feel like a chore. We all have aspects of ourselves we’re not thrilled with, but I love highlighting those features to help you gain confidence.

My photography is crisp, detailed, and vibrant. I love enhancing the boldness in each image to make every moment stand out.

On the preset side, my amazing sister and I built a global business helping photographers edit their photos. I also mentor other photographers within this business, helping them elevate their craft. I travel around the country teaching amazing women the art of photography using all different landscapes from the oceans to the mountains to the desert.

As I mentioned, my art is a complete experience. It’s not just about printing photos to hang on your wall; it’s about building a lasting relationship with you. I grow alongside you and your family, capturing your moments throughout a lifetime.

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

Social media can be a tricky landscape, with algorithms and trends changing constantly. But at the end of the day, the most important thing is to stay true to yourself. Growing an audience is about letting people see the real, authentic YOU. If a reel doesn’t go viral or get tons of likes—who cares? If you enjoyed creating it, that’s what matters. Keep putting out content that resonates with you, and people will start to recognize and appreciate you for who you truly are, not just for following trends.

As photographers, our clients are looking to connect with us as real people because that’s what we are! I once followed a photographer on social media who seemed to have the most amazing personality—she was hilarious, and I admired her so much. But when I hired her and met her in person, she was nothing like her online persona. In fact, she was rude and unprofessional. It was a huge disappointment.

The takeaway? Don’t put on a facade. Be yourself. Make sure that who you are in real life matches who you present yourself to be online. Don’t feel pressured to follow the crowd—stand out by being authentically you.

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

As an artist, there are countless people who admire what you do and think it looks effortless. Social media often paints a picture of perfection—endless clients, quick money, and a flawless life. But that’s just a facade.

I had many local friends who were eager for me to host photography shootouts or attend my retreats to learn my methods. I built connections with many in the industry and thought I could trust them. Unfortunately, I was wrong. When I started the preset company with my sister, I quickly made more enemies than friends. People I considered friends, including photographers in my own neighborhood, turned against me. They spread nasty rumors and tried to sabotage both my business and personal life. We were bombarded with hate messages—people leaving nasty comments on everything we did. We received emails telling us to quit photography because we were supposedly awful human beings. Some even went as far as to tell us to kill ourselves. Lovely, right? Why? Because we were succeeding, doing something they wished they had done first. Instead of supporting me, they tried to tear me down.

I learned a hard truth: you can’t trust everyone. It’s essential to stay focused on your own path and prioritize what’s best for you and your business. I had to learn to distance myself and not let everyone in. Be kind, yes, but remain focused on your goals. Some people will hate you simply because of who you are or what you’ve achieved. It’s harsh, but the reality is that success can be lonely.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://victoriousphoto.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/victoriousphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VictoriousPhotographyCharleston/
• Other: Boudoir Instagram is: instagram.com/victoriousboudoir

Image Credits

The photo of myself is an image from Miyagi Photography, based out of Arizona. All other images are my own.