We recently connected with Claire Keathley and have shared our conversation below.
Claire, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
In the world of social media it is so easy to fall victim to imposter syndrome and it can be so crippling to an entrepreneur hustling their way through all of it. Some advice I got when I first started was to unfollow people that you compare yourself to and that make you feel bad about your work. There’s a lot you can gain from following people who inspire your work but it can very quickly cross the line of causing you to self doubt the work you’re putting out. After unfollowing you’ll feel more free to experiment, grow in your confidence and grow in your business.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a photographer based in Dayton, Oh and I specialize in weddings, couples and families. Since having my son in October 2022 I have been feeling more inspired to experiment with my lens and have felt a fire within to be more creative with my work. I’m shifting how I plan shoots, pose, and edit and it’s filling my cup to do so. My approach is to be authentic and humble. I want my photographs to make you feel something. Not just your standard posey pose photos but I want to capture the in between moments between real people and their partners or family members. That’s what life is really all about is these moments we share with people and how they make us feel.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I think that three of most impactful things for journey I learned along the way were to get the right tools I needed to help the flow of my business like honeybook and phot mechanic. That helped me create a booking experience for my clients and saved me so much time culling my images. I think also learning off and on camera flash we’re a game changer and really learning about light how to use it as art in my photographs. I think not worrying about the follower count on social media saved my mental state and helped me understand where my potential clients were really coming from. My advice would be to try new things and experiment. It took me until recently to do this but I feel I’ve grown more in the last year in my work than I have the previous 6 years of my business. I think really understanding what you want your goals to be and then aligning your business to meet those goals and expectations are important.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My mom has been the most helpful in my entire career. When I have faced challenges she has always lifted me up and helped guide me to handle things the best way possible and professionally. I am forever grateful for her guidance in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.clairekeathleyphotography.com
- Instagram: Clairekeathleyphoto
- Facebook: Claire keathley photography
- Linkedin: Claire keathley
- Twitter: N/a
Image Credits
Claire keathley photography
