We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emily Werner a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Emily, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
Honestly, a lot of it comes from your mindset! I never thought of myself being the pretty girl in the friend group throughout high school and college, but as time goes on, you just start feeling more like yourself and you just care less of what people think about you! I believe that once you start believing in yourself and not letting the judgments of others affect you, it just starts to feel like a whole new level of confidence!
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Trying to summarize who I am in a mere paragraph or two might be a little tricky, but I’ll try my best😘😅!
I’m 32, but I turn 33 next month, I’ve lived in northern Indiana my entire life and I love everything colorful!
I bought my first real camera and casually photographed families and events for the first few years while I was still working a full time job. I was also starting to join local photography groups and got to know some other amazing people in the area! That really helped with my confidence as a new photographer because it’s a very saturated industry and everyone was so kind and welcoming!
I absolutely love connecting with people through photography and showing them a side of themselves that they’ve never seen before! Hearing them say “That’s not me! No way!” is the icing on the cake for me! Did someone say cake?! Sorry! I’m a sucker for sweets haha
What sets me apart from others is the experience that you will have with me during your photo session. I make things easy going, fun, and full of creativity! Everyone is different, so I am able to adapt and adjust to just about everyone’s needs!
I believe that angles are EVERYTHING and can totally change the look of an image, so I am always taking my time to look at things from all different sides!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I’d say the number one thing that helped me get to where I am today is the community of photographers in my local area! I’ve always loved photography and always had a camera on my hand, so I just needed a little help with finding my way into running my own photography business! I met so many amazing and talented photographers who were open and willing to help with anything that you asked for, Having that kind of support system was the core structure into having a successful small business!
The next most important thing is to network amongst other small business owners, not just other photographers! At the start of my career, I did a lot of free or very cheap promotional shoots for small businesses and that got my name around to other local small businesses and. It’s really helped draw more business my way!
Lastly, it would be practice! Before I even started charging, I did 50 free 30 minute photography sessions for local families & That made my photography business take off!
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Ever since the beginning of 2023, the prices of things just started to go up and inflation has really done a number on us small business owners. As a photographer, I tend to book events or sessions months to a year in advance and when inquiries were far and few between for weddings & events for 2024, I started to worry. I am currently working on learning videography and while I am doing that I have picked up another side hustle to make sure that my income is stable for my family!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.obrellaimages.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/obrella_images
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/obrellaimagesllc
Image Credits
Headshot – B Graves Photography
