We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Becky DeBoer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Becky, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
Being a creative is a huge part of being a photographer. I truly have a love for the studio aspect of my work but finding those creative outlets to keep my ideas fresh is probably my favorite part. I have an absolute passion for documenting my family’s life with tools such as the GoPro, Mavic Air Mini, film cameras and my Sony cameras. I have learned that if I just let go of the “rules”, I am happier and by far more successful in my creative journey. As for staying creative within the studio, I host model calls or bring my kids in when I need to try new things. Facebook and Instagram are huge resources for ideas. I love taking a photo that I had seen and putting my own twist onto it.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am the proud owner of a photography studio in the small and cozy town of Rio, WI. Finch & Mae Photography specializes in maternity, newborn, babies, cake smashes and family photography. Christmas of 2016, my husband had gifted me my first DSLR- a Canon T6 camera. From the first few minutes of photographing everything around me, I was hooked! I craved the knowledge to better myself. Within a year, I had started an LLC. Now a few years later, I had purchased a studio to run this amazing business of mine out of.
Finch & Mae Photography is excited for new families this year as well as a lot of familiar faces. Newborn and maternity photography has become such a passion and I am so proud and humbled to be chosen by so many families all over central Wisconsin to photograph the most beautiful time in their life.
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?
Starting out, I did not know anything about photography. I utilized Facebook groups more than anything. YouTube was also a fantastic resource for learning everything possible. However, my biggest tip that I can give to someone is start your journey with your camera on manual. Learn the fundamentals, learn about your light. Ask for assistance in groups and take it easy on yourself. As a beginner, I really just worked hard on practicing and comparing my work. It is truly inspirational to see how much work can change in sometimes just a few weeks.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
Social Media. I think that one of the biggest challenges for me as a small business owner and a creative is social media. Social media feels like a guessing game 99% of the time. Did anyone see my post? Did I post at the correct time? Should I run ads? Am I posting too little? Too much? Are hashtags still relevant? To be honest, social media algorithms are forever changing and it feels like such a bumpy ride. I don’t forsee this ever not being a challenge for any small business owner. As a business owner, we want word of mouth, we want our posts on social media shared. We want to be seen. I see so many other creatives expressing the same and I think it’s best to just ride it out together, share our tips and tricks.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.finchmae.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/finchmaephoto
- Facebook: Facebook.com/finchmaestudio
