We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Bella Lee. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Bella below.
Bella, 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.
A lot of the time I feel like the new kid at school looking for a place in the cafeteria to sit. That’s when I take a deep breath and start by introducing myself to whoever is nearby and building a connection. The feeling of interacting with another human being is something that removes all worry from my brain. Instead of comparing myself to others, I’m partnering with the other people in my field, and it creates a community rather than a competition.
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, at my core, a creative! My passion is in creating a fun and supportive environment for my clients. Feeling comfortable in your own skin is one thing I struggled with for a long time, and I want others to experience the freedom that I wasn’t able to for years. I love making people smile, and that’s why photography is so important for me. It’s not only a creative medium, but it is a personal connection between the subject and the artist. One word I use to describe my photography is collaborative. It’s a temporary partnership between me and the person on the other side of my camera, one that I hope will have a lasting effect on how that person sees themselves. I see the world as beautiful and if one person can share that view with me, my goal has been accomplished. As a creative, I’m always wanting to try new things, so one goal I’ve made up my mind to do this year is to complete more self portraits of myself. I am interested in more editorial and fun concepts for photoshoots, so I want to try them out on myself first and see where that takes me!
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?
If I could sum it up into three, they would be these: time management, connection, and practice. As basic as they are, they have helped me stay on top of my journey and also helped me not feel like I’m failing every day of the journey. Time management is helpful for me to realize that as much as I want to do everything I think of, it is not physically possible sometimes. The reality check time management brings to me helps keep my goals grounded. The second quality, connection, is the primary reason I started photography in the first place. Through my photography business, I’ve been able to meet so many unique and lovely people. It expands my world and allows me to be introduced to people from all walks of life. And I am always so honored that I get to capture a slice of their life with my business. Although it’s the last listed, practice is the most important. I look back at my previous photos that I took over 3 years ago, and I can see the improvement. It’s not that I dislike my older work, but I see the technique and creative skills improve over time and I am proud of my work even more because I can see where I have come from. Some advice I have for anyone who will listen to me: stay humble. It is very easy to puff yourself up and think you are the greatest. However, my best work has come from a place of humility. When I stayed humble, my subjects outshone any work I could have done to make them look their best. When my clients smile, it’s their beauty that gets captured.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
When I first started in photography, I was very shy. I did not like to tell people I was a photographer for the fear of them not liking my work. That fear is still within me, but I have learned that I can be proud of my art and still take criticism from others. The feeling of understanding what your own strengths and limitations are is powerful. I can still stay humble in the way I express my love for photography while also being confident that my creativity is beautiful.
Contact Info:
- Website: bellaleephotography.work
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bella_lee.photography/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/bella_lee.live/
Image Credits
Bella Lee Photography
