We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elizabeth Jackson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elizabeth below.
Elizabeth, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
I believe confidence and self esteem are always a work in progress, a continuous ebb and flow. Some days, I will feel like an expert, and other days, I will feel like I still have so much work to do. I believe confidence and self esteem also build over time. When I first started photographing newborns, there were times when I felt unsure of how I was handling them. Now, after so many years of experience, I have the confidence to know exactly how to handle them, soothe them, and even give advice to parents. Confidence comes with experience, and the more you experience, the more you learn and are able to apply that knowledge to future experiences. I can work with babies now and know exactly what hunger cues look like, when a pose is actually causing discomfort or they are just fussy, and how to get a toddler sibling to be excited to take pictures with their new baby brother or sister. All of this knowledge comes from years of learning and trial-and-error, which builds confidence along the way. Confidence and self-esteem also come from actively building yourself up with positive affirmations. I always have to remind myself that I’ve worked hard to get where I am, I deserve success as much as anyone else, and I am good at what I do. As you speak those affirmations into yourself, over time you start to believe them, and that self-esteem oozes into the work you do.
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 work with families to capture all the special occasions in their lives. From the first few weeks with a newborn, to that baby’s first birthday party, and everything in between and beyond. It’s such a joy to watch children grow up, from a squishy newborn to a 4 year old bouncing with energy. Time passes by so quickly when you have kids, so it’s really special to be able to capture authentic moments of childhood in order to look back with fond memories years later. There are such a wide range of milestones that can be captured – starting with maternity photos while baby is still growing, to showing how little they are in their first few weeks earthside, to half birthdays when they are starting to crawl, and first birthdays when they get their first bite of cake! Not only do you get to see your baby grow every step of the way, but you get to see all the people surrounding them with love during their baby shower, birthday party, or christening. No matter if you’re camera shy or ready to model, if you have a little one on the way or 3 kiddos running around, I will always strive to meet you where you are, and create images that feel authentic to your individual family.
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?
Three of the most important things in my journey have been patience, flexibility, and finding community.
Patience is important because you don’t learn everything overnight. You have to be patient with yourself and give yourself grace as you make mistakes along the way. You also have to be patient with clients themselves – it could be that a newborn or a toddler is fussy, and you have to remain calm and patient so they can regulate until they are ready to continue. Flexibility is important when doing work that is client-based. People may have last minute emergencies that causes your schedule to change; they may have specific requests that are outside your usual offering. But with flexibility, you are able to take in whatever comes your way, adjust your work, and find a great solution for everyone. Typically, nothing ever goes perfectly to plan, so approaching everything with flexibility in mind will make the process so much smoother. Finding a community is important because it will help you nagivate your challenges. I have learned so much from online groups discussing photo editing tools, or styling, or how to communicate with clients. I have adjusted the way I work, from location inspiration to editing software to contracts, based on what I’ve learned from other photographers. It’s amazing to find a community where people use the knowledge they have gained to lift others up as well.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
When I feel overwhelmed, I try to take a step back from the situation. Taking time to reevaluate may allow you to look at the situation from a different angle. Some coping tools I use are going for a walk, listening to calming music, or watching silly videos. It’s a way to distract my mind from what’s overwhelming me, allowing me to reset so I can return to the situation with less-cloudy vision. I also like taking inspiration from others, such as listening to podcasts or reading books. My favorites tend to be from Glennon Doyle and Elizabeth Gilbert.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.elizabethaspenphotography.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethaspenphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethAspenPhotography
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