Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Francesca Petruccelli. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Francesca, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
good ol imposture syndrome. if you are a creative and you haven’t experienced this to date, then heaven bless you because this is just all too familiar for me. With that said, I would say that I haven’t quite overcome imposture syndrome. Being in the world of social media it’s almost impossible to avoid and to not compare yourself to others in the world, let alone the industry….and as a photographer, my mind is always changing its creative direction. The constant questions in my head “am i good enough?”, “is my work as good as this?”, “how can i get better?”. But for me, I try to be really patient with myself, and hold grace that, at the end of the day, I am doing everything I can to be artist that I want to be. And its also really important to understand that the community of photography is welcoming and there is ALWAYS room for each of to be able to take on clients and create magic. We are all able to, first off, express ourselves through our work, as well as collaborate and share ideas with one another. We can bounce ideas off our peers and share stories/concerns. This, is my favorite part of my job and which is why as soon as the imposture syndrome gets triggered, i take a beat and fact check myself in the present moment. I know I’m constantly learning and working my butt off, so from here on out, it will only get better.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I have been photographing for about 10 years now, really diving in full force the last 3 as I also work full time. So, I currently have two full time jobs which means that I’m insane brain most of the time. i am so passionate about photography…anything that takes a fleeting moment and makes it alive forever is frigin magical. those close to me say I’m an old soul, so it would make sense that i’m drawn to anything witchy, antique, moody and vintage. i love shadow and grain, organic and earth toned colors…timeless is always the goal when i photograph. My favorite subjects to photograph are newborns, straight from birth and into my home at just 7 – 18 days new. newborns are also the most challenging, consisting of a lot of time and patience. but knowing that i get to deliver a gallery that captures your child at a time we only see once, brand new, makes it all worthwhile.
I also photograph couples and families and I love those also…especially my repeated clients. They become family to me as I watch them grow. I couldn’t even choose a busy season at this point but if I had to, it would be the fall time, consisting of holiday mini session. Each year it is my mission to create a fun and interactive theme for the holidays and im hoping to pull together something really special this season.
some facts about me: i was born and raised in queens, NY and am one of seven siblings, and have six nieces and nephews, so yes, Christmas is insanity but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I’m full of sarcasm and sass (which gets my in trouble sometimes) and truly love making people laugh. I’m a lover of sipping whiskey, eating pizza and listening to the ocean. take me anywhere around the world for a fun adventure and i am happy. i received my yoga teacher certification when I was 28 years old and I am a huge advocate for this community. I love to practice yoga as well as workout in the gym….both equally keep my head on straight.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
community over competition and investing in yourself always and forever. If you aren’t out there asking the questions and using your resources, you wont be able to grow as fast. For newborns, I self taught a lot just from experience and in doing. But most of my lessons came from investing in mentor sessions with successful photographers. I needed to learn the art of wrapping a baby, how to keep them calm and sleepy during a session and most importantly safe! After that I would say joining in on workshops and offering model calls to practice. Learn your camera!!!! Learn how to manipulate light so that you are prepared. Take a friend outside and practice on them. Use resources like youtube, and online educational courses….there are endless amounts of them out there. You don’t need the next and newest equipment to be successful. You need to learn what you have as well as be able to reach out for support.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
Time management and creativeness are probably my biggest challenges in photography. Right now I am juggling the two full time jobs while teaching yoga occasionally and it gets hard, especially during busy seasons, to manage this and a personal life and travel. I constantly toggle between continuing on this path, or diving fully into photography and yoga teaching to allow myself more room to expand my business, run it successfully and have a life hah. I know I’m not alone in this. I’m thankful that I have friends who are in the exact same mindset as me and its helpful to be able to work through it all together.
As an artist, its tough to be able to “keep up” with current trends yet still be able to express your unique creative side. Social media is both a blessing and a curse in this industry. While it helps tremendously with getting your name out there and brining in new business, it is tough to keep up with in order to reach the clientele that you’re looking for. Also, staying creative with new and innovative ideas gets muddled when imposture syndrome kicks in.
If I didn’t have the community and support from my photographer peers, my friends who have helped me, and family who has supported me, I don’t think I would be as successful as I am. Some of these people are my biggest fans and have been there though it all (even the tears). And then there’s of course, my clients, who as I’ve said become family sometimes. They keep me going, keep me creative and hold my accountable to challenge myself to new ideas. And I love when they’re excited to allow me to be myself no matter what I’ve come up with or if my style has shifted, no questions asked, they just show up! I am forever grateful for this so HUGE shout out to each one of you on this crazy ride with me. Love you all!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://francescapetruccelliphoto.com
- Instagram: francescapetruccelliphoto
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