Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Laura Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Laura, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I wouldn’t say that I’ve overcome it. Feelings of imposter syndrome are always in the back of my head, but I’ve learned to manage them.
There have been a handful of things that have helped:
1.) Being selective about the content I consume. If I start to feel bad about myself or my work when following an account, I unfollow. I used to feel guilty about that, but it’s made a world of difference for me.
2.) I try really hard to only compare myself to…myself. When I’m feeling down about my photos, I love to look back at my older work to see my growth as an artist.
3.) Reading client feedback. Nothing cheers me up like reading client reviews and emails. It’s easy to forget how meaningful photos can be, so reading kind words from my clients helps motivate me to keep going forward in the business.
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 a portrait photographer based in Elbert County, Colorado, but I work throughout the Denver Metro Area. I photograph families, high school seniors, newborns, and couples, and my goal is to provide each client with an easy experience and a fun, relaxed photo session. I provide every client with a mix of gorgeous, well-posed photos, as well as the beautiful, candid, in-between moments. My goal is to create photos that reflect the beauty and nuances that make you…you.
I transformed my lifelong love of photography into a business after the birth of my oldest daughter in 2010. As a new parent, I desperately wanted to pause time and remember everything. Photography evolved into my way of doing that, and now I do the same for others because I believe wholeheartedly in the significance of photos. I know first-hand that every stage matters and they disappear way too fast.
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?
Oh, I love this question! My three most important areas of knowledge are:
1.) Customer Service
2.) Business
3.) Photography
I wish I had learned this much earlier in my journey. When I launched my business in 2011, I thought that my ability to take great photos would be the most important thing. I’ve since learned that there are countless people who can take a beautiful photo, but the businesses that survive long-term prioritize their customer service and have a strong understanding of business and marketing.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
Hire a good therapist, haha. Honestly though – I have struggled with anxiety for as long as I can remember, but it became overwhelming earlier this year. I began working with an incredible therapist, and I’m not exaggerating when I say that it’s been life changing.
She taught me several strategies to ground myself when I’m feeling anxious, but my favorite easy tip is to slow my breathing. Anxiety can trigger a fight or flight response in the body – this causes rapid breathing and an increased heart rate (among many other symptoms), but the idea is to calm the nervous system’s response by slowing the breathing rate by about half. Within about 5 minutes, this forces the body’s other systems to follow suit which calms the anxious feelings.
Having some tools to combat feelings of anxiety and overwhelm changed my life and my business for the better.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.laurasmithphotos.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurasmithphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurasmithphotography
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/laurasmithphotography/
Image Credits
Laura Smith Photography
