Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Melissa O’Gara . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Melissa , 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.
Although imposter syndrome still creeps in from time to time, I feel like I’ve mostly overcome it by taking advantage of every possible opportunity to practice. The more times I’ve practiced, the more confident I am in my abilities to succeed. I also rely a lot on feedback from others who give me the opportunity to take their photos. Welcoming, appreciating, and utilizing feedback always leads me to improvement. I’ve also really had to work on becoming an imperfectionist! I know that doesn’t sound right, but what I’ve learned is that wanting everything to be perfect can often lead to self doubt. Trying not to be hypercritical of myself and my work is a skill I’m still trying to learn.
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?
Photography is an outlet for me, as I love to capture the beauty I see everywhere – in the scenery and landscape around me as well as in the people I meet and know well. I started by taking pictures of my travels and then of my children. When my daughter became a classical ballerina and needed headshots and posed photos for auditions, I started to study photography through online videos, others’ photos, and through lots and lots of practice. I practiced by taking her ballerina friends’ photos and learned from their feedback. It was fun and challenging and addictive! While I mostly took pictures for friends and family, it soon led to friends of friends. I started taking senior portraits, headshots, special events, and just recently an engagement and wedding. I started selling my landscapes and macro photos on fineartamerica.com and sold cards, puzzles and prints. For now I am just enjoying the work I do with those who find me, but I do hope to grow my photography business in the future. It is super rewarding to find that through my photos I can bring joy to others and hopefully help people find the beauty in the world around us too.
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?
As with any journey, I think the three most important qualities to have are curiosity, humility, and resilience. The advice I got from a friend and colleague was to just keep trying and not be afraid to make mistakes. This advice has stuck with me during the rougher patches and would be the advice I would now pass along to those who are just starting their own journey.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Talking with other photographers and learning from and with others is always something I want to do. Photography can be an individual activity, but having someone else to work with is much more enjoyable! I usually recruit my daughter or husband to come with me on a shoot. They offer that extra insight and help keep it a fun event as well as a photoshoot. As I build a business, I would love to have a partner to work with who would bring that extra energy to keep things light and happy. Sometimes I get too focused (pun intended!) on the lighting, the space, the camera settings and the composition, and I appreciate having someone else there to keep things moving forward and to keep us all laughing as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://melissa-ogara.pixels.com
- Instagram: Melissaogara.photography
- Facebook: Melissaogara.photography
Image Credits
Katie O’Gara Cassie Mendoza Adrian Mendoza Tristan Schmit Taylor Huggins
