We recently connected with Nancy Ortega and have shared our conversation below.
Nancy , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My resiliency came from growing up in a chaotic childhood, where I wanted to do everything in my power to rise above poverty. That drive pushed me to pursue a corporate career, where I’ve worked hard to achieve stability for myself and my family. But, becoming a mom shifted my perspective – it reminded me of the importance of capturing and cherishing little moments that make life beautiful. I found myself creating fun sets for my daughter and then for friends and family. From there, photography became more than a creative outlet and slowly turned into a business.
Balancing a corporate job, a photography business, and motherhood has been the most rewarding challenge yet. My inner child is healed with every photo I take, seeing family connections, capturing kids genuine smiles and laughter, all of it! And like that, while resiliency took me on a different journey, motherhood brought me back to something I’ve always loved but was too scared and too pragmatic to give a chance to.
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 newborn, baby, and family photographer based in Westchester, NY (Yonkers specifically in case you want to check me out!). While I have photographed everyone and everything since getting my first digital camera back in 2007 (yea, it used double A batteries!), it was not until I became a mother that my desire to turn this into a business really crossed my mind. I remember thinking: “heck, now would be a really great time to learn how to use this DSLR camera my husband gifted me”. For just about 9 years now (with a long pause during the pandemic), I’ve photographed multitude of newborns, babies, kids, and families. I reopened my business early last year and this time with much less fear and more optimism than when I first started. I have been determined to surpass my imposter syndrome and simply go for it – I’ve loved taking courses, workshops, and certifications. It has definitely allowed me to feel more confident in this space. Like they say, luck is simply when opportunity meets preparation and I’ve definitely worked and prepared myself more than ever to give clients a great experience! I now have a dedicated studio at home, with all the props and wardrobe for newborns and expectant moms, I’ve learned about my lighting, pre production, and post production. I now even offer adult birthday sessions, which admittedly, have been so much fun 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?
If I could only share three things that were most impactful in my journey it would be these: 1. EDUCATION – whether it’s taking courses, certifications, a degree, or hands on practice, make sure to educate yourself in whatever you are looking to grow in so that you can start off on the right foot in building that trust with clients and good reviews. 2. Time management – I used to think I couldn’t do it all (and honestly you can’t – not at the same time anyway), but if you prioritize, you can do the things you love in the order that you want to. For example, I took my corporate career at a slower pace, so that I could grow in my motherhood and entrepreneurship journey – and I’m writing this at 12:30am after editing images haha. Be intentional about how you use your time. 3. RESILIENCE – understand that you will get a lot of nos, ghosting, and even some bad reviews. Do not take it personal, as you are simply not the right person for that job and not the right person from everyone. Simply learn from the mistakes and bad reviews, and continue to grow – you will find your right clients, just don’t give up!
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
My goal is to give clients the option to have a full pampered experience for their sessions. If you are a makeup artist and/or hairstylist in or near Yonkers, I would love to collaborate. Contact me through my IG @nancyj_photography!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nancyjphotography.com
- Instagram: @nancyj_photography
Image Credits
na. these are my images
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
