Meet Sarah Johnson

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sarah Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sarah, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

I wouldn’t say that I have overcome imposter syndrome, but I have certainly gotten better at navigating it. Comparison is a given as a photographer, and I am my WORST critic, by far. Some days are better than others, and it’s the better days that I have stopped and reminded myself that I am so proud of my work and my clients are proud of me. Sometimes the self doubt pushes me to work harder which is definitely not a bad thing. On bad days I redirect my energy to my happy clients that have my work, photos of their families, framed on their walls and I am reassured that I have a place in this industry.

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 am a portrait photographer. I started out photographing friends and my son when he was born almost 7 years ago, and now I’ve become a designated photographer for many families in my area. I absolutely love what I do. I’m a social person so I love meeting new people and capturing special moments like birthdays (milestones), maternity and newborns, family sessions, etc. Setting up a scene and finding the best light is a big part of the process, but editing my raw images is how I get to put my stamp on my work. I’ve spend many years developing my editing style and setting my self apart from other photographers. I know that it’s not always easy to get in front of a camera so I also make sure that I am welcoming and understanding so that my clients and their families feel comfortable with me.

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?

I have undergraduate and graduate degrees in fine art, so I’ve been in the space for a very long time. It is my passion, but I’ve been working on my skills of composition, lighting and color for as long as I can remember. I’ve made more mistakes (and more bad work) than I can keep up with. But the more I create, the more I learn and that’s the advice I would give anyone looking to make a career in any of the arts: Keep creating (even if some of it is bad) and you are guaranteed to keep growing.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

I have my husband to thank for helping me overcome challenges. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to explore and build my business without him. He encouraged me to start my business and continues to help me trouble shoot and give advice about any of my business/finance questions. Having him as a partner gave me the freedom to build my business at a pace that I felt comfortable, especially since my son was just under 2 at the time. He is my rock, the best support system.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.happyphotosnj.com
• Instagram: @happyphotography_sj
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happyphotographysj

Image Credits

Happy Photography LLC