We recently connected with Sarah Parker and have shared our conversation below.
Sarah, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
Finding my purpose is something I’ve struggled with for a really long time. I’m a college drop out, I’ve never had a traditional career, and I’ve always very much related to the saying, “jack of all trades, master of none” – meaning I’ve found I’m pretty good and am interested in a a lot of different things, but not phenomenal at any singular one. Throw all of that together with the fact that I turned 30 last year and I’ve found myself feeling pretty lost. However, I’ve continuously felt myself come back to photography. Nothing affects me emotionally quite as much as imagery and I’ve always yearned for my work to evoke emotion in people like I’ve experienced myself. As I look back on my life and the many different jobs or outlets I’ve tried, photography has consistently been there – whether I’ve done it for fun or it’s been a part of my job in one way or another. That’s why in early 2023 I decided to really give photography a go and now I try to capture as much as I can. It’s just a connection and a feeling I have inside of me that is only fulfilled when my camera is in hand.
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 in a small town in South Carolina and my goal in my work is to capture people as they authentically are. I want my sessions to feel loose and fun, like I’m just following you and your special person on a date night, tagging along on a day in your life as a small business owner, joining in on your family adventures, etc. It’s easy to pose people and capture that, but to take a moment and freeze it in time is something else entirely and that’s what I want to do for my clients.
I also connected last year with a non-profit horse rescue called Project Comeback and get to take photographs for their website and social media. This is incredible for me as a life long horse lover to get to be around horses again and maybe make a small positive difference in their lives by helping to tell their stories.
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?
Humility is a big one. It’s scary to put your work out into the world for others to view and criticize and when it comes to photography there’s a lot to learn, so you’ve got to be humble enough to go to more seasoned artists for advice and education whether that’s through courses, mentorship, or even watching Youtube tutorials. Not to mention it’s just much easier to work with someone who is humble! Resilience is another one. As I mentioned before I’ve struggled for a long time in feeling like I had no purpose and being resilient has helped keep me going when things don’t turn out the way I thought they should or would have liked them to. This last one isn’t one word, but it’s been vital that I’ve been a cheerleader for myself. While I am fortunate that I do have people who support me and cheer me on, I’ve found that my opinion of myself is what has mattered most at the end of the day so it’s important that I be my own biggest fan to keep me going.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal clients are people who are fun loving and laid back, which is exactly how I want my sessions to feel. People I can see myself being friends with after the session is over because we just vibe so well. I am more introverted and shy so when I get people in front of my camera who are excited to be there and to have a good time, it makes doing my job much easier!
Contact Info:
- Website: sarahparkerphoto.mypixieset.com
- Instagram: @sarah.parker.photo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahparkerphoto1
Image Credits
All photos taken by me
