We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Vanessa Serrato. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Vanessa below.
Vanessa, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
Honestly, achieving self-esteem and confidence in myself and my abilities is an ongoing work in progress, but I have made significant improvements throughout my photography journey. One of the key factors that have contributed to my growth, both personally and professionally, is accepting and loving my authentic self for who I am, without constantly comparing myself to others. I have come to understand that each person’s individual circumstances and lifestyle are unique, and we all take different, distinct paths. I’ve realized that I’m being unfair to myself when I compare my journey to someone else’s because our journeys look different.
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 Houston-based photographer specializing in natural light photography. I specialize in capturing portraits for various occasions, including birthdays, maternity shoots, family sessions, and engagement/couples sessions. Recently, I have began to offer sessions at court or intimate weddings. I had my first court wedding session this year and wholeheartedly loved it, so I decided to turn the unique experience into a permanent service I now offer and hope to do more often in the future! The most exciting part of what I do is being able to put myself out there with my services and start being creative with my client. So in short, I love meeting new people and exploring new locations. The most special part of what I do is the interactions I am able to share with my clients. My job is to make sure you are as comfortable as possible in front of the camera, allowing me to create and capture new memories that you will be able to cherish forever in the form of photographs. My job is truly special and provides me the opportunity and privilege to capture so many special moments.
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?
Reflecting on my journey, I believe that three of the most impactful qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge in my journey are communication, organization, and discipline. Communicating with your clients is very important, probably the most important aspect of the job. Being able to effectively communicate with a client will lead to the successful development of a trusting relationship between you, and ultimately to the best results for both you and the client. Organization is also very important. To successfully carry out a session, I need to have my specific theme props ready for set up and effectively stay on track with my schedule. Lastly, discipline is key because it allowed me to remain dedicated to my goals and objectives no matter the distractions that arose. This required me to set up routines and habits that helped me stay focus when things got overwhelmingly difficult.
My advice for those who are looking to develop or improve upon these qualities is to start by focusing on one area first. For example, begin by establishing a solid routine for yourself by setting aside specific times for completing various tasks throughout the day. Once you allow yourself to start, everything else that follows will be easier. The start is always the hard part.
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?
Definitely my husband, He pushes me to do my best and to try new things. Hence, the set ups are built by my husband and me! He consistently goes above and beyond by helping me with anything and everything, from buying props to building them and setting up at the day of session–especially for my themed minis!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://book.usesession.com/i/7gEOI9IcP
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/serrato_photography20?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VanessaSerrato20?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
Headshot- Sandratakesphotos
