We were lucky to catch up with Melissa DeMers recently and have shared our conversation 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.
It’s so easy to be persuaded by the ideas of this world and everyone around us, especially in the photography industry. At times it feels like there is not one original idea.
I tend to think outside of the box. I’ve always been a creative thinker. Do I get sucked into trendy reels on Instagram? Sure! Do I allow that to define who I am? No.
Coming up with creative ideas for photo sessions or poses challenges me. I have always been pushed by a good challenge. I strive to do this in my business as well as my personal life.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a family + newborn photographer, currently located just south of Denver in Colorado.
I specialize in families + anything to do with growing families. I love lifestyle type, candid photos of families laughing together, strolling through the mountains, playing in the creek…just natural + fun photography.
Newborns also excite me. New life, their smallest features…when I’m photographing a newborn I just feel so relaxed + zen. It almost seems like it should be the other way around but there is just something about capturing a fresh new life that intrigues me.
I also love creative sessions such as unicorn sessions with kids, alpaca + farm life photography.
I’m so inspired + amazed by nature, people + animals. I love when people feel emotion when they see my photos.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three things that I wish I knew early on in my journey are:
• You’re not everyone’s cup of tea. Not everyone is going to love your photography style, or your pricing, or maybe even you as a person. And that’s ok! Be YOURSELF. The right clients/people will come to you. By being your true self you will attract what you’re meant to have.
• Don’t spend a lot of money up front. To become a legit business you need a business license in whatever state you live in, get liability insurance (I can’t stress this enough in the world we live in today), invest in a good quality camera (do your research + rent a few first to see which brand you love). All you need is a good eye, a bit of knowledge about light + a great disposition!
• Price yourself wisely. A lot of people don’t understand that photography is an actual job. Determine your cost of doing business up front. Keep in mind how much you’ll invest in photo equipment, photoshop/Lightroom to edit (your shoot time + editing time), driving to and from your session (car maintenance), taxes, subscriptions to photo galleries, website building, time spent marketing, insurance, permits, all of this should be considered when pricing out your sessions. Don’t sell yourself short ever.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always looking to collaborate with others (pro tip, this is a great way to get both of your business names out into the community).
I would love to collaborate with more farms to do photo sessions with animals + offer that to my clients.
Or anyone with acres of private beautiful land, sometimes it’s hard to find unique spots that other photographers aren’t already utilizing or just something outside of the box that I can offer to my clients.
A dream of mine would be to offer VINEYARD photo sessions, so if you own a winery, I’d love to hear from you.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.MelissaDeMersPhoto.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/melissademersphotography
