**all images in this post copyright: Andrea of Pink Sugar Photography. **
 

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-or if you have a question you'd like to see in the interviews--make sure to include your info in the comment fields so that I can get in touch with you- or write to me at: davina at davinafear.com }

As always make sure to leave comments for the women who are featured. They like comments as much as i do I'm sure...let them know if you have questions or just to say thanks! for their insight and wisdom...

NEXT WEEK: Laura Siebert

You can check out the rest of the series by clicking here. Tell a friend!

Andrea,   You were nominated as someone that should be part of Women and Business and I'm so glad!  I had not know of you or your work until I clicked the link that was included with your nomination.  And I have to say I'm in love.  I'm drawn into seeing the lovely and fun holiday decorating you do around your home as well as the photography work that you do.  You are talented and funny and your way of capturing couples and family is beautiful. Thank you so much for being on Women and Business.  Thank you!

How did you become a professional photographer?

I was actually hired (on my wedding day!) by my own wedding photographer. He was looking for a second shooter and although I didn't have any experience, he liked my creativity and took a chance on me. At the time I didn't know the first thing about using a DSLR, or to be honest, about photography in general but I'd always loved taking pictures so I was crazy excited. I spent a season working with him and spending all of my spare time either practicing or reading about photography. The following year I started up Pink Sugar and four years later, here we are!


Were you a professional photographer before Lila Claire was born?  If not, how did you make that transition?

We found out we were expecting Lila two weeks before I finished university and was finally going to be able to focus on Pink Sugar full time. I shot 24 weddings (would have been 25 had Li not arrived a month early…) that summer/fall and then took six months off to get to know my girl. After Lila was born, I knew I didn't want to be away from my family every weekend of the summer so I started limiting wedding bookings and just naturally transitioned into shooting more portraits.


What type of event do you shoot most?

I shoot lots of engagements, and also a lot of young families. My business seems to have paralleled my own life a little bit: as a newlywed I photographed primarily weddings; after Lila was born I began shooting more maternities and newborns; and now that Lila is a little older, I'm shooting a larger percentage of families with toddlers and young children.


How have you cultivated the portrait side of your business?

I've been lucky enough to work with many of my clients through their engagement and wedding, and then again as their families begin to grow. It's really nice to form relationships with people and get welcomed back into their families time after time.  

As well, (this one is pretty obvious but it didn’t click for me right away so I’m going to share anyways) be sure to share what you want to shoot! The moment I started blogging baby photos and family portraits, I began getting more inquiries for those types of sessions!


What do you do to help your clients be so comfortable with you during a photo shoot?

I think it is so important to keep in mind that every client is a unique individual and every session will be different; what works to make one person comfortable might do just the opposite for another. I try to make an effort to get to know each client on a personal level so that I can make those distinctions. I spend a lot of time chatting and asking questions, I laugh a lot, I give feedback, I really try to connect with whoever is in front of my camera on any given day. Once you make that connection, comfort [usually] follows naturally.


What do you recommend women do who are just getting started in the industry?

Be yourself. Try to find your own voice rather than  imitating somebody else's style. Shoot whatever makes YOUR heart happy and let your personality shine through. Chances are, what YOU love will be loved by other people as well, and those people are the ones you want as your clients.


What have you done to grow as a photographer?

I would say that most things I do on a day to day basis play a part in my growth. Some of the more obvious ways I've grown as a photographer are through workshops, reading, shooting all the time, and spending time with other photographers. Less obvious but perhaps more importantly, I find that challenging myself creatively in both photography and other mediums (crafting, sewing, designing) helps me to grow as an artist. Most recently I've started a personal daily(ish) photoblog that challenges me to pick up my camera, document life and create art every day.


How have you grown as a mother?

I feel like I'm growing as a mother every minute of every day. Lila teaches me new things about myself and the world all the time -- I am so lucky to be her momma.


Have you attended workshops?  What are your favorites?

I've been to a handful of workshops in the last five years but one stands out way above the rest for me. I attended a Bebbinar early on in my career and Jen and Steve provided me with a ton of tools and encouragement to ensure I was on the right track. I can't say enough about these two and I would highly recommend their workshop to anybody!


What do you do for fun...that has nothing to do with photography?

Crafting, sewing, decorating -- being creative makes me happy! I also have a bit of a weakness for shopping (particularly online) and I love spending quality time with my little family and my awesome girlfriends.


What is the best thing you've done to make your business successful?

No secret formula for this one, I've just worked really hard to make my clients happy. When they're happy, they tell their friends, and then I work hard to make their friends happy too.


Do you travel often?  How do you make this easier on your children?  How do they feel about how often you travel?

I don't travel all that often for work, but when I do, I almost always bring Mark and Lila along. I think they like that :)


You have a fantastic blog following who consistently comment.  How have you grown your blog readership?

Thank you :) You know, I'm not really sure how that happened. When I was first starting out, long before I had a blog, I was quite active on Flickr and I think a lot of my blog followers have been following me since then. I also try really hard to blog regularly so there aren't any lulls in posts and I always encourage my clients to share their sessions with their friends when they are featured.  I love my blog readers!


Are you in a store front studio or a home studio?  What made you decide on the space you have? (please provide pictures)

I shoot all of my sessions on location either outdoors or in my client's homes, and spend the rest of my time working in a home office. At this point in time it just doesn't make much sense for me to have a studio.


What do you do to keep from feeling overwhelmed?

Like most, I struggle with this a lot. Because I work from home, it's often hard to separate work and family and I kept finding that when I was working I felt guilty for neglecting my family, and when I was spending time with my family I felt guilty for neglecting my work. This past fall I put Lila into a childcare program a couple of days a week so I could have a few hours of uninterrupted work time and that has helped tremendously. And as a bonus, she totally loves it! I also make sure that I get out of the house and do lots of fun things every week :)


What three products or things help you stay organized?

Haha, honestly, I'm not in the position to give any advice regarding organization -- there's a reason there aren't any photos of my home office included here ;) That said, I definitely couldn't live without my iPhone. Having my email, calendar and Evernote (I’m a total list girl!) accessible to me at all times is super handy. (And if anyone has any suggestions, I’m all ears!)

To see more of Andrea's work:

Blog

Wedding Site

Portrait Site

**all images in this post copyright: Andrea of Pink Sugar Photography. **