We had the good fortune of connecting with Brenda Pilawski and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brenda, what are you inspired by?
My art is influenced primarily by my surroundings. I draw inspiration from nature, people, and different scenic views. For example, you may drive down and see a dry empty field and not think of much. When I see that empty dry field, I think of all the possibilities and ways I can utilize that empty dry field and create art from it. I also draw inspiration from social media because there’s so many incredibly talented artists on IG, Pinterest, and TikTok. I love my photography community and I’m constantly inspired by every single one of their creativity. The possibilities to create art in this industry are truly endless.

What should our readers know about your business?
So, I had been brewing with the thought of starting photography for at least 2 years prior 2022. When my first daughter was born in 2019, I was constantly with my camera and always taking photos of her. I eventually wanted to challenge myself and decided to take a leap of faith to start my photography business. I’m about to hit my one year anniversary of having started my photography business last April. I started by offering free sessions. You HAVE to start somewhere, am I right?! It’s obviously not ideal working for free but sometimes, it’s necessary to practice and develop your skill set to better yourself. Starting out wasn’t easy. Neither mentally nor monetarily. With any business, you have to invest your time and money. A lot of people don’t really know the amount of work it takes to grow something from nothing. The investments, the stress, and the challenges. This journey has definitely not been easy at all. I’d say that in order to be successful and to actually see your growth, you have to look at your analytics. You have to track your spending, your bookings, what your style and sessions you’re i retested in booking for the most, your trends whether trending up or down. You have to set goals. Set a budget and stick with it. Know when to take a risk and when to say no. I have my lessons learned and can share that maybe you shouldn’t book a studio for sessions unless you have a good show of interest from clients. As cliché as it may sound, know that you can do anything as long as you’re consistent and dedicated to your goal. My business is growing at a steady pace and I’m so proud of myself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting for a week I’d definitely take her to eat at Rodeo 39 in Stanton, CA. I’m all about options and variety. Rodeo 39 has it all! From arcades, to coffee, pastries, Hawaiian food, pho, and some drinks. It’s the perfect place to grab a bite or two lol! I’d also take her to catch an Angels game and or walk around Downtown Disney. Maybe hit the beach if it’s not to cold.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

There’s so many people I’m extremely thankful to for constantly supporting my photography business. I’m always thankful to God because I’m nothing without him. My husband, my family, and my close friends. My husband has always supported me from the very beginning. He’s the one that actually pushed me to start my journey with photography. My parents and brother for always babysitting for me when I have to run out for sessions. I’m thankful for best friend Vanessa. She bought me my first camera bag and the cutest camera strap with my business name on it.
I’m thankful for cousin Dina. She is one of the best mentors I could have asked for. She’s the reason for my first prime lens. She’s someone I can constantly call and vent to in regards to our photography business because she’s also a photographer so she gets it!
Shameless plug but go checkout my cousin Dina on IG: @_dinasphotography_
I’m also grateful to Arlyne & Genevie from @marigold_creatives for providing a safe space to connect and create with other photographers. Attending their styled shoots and workshops has allowed my creative side to just bloom. Their styled shoots allows anyone to enjoy learning new techniques for prompting and styling clients. Having a community you can comfortably create with is a huge plus for growing your business.
I could truly go on forever with this question but in the end, I’m just thankful for anyone that spreads the word about my business. It’s the best feeling when clients share your work and tag you or shout you out! I just get so excited because my clients show me that they’re happy with their photos and my business is shared with others who may be looking for someone to capture those special moments.

Website: https://sessionl.ink/photosbybrendapilawski

Instagram: @photosbybrendapilawski

Image Credits
@Photosbybrendapilawski

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