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

Hi Rachel, how do you think about risk?
If I believe that I am meant to do something, then I know that taking a risk is the only way. I would rather take a risk and fail a thousand times, than not take one and regret not knowing what my life could have been. 
There have been many moments in my life where I have taken risks, but there are a couple within the last two years that stand out to me. I am fairly certain I would not be anywhere near where I am now, if at all, had I not taken these steps.

After attending a close friend’s wedding in September of 2022, I made the decision to uproot myself from Minnesota and move across the country to Southern California. I grew up visiting San Diego a lot due to my dad’s family being from the area. I had always wanted to live here since I was a small child and finally when I was twenty-one years old, I decided that it was time to make that dream become a reality. I did everything on my own from searching for jobs and housing, to purchasing a car, etc. By mid January 2023, everything fell into place, and on March 6th, 2023 I took a one way flight to my new home. I have been here for almost two years, and I could not be happier with how everything has turned out at this point.

I did not know what to expect or where life would take me in this new place, but I knew that if I did nothing, I might be missing out on so many things that I was meant to do, one of them being a tennis photographer. I had been living in San Diego for exactly one year when my dad and one of my four brothers flew out to go with me to the BNP Paribas Open, a professional tennis tournament that is held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. I had been there a few years before, and I remember telling myself that someday I would be on the pro circuit as a photographer and content creator. This year there was one point where as I was taking in my surroundings, something deep within my heart told me that this was where I was meant to be. Immediately, I knew that this was the time to take a chance on a dream that had been growing in my heart for almost 10 years.

That night I went online searching for anything related to tennis photography, when I stumbled across an article of this photographer, and discovered that some of my favorite tennis photos had been taken by him. I knew I had to get in contact with this man, so I looked for his contact information and sent him an email. I also came across another photographer and reached out to her. In April I received responses from both of them, where they gave me valuable tips and advice as to how I could get my foot in the door and get opportunities.
At the end of April, I was talking about tennis to a coworker at my 9-5 job, when another coworker overheard our conversation and started asking me about my passion for the sport and my dream to be traveling on the tour. Little did I know that he would be the man to get me in contact with an incredible coach at a tennis facility in San Diego, that hosts various tournaments throughout the year. I emailed the coach, and asked him if I could take photos of his students so as to build my portfolio, and in return I would give him the photos to be used however he wanted. It was a win, win. In May I started taking photos of the student athletes at this facility, posting my content on my Instagram (@court.side.clicks), and since then it has snowballed into incredible opportunities, one of them being photographing the USTA Girls’ 18s and 16s Nationals in August.
 
Moving to San Diego and pursuing this tennis career are just a couple examples where I took a risk and it led me to things in my life that I never could have imagined. Had I not taken the leap to move to San Diego, I may have never experienced or gotten to where I am now, and it continues to amaze me just how much continues to unfold as days and months pass. I am certainly not at my end goal, but I am already in an incredible place, and I will continue to take more risks, because everything is worth taking a risk if you truly love something.
My advice to everyone is to go after their dreams no matter how wild they may seem. You may be scared, and you may not know where you are going, but unless you do it, you will never know what you could have experienced and the life you could have had. Life is too short to allow fear to get in the way.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am most proud of myself for taking the plunge into my endeavors and seeing what happens. I have nothing to lose. If there is anything I have learned in my life, it is that if I am not failing, I am not really trying and if I am not trying then I am not really living. Failure is the greatest teacher we have, and I am grateful for it because it has shaped and molded me to become stronger and more resilient.

Since taking this dive into the tennis world, it has been so fun and exciting to have tennis players as well as some big tennis social media accounts following and interacting with my content, building authentic connections and relationships with people in the industry, driving to practice sessions to capture photos and video content of incredible athletes and just spending time at the tennis courts. I feel like I am always coming up with new dreams and ideas for where I want to be while I am there.

For anyone who may read my story, I want you know that you were made to do great things. If I can achieve my dreams, then so can you. Whatever your history, you can achieve your dreams, if you really set your mind to it, and work hard. We were all made to do something in our lives and make a difference. If not you then who? If not now, then when? What are you waiting for? We are not promised tomorrow, so get out there and get after it now!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
As a Minnesota transplant, I have discovered lots of fun places to visit and things to do since moving to San Diego. The following agenda is an example of what I would do with the family and friends that come to visit. The weekend would be as follows: Friday evening we would go get Thai food at Signature Thai Cuisine and then head over to Yogurt Mill for dessert.

Saturday morning, we would head to Coronado Island and go to Little Frenchie for breakfast followed by a walk on the beach and then a stop at the Hotel Del. After that we would get lunch at The Henry and explore some shops on the island. In the early evening, we would grab Lee’s coffee and bring a picnic dinner to Sunset Cliffs.

Sunday we would go to La Jolla beach, spend some time there and then head over to Il Giardino di Lilli. Afterwards I would take them to dinner at Karami Ramen or CrossStreet on Convoy Street and then ice cream at Cafe Hue.

There is so much to see and do here in this incredible city. There is something for everyone to enjoy!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people in my life who have been instrumental in helping me become the woman, artist, entrepreneur and dreamer that I am today, but if I had to choose it would be my parents. My dad is the reason I have a deep passion for tennis, and had he not introduced it to me when I was a small child, I may not have found the love I have for it today. Both of my parents have been there for me in every moment of my life and have encouraged me to pursue my dreams. I am forever grateful to them for believing in my abilities and talents, and for cheering me on as I embark on an exciting adventure that continues to unfold before my eyes.

Instagram: @court.side.clicks & @rachelmh.photography

Other:

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSoCal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.