Recently, I met with a local photographer, Monique Simone, to ask her questions about her photography business. I was quite impressed and left inspired by our talk. She exudes confidence and passion, taking a fresh approach to her subjects. In addition to receiving training in visual arts, she has taken every opportunity along the way to develop her skills and follow her interest in photography. With several years of experience under her belt in fine arts archival printing, studio portraiture, and commercial work with a well-known photographer, Monique has worked as a wedding photographer, specializing in destination weddings. She continues to do weddings, but now has her own studio where she focuses on portraiture. Monique cannot imagine doing anything better in life: she gets to organize her own schedule, be her own boss and do photography! Monique works hard and commits to growth by regularly attending workshops held by the WPPI (Wedding Photography Association). When asked what is needed to survive in this industry, she answered that a person needs to have a cross between humility and a sense of self. Being business savvy also helps. In her own words, “a business does not run automatically.” For wedding photography, she also points out that having a happy, extrovert personality is useful. To prepare for her shoots, Monique listens to fun music; wears funky clothes; makes sure that she has food to snack on; and goes through fashion editorials.
http://moniquephoto.com/index2.php#/home/
