Meet Alicia Ross, the photographer behind Alicia Ross Photo!
Alicia began in 2021, but her first ‘official’ paid shoot was Summer 2022. You can find her online on Instagram at @aliciarossphoto and on Facebook at Alicia Ross Photo. Questions about booking your own photoshoot? Contact her by email at alicianross@gmail.com.
I know y’all are excited the blog interviews are back, so let’s jump right in!
What inspired you to start your business?
I have always loved taking photos. My boys were what started it, I loved taking the monthly photos of them as they were growing in their first year. I would do a cute little setup for them and take a couple photos.
I started with a camera that my parents had that was collecting dust. I put it on manual and taught myself just by practicing and searching on YouTube and following other photographers. I kept practicing and I found out that I was pretty good at it and had an eye for editing. So then after a little (a lot) of encouragement from my husband and a friend, I pursued it as a business.
What keeps you doing what you’re doing?
Passion for it.
I love being creative, it’s an outlet for me. I love delivering an album and showing people the light and beauty that others see that they may not see themselves. And to be quite honest, there is an aspect of it that is also about the income.
I don’t believe that it’s all about the money, but there is a sense of pride that I feel that I can help provide financially. My husband and I believe in having an equal partnership and we think it’s important to teach our boys that. I can be a great mom and also help provide financially. It doesn’t have to be black and white.
Are there any notable hardships you’ve encountered as a business owner?
Realizing that it’s a lot more work and time invested than I thought.
I think that over all there’s this misconception that doing photography is just point, shoot and collect the dollars. There’s so much more to it than that.
I think that’s why initially I undervalued myself, because I didn’t realize that my time is worth something.
Once I realized that, I increased my price (with a lot of hesitation and fear of what people would think) and was met with the opposite of what I thought was going to happen. I got a lot of support in that decision. At the end of the day we want to be doing what we’re doing cause we love it, but you also need to realize you can’t work for free.
Getting into a creativity rut is another big hardship that isn’t spoken about enough. This even happens when you are editing. You just aren’t in that mode and it makes it difficult. You can’t force creativity.
I find that when I communicate with people, most understand that this happens and are totally understanding. The key is.. communicate.
Don’t leave your client hanging, because we all know how excited we get to get an album delivered to us.
There are times in life when I feel like I just want to hide out. I don’t want to have a presence on social media, I don’t want to share anything, I don’t even wanna look at social media. Currently social media is a big part of marketing your business and connecting with people. Boundaries is something that I’m working on and I’m learning how to create those boundaries with social media.
It’s so important for my mental health. I’ve learned that it’s okay to take breaks, social media is a great tool but having healthy boundaries with it is so important.
I give myself grace and continue on because I love what I do.
On the flip side, what is your favourite part of running this business?
Being creative, having a creative outlet, connecting with awesome people, and being able to work around my schedule with my family.
What services do you offer?
I currently offer brand, couples, maternity, grad and family sessions.
What is brand photography?
Brand photography is capturing what you and your business are in photos. It needs to show who you are as an individual and what your business is about.
How does branded photography benefit a small business or entrepreneur?
Branded photography adds just that little extra something to separate you from your competition when someone lands on your page. We are in the age of technology and having an online presence that stands out aesthetically does make a difference.
What are the top images every brand should have?
A photo of who you are, the face(s) behind the business. It helps so that people feel more connected to you as not just a business but also on a personal level. A photo that shows what you do, photos showing your process and styled photos of the product or the services you offer.
Do you have any tips for people who have a bootstrapped budget and cannot afford a professional photographer right now?
Book ahead of time and budget. A lot of photographers require a deposit which goes towards the total of your shoot. So it’s kind of like a payment plan and does help because you don’t have to pay the full amount upfront. Opt for a mini shoot if that is available.
You can still get a few good shots that you can use for your main things like profile photo on social media and a few photos to use for any graphics and/or marketing materials. You can also learn to use your phone to take some pretty good pictures.
What are ways people can incorporate their brand into their photography?
Wear colors that go well with your brand colors, if you sell a physical product like clothing or accessories style and wear the products in your photos, show who you are in your photos - this is where working with a photographer that makes you feel comfortable and connects with you is important.
How do you choose what clients to work with?
I ask the potential client a few questions about the session. Basically I ask them what their vision is, I have turned down shoots because I do not feel like my style is cohesive with what they are wanting out of the session. Photography is an art and that means that no two photographers are going to produce the same thing. I’m not gonna try to force something just to make a dollar when I know I can’t produce what the client wants. This is why I do have a portfolio of photos on social media pages so that people can go there and get a sense of my style and if they like it then they will book. If I’m not their style, they likely won’t book with me and that is totally okay.
I would love to book a tattoo studio, musician or a painter for a brand shoot, I love doing out of the ordinary shoots that capture the creative process!
Should different types of brands focus on different types of photos?
This is tough to summarize. The short answer is yes. If you are selling a product, I would focus on styling the products in your photos and show how you can use or style the product. If you are selling a service, I would focus on doing photos that represent the service that you offer.
For example, if you are a nutritionist you could do some photos that include food. If you are a personal trainer you could do photos that include athletic apparel and equipment. It really just depends on what your business is. This is why we do our communicating and planning before the session. I am also happy to answer questions if anyone wants to reach out on social media!
A Personal Note from Alicia…
You are all doing amazing. No matter what business you are running, it takes hard work and dedication to keep it going. Remind yourself of that. (Talking to myself here too haha)
I feel like in the last couple years I have really kept inside this little box. In the last year or so I have gone through some big changes in my life and it has really opened up my eyes and shown me how much of a narrow perspective I had before. I would like to widen my horizons and take different types of clients. Maybe one day I will really open up about my whole story but for now if you would like to connect, reach out to me on social media. I love connecting with other real humans and I love how much we can truly appreciate each other when we break down walls of judgment and exclusion!