Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacy Anderson.
Hi Stacy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I never envisioned taking pictures as an actual job but here we are going on 5+ years in the business! When I think about it, I have always had a camera of some sort in my hand. I remember being a kid and my mom always buying me those disposable film cameras (aging myself here haha) I would set up my beanie babies in my room and take pictures of them, my dog, the outdoors & friends. As I got older and technology advanced, I got my first digital camera and eventually in my 20’s my first big girl, DSLR. Once I got my “fancy” camera, I started really honing my skills and learning the ropes. Eventually I was asked to do my first ever wedding and that changed everything for me.! At the time I was only capturing friends and family photos, mostly of people I knew. Aside from crazy nerves shooting my first wedding, I had an absolute blast and fell in love with the art of capturing a wedding day. I have ALWAYS loved attending weddings because I just LOVE, love, but being a part of it in this way is just insanely special. Photography has allowed me to travel across the country to beautiful places like Yosemite National Park for elopements and also explore all over our great state of Minnesota for anything from senior sessions, to family sessions and more, cultivating amazing relationships with new people all over.. I have captured thousands of moments in time, that so many people get to cherish forever, and that to me, is the best part!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Mostly smooth sailing! I don’t think any small business owner is exempt from the struggle! When you first start out it’s intimidating! Photography is a saturated business as is, so it can feel really daunting. You want to create your own work and your own style that nobody else is doing. Aside from the branding/ business aspect of it, you have your typical gear issues, or scheduling issues with weather, or illness etc. One of the hardest aspects in this day and age is social media, if you want more bookings, everyone is online, so constantly having an online presence is almost mandatory especially if you are interested in gaining a following. Creating reels is the bane of my existence haha! Even though that can be a downside, it is a huge tool in getting your business to where you want it to be. I’m talking dream clients, dream locations, dream bookings! The struggle is always worth the reward!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I think it is safe to say that I specialize in wedding photography, although my portfolio is a combination of so many different styles of session; from branding to maternity, seniors to families. I think I will always have room for those in my calendar, they just may be a little more few and far between as I continue to build my business around weddings and couples!
What am I known for and what set me apart is probably my personality. It’s usually the thing that is most commented on! I am super upbeat, silly and really just down for whatever! I love that my clients recognize this and I hope that I continue to carry that into all of my work. I want people to leave better than I found them, and if I can just give them a little sprinkle of that zest for life and pictures they can love for years to come than I feel like I have done my job!
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Cloquet is such a charming little city! I honestly can’t think of a single thing that I don’t like about living here. It just feels welcoming and like the perfect size, not too busy, not too quiet. A lot of hidden gem spots around town for capturing some of my favorite photos!
Pricing:
- Weddings starting at $2700
- Lifestyle Sessions – $400
- Seniors Starting at $200
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stacyandphotography.com/about
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stacyandphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stacyandphotography/
