Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Wilson.
Hi Sara, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Born to a multicultural family, I felt out of place in my predominantly white suburb of St. Louis. I expected nothing less than the best of myself and defined success as following a lucrative, professional career path. After moving to Seattle and deciding that neither engineering nor medicine was my passion, I found that spark in public health and epidemiology. Soon after that, I launched myself to various places abroad, working in public health as well as education and language/linguistic services. I took on occasional freelance photography gigs, publishing content in travel guides. I spent those years becoming confident in my skin, learning from cultures different from my own, and realizing that I was not meant for a traditional career.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a smooth road?
I had been in the process of moving to Mozambique when I found myself expecting my first child. Abruptly moving back to St. Louis, I struggled with finding a job and accepting the rigidity of many employers. Craving autonomy, I hoped I could find success in full-time photography. My business was born alongside my son, providing me with the needed flexibility. Simultaneously raising a newborn and building a business was the ultimate test of sleep deprivation.
As a business owner, one of the earliest struggles was the necessity to put me out there while battling my introverted disposition for privacy. Also, I focused so much energy on what I thought I should be doing – following the trends, analyzing SEO, and posting on social media regularly. After trying to keep up with this for many years, I took a risky move to focus on whatever I enjoyed doing, which was none of that. I have never paid for advertising; my business has grown organically, thanks to loyal clients and work that speaks for itself.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Sara Wilson Photography has been my primary brand since 2010. I photograph weddings and portraits, catering to diverse clientele who think outside the box, radiate joie de vivre, and find beauty in the little things.
Corporate photography with businesses and universities has been my secondary focus, which has multiplied over the years. I provide headshots and branding images as well as document events. My same style and philosophy also apply to this work.
I gravitate towards environmental portraits and documentary work. I love capturing raw emotions, movement, and dramatic contrasts. Call me pragmatic; I don’t believe in fairy tales. There are no one-size-fits-all when it comes to relationships, and I want couples to know should you choose to wed – make it entirely yours, not whatever the industry dictates how it should be. I was married once, and my Monday mid-day courthouse affair was something to be proud of! Thanks to my full-time hobby, I am also developing a travel point and deals resource website.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check?
Most of my inspiration comes from press photojournalists in work unrelated to weddings. Also, I find the Vows section of the New York Times to be entirely entertaining, detailing the sweetest to most absurd of weddings, and it exposes me to various photographers’ work.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sarawilsonphoto.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helloswp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaraWilsonPhoto
Image Credits
Eva Austin Wilson
