Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Sebesta.
Brittany, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It all started about seven years ago! While in college, I was introduced to doula work. A doula for those who aren’t familiar is someone that assists and supports a woman before, during, and after childbirth. A year in a half into it, I decided to add photography to my list of services! My boyfriend at the time, now husband bought me my first DSLR and I just slowly learned and practiced on my own. At first, it started with just my doula clients photographing their maternity, birth, newborn, and family photos then it just slowly took off. With every passing session, I grew this passion I didn’t know I had. I fell in love with capturing the emotion and story of each session I photographed.
I graduated college in January of 2014 with a bachelors in Psychology. I continued doula work and practicing photography when I could. My husband and I married in the fall of that year and my photography business really started taking off full force! Soon, I had to decide between doula work or photography! When we had our first son in 2015, I decided to stop doula work and dive in with my photography. It very quickly became my full-time job and I developed amazing friendships with many of my clients that I still capture today!
Since I could remember, I always dreamt of having kids and staying home with them like my own mother did. Photography allows me to choose how busy I want to be and for that I am so very grateful. I feel very blessed and lucky to have a job that I absoutely love while I can still be home with my kids full time!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I feel very very blessed that my business took off rather quickly and I have a great clientele that continues to come to me each year. However, there were definitely struggles and struggles I still try to manage today! Owning your own business there is a lot that goes into it, that I think many don’t know about! I had no idea legally what it all entailed but thankfully I have a great support system and accountant that help me whenever I need it!
The biggest struggle for me is balancing it all. I love this job with all I am but being a wife and mother comes first and I truly struggle with a good balance of “how much I should be working.” Between advertising, blogging, scheduling, emails, shooting the session, and editing the session it is very time-consuming! The first couple of years in this business, I found myself scheduling sessions every weekend as well as many during the week and quickly became overwhelmed. Now that I have kids, my husband and I pick what weekends I will work and I make sure to stick to them as best I can.
I wouldn’t be able to do it without my husband, my family, and the amazing photography friends I have made on this journey! Some weeks are definitely better than others but I learn from each struggle along the way!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Lulu Moments Photography – what should we know?
I capture a couple engagements and weddings a year but mostly photograph families, milestones, and newborns! Most of my family sessions are captured outdoors with the gorgeous natural light! For my newborn work, I do a good mix of studio posed sessions as well as home lifestyle sessions! I love providing both posed newborn and lifestyle newborn as it gives me the chance to capture families in their preferred setting as well as keeps my creativity changing and growing!
Many of my clients I photograph today have been with me since day one! I have photographed them from the start of their story as they waited to become parents for the first time to now capturing their growing family! I want to capture each session’s story, what makes them who they are. It is so important as a momma to give my clients photos that they will look back and remember that exact emotion they were feeling. From the anxious excitement of waiting for that baby to arrive in the look on their face as they look down at their sweet baby, to capturing the laughter as they throw they’re one year old into the air, I want to capture it all. Time truly goes by in a blink of an eye and I feel honored to freeze those precious moments!
I strive to provide the greatest experience I can! I want my clients to feel comfortable with me from the moment we start so I can truly capture those natural connections throughout the session! I want clients to have fun and just laugh and snuggle their kids not worrying about anything else! I love connecting with my clients and so cherish the friendships that have come in return!
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
When I first started this amazing and wild ride, I promised myself to give it my all and go from there! From the moment we discuss and put a date on the calendar, I am there to help with outfits, prop ideas, and to ask them questions to get to know their family and vision they want for their session. I want my clients to absolutely love their photos but more importantly, I want them to love their experience with me more. I want their kids to be happy and comfortable during the session and to capture their true genuine smiles and interactions! They are trusting me with their most precious gifts and moments in life and I in return never want to take that for granted!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lulumomentsphoto.com
- Phone: 630-373-9865
- Email: olenekb@gmail.com and lulumomentsphoto@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lulumomentsphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lulumomentsphotography
Image Credit:
Head shot: Robin Hansen Photography
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