We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Baeza and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, what is the most important factor behind your success?
As cliche as it may be, my advice to others would be to believe you ARE what you aspire to be. Having self-trust and self-confidence in your passion is huge. In my experience, this can be the hardest part. Sure, it’s a little intimidating to raise your pricing, delegate tasks by hiring a team and take on entire projects by yourself, and you may even feel underqualified or incapable of doing so, but once you do it, you know you can. I think confidence is a huge part of business success. What’s really helped me is understanding that there are always additional ways to bring success to your business model. If you’re selling online, what about reaching out to local stores to get your product on shelves? If you’re trying to be a full-time (insert-passion-project), how about expanding your customer base? For example, if your goal is to be a full-time wedding photographer or videographer, start telling everyone you know. Reach out to planners, venues, etc. Finally, I think it’s so important to define success on your own terms, not social media (which we all know is fake anyway). What are you happy with?

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Every photo or video shoot, I learn something either about my camera, my directing abilities, or the way I work with others. Even your mistakes are wins, because you learn the importance of doing, or not doing, certain things in your workflow. You may have heard the saying, “practice makes perfect,” but have you heard, “perfect practice makes perfect?” When I was first starting out years ago, I would shadow professional film makers and photographers that were easily booking 10K+ clients, while I was still shooting my friends for basically nothing. Practice is really important, but I never underestimate the value of learning from a master in the field.

Another part of my creative process is really understanding what my client wants out of their photoshoot and following up with a game plan to execute. I’ve also found that taking a break from consuming social media also gives your mind a chance to actually be creative because you’re able to generate your own original thought. A quote I like to live by each day is to, “create before you consume.”

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m based in Fullerton, California and love traveling around the Orange County area. On the weekends if I am not booked for a shoot, I’m a loyal coffee shop enthusiast. Also, I love going out to eat. Boba is one of my favorite snacks, but I love all types of different foods. One of my first jobs was actually working at a Boba Cafe, so I am still always on the lookout for the best quality boba and snacks in general. Plus, exploring is a great way to find the best photoshoot locations in Orange County!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Jenny Halstead – Full-Service Wedding and Event Planner – jeneventsca.com – hello@jeneventsca.com

Jenny is the kind of person that supports you in any creative project you are pursuing. She currently runs a full-service wedding planning company AND an apparel company in addition to other business ventures, while being a Mom of 2. I highly recommend her for this opportunity.

She has encouraged me in my photography, videography, Etsy shop, and many other ventures.

x

Website: www.nicoleandphoto.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/nicoleandphoto

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063801772716

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/nicole-and-photo-fullerton

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrXAiFJGwSksuRLZPhCS8tA

Other: E-mail: hello@nicoleandphoto.com

Image Credits
Nicole Baeza – nicoleandphoto.com – @nicoleandphoto

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