Meet Sara Taylor | Photographer & Entrepreneur

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

Hi Sara, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I’ve had to take a lot of risks for my photography business and other entrepreneurial endeavors. When I first started my business I really was still learning a lot but the best way to learn is to jump in and do it. I had recently been laid off from a position I had held for over 7 years. Instead of looking for something else, I decided I’d take a chance at something I had been interested in for quite some time. I started out by taking a lot of photos for family and friends, and studying images by photographers that I loved, especially newborn photographers. I learned everything I could. From safety to posing and editing to how I wanted to run my business. Eventually, I took another risk and designed some camera bags and straps, which can be found and purchased currently at Action Camera in Rocklin, CA and Reno, NV. Currently, I’m working on a new project with my daughter.

Taking a risk 14 years ago to pursue photography has given me a sense of pride and confidence I didn’t have before. Its helped me overcome a lot of shyness that held me back as well. I genuinely enjoy meeting people and getting to know them. Some of my clients have become really amazing friends. Photography also afforded me a life where I could make my own schedule and be able to be around for my kids when they were little. I got to really enjoy being a mommy, which is what I really wanted to be all my life. Sometimes taking risks in our life can really end up being extremely rewarding in a big way.

Please tell us more about your career. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I think what sets me apart is that I love my clients. I always want to do my very best for them, every single time. And that’s from the moment they contact me, up through when they receive their images and even beyond.

It took me a long time to build business and it hasn’t been easy. I remember when I first started and how absolutely anxious I would be. I’d arrive to sessions at least an hour ahead of time and sit in my car while I felt my heart pound so hard. It wasn’t just about taking pictures, but meeting new people didn’t always come naturally to me. Eventually, it got easier the more I just kept showing up for myself and my clients. I guess what I’d want people to know about me and my brand and my story is that I started out not knowing much at all but I had the desire and the drive to learn and to keep getting back up when I fell or when things didn’t go exactly how I thought they would. Photography didn’t really even come naturally to me, It was a lot of learning and a lot of trial and error. I think if this is something you really want to do, even if you don’t have experience…you can learn with a willingness to put in the work.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The number one place I’d take them to is Tahoe! It’s definently my happy place. A few other favorite places would be San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Monterey, and Nevada City.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to thank my husband and kids for always being there for me and encouraging me. There’s no way I could have accomplished what I have over the years without your support.

Thank you for always cheering me on. I also just want to thank all of my friends and family too, for just being there for me. A special shoutout to Carisa Edwards, who has just been an amazing help in my career and also just the best friend I could ever have hoped to meet on this journey. A special thank you to Top Shelf Music Mag and Kristi Rose, thank you for having me on the team for last few years, it has been such a joy in my life.

Website: https://sarataylorphotography.com

Instagram: sarataylorphotographyca (portraits) and sara.taylor.photography (concerts)

Other: You can also find my articles and concert coverage by searching for my name in the search bar on the website at https://topshelfmusicmag.com/

Image Credits
For the portrait of myself, please give credit to Angel McClung. The rest of the images are my work.