Meet Belinda Philleo | Wedding & Portrait Photographer

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

Hi Belinda, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Like many business owners, a significant part of my decision to start my own business was driven by my desire for autonomy. I wanted to do work that I’m passionate about, but also have the freedom to decide how and when I work. With that, comes a learning curve. You have to be balanced – you have to be disciplined and make sure you’re showing up every day, but at the same time you want to make sure you’re scheduling time off and not pushing yourself past your limits either.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
One of the things that sets my work apart is the genuine care and purpose that I pour into every client experience. When I’m photographing someone’s wedding day, I keep in mind the big picture – These aren’t just “pretty photos,” they’re part of your family legacy that will be passed on. Like many, I had less-than-stellar experiences when being photographed growing up. The photos are ok from a technical aspect, but they lack heart, and they don’t tell the story. In contrast, I want the photos we deliver to our clients to capture the spirit of their day and their personalities.

Getting to where I am today has been a long road, and honestly, it’s a journey I’m still on. And, no, most of it hasn’t been easy. I’m the first person in my family to start a business, and I did not attend college. So I’ve had to overcome a lot of preconceived (and false) notions about what it takes to be successful.

Over the years, I’ve learned that it’s so important to stay in a growth mindset. No one is born successful, and knowledge can be obtained through a variety of ways. Over the years, I’ve learned to accept that growth is a continual process; you’re always going to have something you want to work on or learn. So, I try to set aside each week for learning – I switch between workshops (online or in person), business books, or podcasts depending on what I’m trying to improve on at the moment.

By keeping an open mind and continually making time to learn, I’ve built up both my knowledge and confidence so that I can keep building the type of business I want to run and continually improve our client outcome and experience, too.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Since I’m based in Orange County, my suggestions are all a little south of LA (I need to do a little more exploring out there myself!)

An area that’s close to my heart is Seal Beach’s Main Street and Pier. While SoCal is filled with so many great beaches, I love the quaint and quiet feel of this underrated little town. There are so many great little shops and restaurants to explore, and the vibe is so much more chill than some of the more popular beach towns.

As far as food and drinks, one of my favorite restaurants right now is Puesto (there’s a few locations in OC). They’ve got such a fun and creative take on mexican food that it’s truly an experience! Pro-tip: Try to stop by on a Tuesday for happy hour – you’ll get the benefit of Happy Hour and Taco Tuesday deals combined.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Without doubt, my husband Collyn has been crucial to my success – I truly could not have made it this far without him. Collyn has always been my number one supporter. He’s believed in me, even in the moments where I didn’t believe in myself. While he often helps behind the scenes, lately he’s been coming along to help on many of my weddings and portrait sessions too. I’m truly grateful for all the support he’s given at every step of this journey.

Website: https://www.belindaphilleo.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindaphilleo/