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

Hi Bethany, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Before doing photography, I was actually a teacher! I got my BA, teaching credential, and MA in Education by age 25 thinking I’d have a lifelong career in education. But I sometimes would still daydream about what it would be like to be a photographer, to get to pour all of my time and energy into creating. Fast forward 3 years into my teaching career and I knew I needed a creative outlet. I told my husband, seemingly out of the blue – “have I ever told you I was interested in photography? I kinda want to try it out…what do you think?” And I still can’t believe his reaction! He said – “you’re the type of person who can do anything you put your mind to so yeah, let’s do it!” We bought a cheap camera & I found a photography mentor, Katie Fitzgerald, who showed me how to shoot in manual mode (I didn’t even know what this was when I first started)! My hope was that I’d be able to teach part time and do photography part – time, at the time I just didn’t have the guts to even consider that I could turn it into a full time career! So I’d say when I first started by business, I really didn’t mean to completely change our lives – but that’s exactly what happened.

I also have to talk about our pregnancy journey – and I’ll give the abridged version! – but during this time we were struggling to get pregnant and when we finally did, there were 3 different times we thought we may lose our daughter. I don’t know if I can ever put into words the fear I felt knowing that something could be happening to my baby inside of me and there was nothing I could do to help her. That feeling was indescribable. I mention this because that experience, and our NICU time after, shaped me as a mother and completely changed me and my idea of what my dream life looked like. My baby (and future kids), were suddenly all that mattered and I knew I wanted a career that allowed me to watch them grow every day.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My work has been shaped by my motherhood experience. I started photography wanting to focus solely on weddings and couples, but after becoming a mom and thinking we may lose our daughter, I was drawn to documenting families. When I work with families, whether its newborn, maternity, or just a yearly family session, I focus on capturing the connections. I give my clients prompts to help them relax and focus on each other. There’s lots of snuggling, hugs, and running around happening during my sessions because I want them to stop worrying about looking at the camera and to just enjoy each other. When I can help my clients do that, that’s when magic happens.

Developing my photography business while having kids has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I had my daughter about a year after starting photography, then we had a surprise pregnancy when she was just 5 months old! A year and a half later and we decided we may as well have a 3rd (and final) baby so they’d all be close in age – and instead had twins! As I’ve grown as a photographer, My photography journey and motherhood journey are intertwined and I think that’s why motherhood naturally became the focus of my 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.
I’ve always lived 30 minutes away from the beach and it’s one of my favorite places in the world! I’d definitely take them to the different beaches – Calafia in San Clemente, Thousand Step Beach in Laguna. And then I’d hit up as many little coffee shops as we can! Brot in Orange is a favorite, so is Klatch in Chino Hills and Kean in Costa Mesa. Oh and tacos – we’d need to have tacos and margs as many nights as possible!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband and family! In the beginning of my photography career, I had major imposter-syndrome and questioned my own abilities weekly, if not daily! My husband was (and still is) my #1 cheerleader, boosting me up when I felt like I wasn’t good enough!

My parents took a risk when they started a landscaping design company and it’s amazing now to think that watching them create something out of nothing seemed perfectly normal. That they were able to build a career to support a family of 6 was inspiring! Looking back, they showed my siblings and I how to take chances and live with faith and risk and I don’t think I would have had the courage to try if not for them. I always thought, if mom and dad can do it, so can I.

Website: www.bethanyjeanphotography.com

Instagram: @bethanyjeanphotography

Facebook: Bethany Jean Photography

Image Credits
Bethany Jean Photography 1st and last image: Katie Trottino Photography

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