Meet Veronica Crawford: Photographer, Retoucher, & Creative

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

Hi Veronica, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I have had a passion for photography for as long as I can remember — running around the neighborhood I grew up in with my mom’s camera, but I don’t think I fully decided to make a commitment to it until my senior year of high school. From there is where I decided to fully pursue photography and have my own business. I didn’t begin seriously studying photography until 2015 when I transferred to ArtCenter in Pasadena, and I think that having my own business through school helped me to be creative and passionate about my work, when my school assignments weren’t necessarily providing that creative freedom that I wanted. After graduating and getting a full-time job, my business continued to allow me to be creative and meet new people, which is what I love about it the most. It serves as an outlet when I’m feeling a bit stifled in a busy work life, even if I am only working on personal projects once every few months.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I got where I am today due to the encouragement of my friends and family, and the passion that I have for creativity. It has definitely not been an easy road, but it’s not one that I would trade for the world. The ups and downs have made me a better artist and person. I’ve learned that not everyone is going to like the work that you do and that’s OK. If you enjoy and love the work that you are doing, I think that’s the most important thing. My favorite part about what I do is telling stories through my work and meeting and learning about new people.

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.
A few of my favorite spots in LA are Uba Tuba — an acai place that my friend introduced me to where you get to pick all your toppings, SomiSomi — a soft serve spot that is so so good, and Ensoku Ramen in Santa Monica. I used to go to a lot of concerts pre-pandemic, so I’d also love to give a shout out to The Fonda, The Roxy, The Hollywood Bowl and The Forum for providing so much good music, and helping me discover new artists. A few exciting and fun places to check out are Silverlake Pool & Inn, Maru Coffee, Silverlake Reservoir, and any Farmer’s Markets you can find. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to dedicate my shoutout to a few people! First, my mom who has always encouraged me to do what I love and love what I do, and to not settle for less. Sara Tramp, who served as a mentor and friend to me throughout my first job outside of college, and who continues to support and be there for me for any questions or concerns I have about this industry. Emily Henderson, who was the most wonderful, kind and generous boss and who continues to believe in me and root for my success and propel me forward in my career. Last, but certainly not least, my friends from back home (you know who you are!) for being the most encouraging and supportive group of gals to be surrounded by. All of these wonderful women have been absolute rocks in my career, and I owe a lot of my success to them. I think that I would be an entirely different person — both creatively and personally — without all of them, and I am very lucky to be surrounded by such rockstars. 🙂

Website: https://www.veronicacrawfordphoto.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vnrcrawford_/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronicanrcrawford/
Other: support small businesses, donate to people in need, help in any what you can. https://linktr.ee/coolbeenart