photography services – The Woman Wednesday Blog

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.

“I want others to know that it’s OK to do more than one thing. People thought I was crazy in college for playing more than one sport, and people think I am crazy now for having three jobs. I love what I do, and I enjoy all of it. If you can find a healthy balance, do everything. Be a jack of all trades. Know a little bit about all things.”

Q and A with Steph, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: It’s difficult for me to identify just one thing that I am passionate about. To start, my full time job is being a high school math teacher. I work in a small alternative school, and I find joy in encouraging my students and helping them to be comfortable and successful in a modified school setting. It’s challenging, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. There is nothing better than seeing a student succeed when others thought they wouldn’t.

Another passion that I put a majority of my time into is coaching. I am an assistant coach for a cross country team and a lacrosse team. I was a 3 sport athlete in college, so athletics are something that keep me driven and focused. I love being able to share my love of sports with others and helping them to learn life lessons through them.

Lastly, but certainly not least, is my passion for photography and videography. I, along with my fiance, run a small production company called Ollie Productions. When we first met, we discovered that we had serious overlapping loves for the arts and most things dealing with visual design. It was inevitable that a business would be formed between our skill sets and our shared joy of working with people. Our business is something that we love working on together and have found success in. We have the opportunity to help people promote businesses, capture weddings, and simply create.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I was very active growing up. I was always doing something. My parents and family were very supportive of this (driving me everywhere and bringing me wherever I needed to go). I believe that this formed who I am now. I love to be busy, and if I am not working or working out, I am planning my next move. Something that impacted me more growing up than I ever thought, was running cross country. It taught me that I was powerful in my own unique ways and that literally anything is possible if you put in enough work and effort. I understood that being successful is painful. There are sacrifices that need to be made, but it is possible. Growing a business with my fiance has not been easy, but putting in those extra hours and finding the time to plan our success has made it a fast growing endeavor. Most of my passions showed in me at an early age. Sports were an everyday thing that I loved to do, teaching was something that everyone else saw in me well before I saw it in myself, and my first camera as a kid pushed me to want to capture every moment in the way I saw it.

Q: What is something valuable you’ve learned that you’d like others to know?

A: There are two things that I think are important for everyone to know. Teaching has taught me an immense amount of patience. You truly have no idea what any person is going through or what their story is, so be patient and take everything with a grain of salt. I think it is important to remember that we are all different, and it’s important to learn as much as you can about others in order to be the best for them and yourself. The second thing is that you are more powerful than you think and more prepared than you know. If someone asks you to do something or be somewhere, it is because they believe in you. Believe in yourself, and everyone else will as well.

Q: What would you like others to learn from your story?

A: I want others to know that it’s OK to do more than one thing. People thought I was crazy in college for playing more than one sport, and people think I am crazy now for having three jobs. I love what I do, and I enjoy all of it. If you can find a healthy balance, do everything. Be a jack of all trades. Know a little bit about all things.

Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: Feminism to me is a broad and encompassing word. To me, it means empowering others and yourself to be our best in whatever situation. It means being kind and compassionate and loving, but also strong and willful and driven. To me, feminism means seeing where there are few females and asking why. It is being inquisitive and looking for changes where possible and wondering how if it’s impossible.

Our photo/ video website can be found at Ollieproductions.com.

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Q and A with Faith, White Marsh, Maryland

“Look back to when you were younger, and see if what you love now is what you loved back then. Often, the things we loved when we were kids are the things we have a true passion for.”

Q: What are you passionate about?

As a mom, wife, and a full-time manager, I have a very busy schedule every day! I love every minute, and yes, sometimes everything can go up then down, but it all seems to manage itself out. I love being a mom to a wonderful 10 month old as well as a stepmom to 2 kids- both 8 and 9 years old. I love every second I can be with them. I am a full-time manager with a company geared towards children for 9 years. I’m very thankful for the love and support of my husband, mom, and sister so that I can do what I truly love– which is photography. I have been a photographer for around 7 years, and I seriously started doing it as a business two years ago in 2016. Over these two years, I have grown so much. Photography is a skill you can learn and teach yourself by doing it hands on and watching videos. I started my passion of photography originally by shooting nature photography. I loved capturing the waterfront where I lived plus the woods and animals all around me. Especially when I went on trips, I loved taking my camera and capturing every moment. Photography can be so relaxing whether during a session or event or when editing the images.

I love all the support and feedback I get from not only family and friends, but from my loyal clients as well! Some have been with me since 2016 and through my growth. I hope they stick by me through many more years. I also hope to be full time with photography in at max 5 years and not just part time- like I am now. I would love to have my own studio one day. I do sessions and events for all kinds from family, newborn, maternity, birthdays, weddings, and much more! Recently, I started a new venture in my career and started shooting weddings! This has been a huge step to further my career, and I can’t wait for all the new adventures this brings me. If you ever need any photography done, you can contact me through my Facebook page Faith Nicole Photography. I’m located in White Marsh, Maryland, but willing to travel in Maryland or another state. I would love to capture your family memories for you to keep forever.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I come from of a family of three kids. As a middle child, I always found way to keep myself busy in addition to playing with my siblings and cousins. We lived an outdoor life, which consisted of always playing games, fishing, and anything under the sun. If I wasn’t outside, I was indoors playing school or doing arts and crafts (especially painting and drawing). I was a very shy and quiet kid when I was younger. I worked really hard in school and was mostly on the honor roll. I graduated in 2010 from Eastern Tech High school where I was a part of the culinary program. After high school, I didn’t go to college like most of the kids I graduated with. I wanted to, but I really wanted to work and become independent. I wanted to make sure I could pay for what I wanted and needed without having to ask my parents for it. Even now, working full-time, plus running my own business, I work very hard not only to support myself, but also my family. I think being so creative and independent when I was younger helped me grow to where I am now and it especially has helped with running my own business. I still have a lot to learn, but as I tell others, you can only learn best by doing it and trying.

Q: What would you like others to learn from your story?

A: The most important thing to know is to always follow your dreams and passion. Even when I get discouraged and want to give up, I always try to remind myself that it will all work out. I look back at my work from the past, and I honestly cringe to see how different and little I knew back then. I’m still learning until this day about how to take photos. I even have severely upgraded my equipment from a simple cheap camera to now a professional DSLR camera along with a lot of other equipment, props, backdrops and more. I will grow and grow every year the more I practice and work on my passion. I organize throwbacks next to current work to show my clients and others the difference from time to time. I love and appreciate my clients that have stayed with me throughout my growth, and I truly appreciate it from the heart. Basically what I’m saying is… don’t give up as it will be a struggle at times, but you will make it through. Keep working on everything you want, and you will get it one day! Despite a bad review here or there, you will get many more good reviews. Keep doing what you love, and I support you along the way too!

The best way to learn from my story is look back to when you were younger, and see if what you love now is what you loved back then. Often the things we loved when we were kids are the things we have a true passion for. Mine was photography throughout the years among doing many other things such as girl scouts, soccer, gymnastic, karate, and being an adventurous and crafty kid. Even through high school and then when I started working, I always admired photography and seeing everything in a creative point of view. In 2016, my passion clicked in my head, and I started doing what I loved to do again. I enjoyed seeing the faces and reactions of my clients once they saw their images. Now with the growth I have had, the reactions are even greater, and I hope they will be further down the road. Doing what you love to do will make your life that much greater. But to add to that, it is your family and friends who make it even much greater. Capture those memories forever, because everyone grows up too fast and changes. I love being able to capture the memories for all people to keep and look back on years from now, and for your kids and grandkids to see many, many years from now.

Tag: photography services

Woman Wednesday: Steph

Woman Wednesday: Faith