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Member Spotlight - August 2011
Andrea Brewster
www.AndreaBrewsterPhotography.com
How long have you been a photographer and how did you get started?
Twenty years ago my best friend in high school was on the yearbook staff. One weekend we took a road trip and she brought her camera. I asked tons of questions and eventually she handed me the camera and told me to take a picture. She printed it for me and it was beginners luck. With my graduation money I bought the exact same camera (a Pentex K1000) and took 2 semesters of black and white film with darkroom in college. I loved it, but I will admit, I honestly wasn't very good. It never occurred to me that I could develop that talent and it certainly never occurred to me to turn it into a business. Eventually I quit taking pictures. But every now and then I would get it out and shoot a roll. 5 years ago my husband bought me my first digital camera (Canon XT) and I quickly realized it was not like riding a bike, I had forgotten everything! I went back to school again and thought, "when I'm done, I should be a really good photographer", and again I quickly realized I was just 'okay.' I feel it's important to have that traditional school background, however, my greatest growth has come exponentially by working with other great photographers! I hope I never outgrow that desire to want to work with other greats!
What is your specialty?
Newborns- delicious!, Weddings- I cry at every one!, and Families- making it pain free! So yes, I am a portrait photographer. Every once in a awhile I will do a maternity session or a high school senior, but mostly I just focus on those 3 areas.
What are your goals for your business?
My goals are constantly changing. I usually have a goal for marketing, a goal for education, a goal for office efficiency, get the idea? As soon as one goal is met I add a new one. Two and a half years ago I decided the best thing for me was to take out a business loan, so short term my priority is to be solvent. Once that happens I plan to have it pay for a really great family trip each year. Long term I would like it to be the supporting base of our retirement accounts. I do have a personal goal that intertwines with my business- I would like to teach. I have made tons of mistakes and I'm sure I have done everything the hard way. My hope is to help others along that learning curve.
What has been your most successful marketing effort to date?
I'm not a natural born marketer, but honestly, completely re-doing my website- www.AndreaBrewsterPhotography.com
(I chose to use a hybrid called a blogsite) was probably the best thing I've done so far! Making my site consistent with my packaging, business cards, post cards, contracts, etc has paid off! I love that I feel "branded." Most recently I've jumped into the world of advertising, joined a networking group, will be working with a doctors office, and I hope to be working with a local city Rotary... I'll let you know how it all works out!
Why did you join the AzPPA and what has been the best thing you have gotten out of being a member?
I joined AZPPA two years ago. I didn't know there was a professional organization of photographers. I had been struggling with editing my images and another photographer mentioned that Bob Coates was doing a meeting that night on editing. When I arrived it felt so good knowing there was a whole room of other photographers that I could get to know and I knew I had more to learn. AZPPA provides that platform. The best thing that has happened is that AZPPA has truly helped build my confidence as a visual creator. It doesn't matter where you are at, AZPPA has something for everyone!
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