Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Pearce.
Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I always loved photos, even as a child. My Grandfather Harry was a wonderful photographer, back in the days of film and I used to sit for hours looking at his gorgeous black and white prints in heavy albums. I still remember 2 images vividly, one of my Grandmother in her 20’s, semi naked and oh so stylish yet sexy. It was kept in his private office that we used to sneak into just to peek at this naughty photo. The other was of my brother as a 5 year old learning to play the piano with such concentration on his face I could feel it. I don’t know why, but those images really stuck in my mind as capturing a moment so natural and yet so perfect.
Born and raised in England, In my 20’s I took a career break and I travelled the world for a couple of years and that’s when my love of photography really took hold. My husband James and I now live in La Jolla with our 4 boys, Harry, Barnaby, Archie and Wilfred and I am incredibly grateful to be living and working in a place I love to live.
We moved to San Diego in 2005 and once I had children I took more and more photos. Friends asked me to take photos of them and their kids, at birthday parties and events I was the go-to photo taker. Then 5 years ago a wonderful photographer friend said to me ‘stop having babies and come take photos with me’. She suggested I came along to shadow her on a shoot, she saw real potential in my work and believed this could much more than a hobby for me. I shadowed her for a few family sessions and a wedding. I loved every minute of it and never looked back. I will be forever thankful for that push my friend gave me, we now shoot big events together and we refer Clients back and forth.
I started Love Like Harry Photography in January 2013 mostly taking photographs of families – I always love the natural element of a shoot. As a mum of 4 young boys, having a fun-loving positive attitude is essential to surviving through the day! I like to think that I take this a relaxed positive attitude to all my family sessions and have a bit of fun. It just makes for better photos and a far better experience, so people can look forward to photo day and not dread it like so many do. I have a love for capturing the natural – to get folks to be themselves, I suspect this might be why so many of my clients end up as friends.
5 years on Love Like Harry Photography has really grown. I run a referral based business and while I still photograph many families, I shoot a real mix of photographs. I work with 3 great local interior designers, I shoot seniors, weddings, engagements, baby bumps, newborns and local business for product, space and headshots. The variety keeps my creative side on its toes and life is good. I work really hard and being blessed with 4 boys, I get to play hard too.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The challenge for me is balance and perspective, I strive for both every single day.
In the early days of Love Like Harry Photography, the learning curve was steep and broad. Start with all the IT stuff that goes with starting a small business such as setting up a website. Then there’s the business elements like setting your pricing, turning a profit. Of course, this is all on top of pushing myself technically and learning to take better photos – taking shots in challenging situations, doing a type of shoot I’d never done before. All these take mental strength but I’m not sure I would consider them a struggle, more a right of passage and one that will continue for years to come.
My life is super duper busy, but I’m not sure I could have it any other way and in the big scheme of things, my road has been unbelievably smooth and I am forever thankful.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Love Like Harry Photography is based in La Jolla, I am owner and photographer.
Running a referral based business means I stand 100% behind my work. I have strong work ethic and thoroughly enjoy people, so I always give 100% to my Clients.
I photograph a great variety of things, and always love a new challenge. My core business is all things family; kids, newborns, families, engagements, maternity. I like to shoot in good natural light with a relaxed attitude for honest natural fun pictures, making use of the beauty that surrounds us here in San Diego. My other specialty comes from a love of interior design and so I shoot for local interior designers who are not looking for standard real estate photos, but rather looking more for the artistic beauty in what they create that they can use for their websites and social media.
When Clients work with me they always get the digital copies of their images, so they are free to use them as they wish. That said, I do have a contract with a professional printer from whom clients can order. This approach meets all needs. I have an obsession with photographs in print, indeed, my walls at home are covered in wonderful prints, but as a business owner I feel that Clients should have the option to print how and where they wish at a price they wish to pay and this business model gets great feedback from clients.
What were you like growing up?
Oh my gosh, I’m not sure I am completely grown up yet, I feel like we are forever growing up, learning, changing!
I grew up in the beautiful rural English Countryside, it was a charmed childhood full of freedom, fresh air and good old fashioned fun.
I’m a Brit, so I have a deep dark sense of humor, I always smiled and laughed a lot, I love most things about life, I have always ‘worked hard played hard’, I am a thinker and a doer, so I have always been busy with everything from dreaming to delivering.
When growing up I played a ton of sport, studied hard, enjoyed a true love of all things water and perhaps most importantly I was cushioned by an amazing group of friends who played a huge roll in who I am today.
I feel like my parents gave me 2 great gifts, solid ground to tread and wings to fly,
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lovelikeharryphotography.com
- Phone: 8583425101
- Email: victoria@lovelikeharryphotography.com
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