Today we’d like to introduce you to Sierra Palkovic.
Sierra, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My passion for capturing the world and the people who inhabit it started at a very young age. My mother was a professional photographer most of my life. I watched her capture love, happy tears, momentous occasions and mostly every day life of me and my family. There was something so special about the photos she took of love and the way her clients cherished them, but the ones I loved the most were of friends and family. I realized photography seized the quiet moments, where all of life stood still for just a second; moments of women falling in love all over again, and grandmothers seeing the future in their grandchildren’s eyes. My mother would photograph our pets and all the love and light they brought into our homes, and the sun rays that strewn across our faces as we slept. In between all the love and beauty my family went through a divorce, not just of my parents but two whole families who were like continent drifting apart. All those photos reminded me though, that life isn’t bad or good. It was made up of moments, grey area, as some would say. But in my eyes, it was made up of billions of colors, and smells, and warmth and chills. She captured that in those photos, and I believe that our families love has lasted so long because of those photos. They were memories that told a whole story in our hands. Even though life isn’t the same those photos still bring me to happy places.
I had always followed my mom around begging her to use one of her cameras, then in high school, I received one of my own. I captured it all; the good, bad, and ugly of life. I took a black and white film photography class and learned all the nitty-gritty. I loved that photography could be more than a button. My work was captured by my eyes and then produced by my own hands. I saw all of it unfold in front of me. Working with film was and will always be one of my favorite things in the world. To watch your image appear in a dark room with that red hue can be so magical. Even when the photo was not what you thought it would be, I was proud to produce a photo of my own.
As I graduated from high school, I overworked myself between college and trying to make money of my own. I had fallen into the overwhelming world of “adulthood”. I thought I had to give up photography and my art to make room for work and more schooling. I was also told to do something smart with my life, something that would be secure and make me enough money to be comfortable. I gave up a lot within those years, not just my hobbies but a lot of myself as well. I was doing everything my family had told me I should do! I was being smart with my time. I was studying to be a nurse; since I have always been the caretaker type. But I had lost all creativity. I was no longer an individual. I felt lost because I was not taking care of the people around me in the right manner.
This last year, I have been pushing myself to do what makes me most happy. As a Virgo, and a daughter of a family who has struggled to keep it all together, it has been challenging to take this leap; to fully believe in myself and what I can produce as a photographer.
I want my work to pull you in, to hold you close enough that you can feel the sunlight on your own face, or smell the cookies baking through the photo, to make you think of the man you love by looking at the couple I have captured. I want the happiness and joy to radiate. I want all of my future clients and all those around me to know that photos aren’t just for the special days but for every day. Because I know I am not the only one running around this world trying to create more time within a 24 hour day.
Photos create time that has never been lost, nor created. They make us pause and bring us back, they make us fall in love all over again, or remind us of who we are and who we want to be.
A photo made me take this leap of faith! December 2018, I had photos taken of myself. Those photos made me think, who am I? Who am I going to be? Where have I been for the last few years?
So, I jumped, and I now own my own photography business. It won’t be easy, there are plenty of sharp rocks at the bottom of this jump, but I love what I do; I always have. So, for now, I am going to soak up being a nanny and loving each moment of all the babies I can get my hands on. And I am going to continue capturing each smile, each ray of light, the first tears you cry as a mother, the moment you see your bride, meeting your new puppy, or even a Sunday morning bundled up with your love. Because you can touch this world in so many ways, and I plan to connect through my lens!
Has it been a smooth road?
My journey has been much like the mountains I love to climb. There is always switchbacks that are going to make you miss the warmth of your tent, but what is at the top of that mountain is the goal. Without struggle, you can not produce the best results you know you are capable of.
But real talk, I have had plenty of struggle: money struggles, doubt, time management, a lack of knowledge, the list goes on. The world spins so fast today you feel like you have to be at a full sprint to keep up sometimes. It is hard to imagine that somehow I can stand out in a sea of people who can make any photo look gorgeous with one push of a button. How can I stand out when the world is so small, when money is scarce, people are extremely competitive and time waits for no man? Honesty, integrity, and realness. Who I am will not change with the trends, my heart will always choose light, and my words will always be honest and true. I believe when you are genuine, you uphold your promises and others can see the value in your work you will always be successful.
In the simplest terms; believe in yourself. I know that sounds so cliché but to stand strong, and be bold is hard in such an opinionated world, but if you can be yourself in a world made up of people trying to be someone else you will stand out!
I have learned that the only words worth sharing are true, candid, real moments and I think the same thing goes for photos as well. Photograph a moment that you would want to stare at forever, not what you think might make you popular. When you photograph your clients focus on them and their needs, capture the people that they are, don’t photograph for your Instagram feed or for a magazine you have been trying to get into. People will fall in love with your work because they love what you represent and how you portray that.
That has been my biggest struggle, and I still struggle with trying to find who I am, who I want others to know, and what I honestly believe in. I want my photos to be worth more than words. I hope to capture life its self, to keep in your pocket. So that you can look back at these moments within the years that have long been gone and somehow travel back to feel it all over again. I am going to strive to capture who you really are, in your own style without compromising mine.
Even with finding my style, money problems, and knowing that I can not please everyone, I realize that this is my journey, and time is but a construct. I choose every day to wake up and try. That is all I can ask of myself and little successes are everyday triumphs. Some days, I am going to feel like I have accomplished so much, that I am keeping up with society and that I might actually make it in the world doing what I love. And the days that I feel like I can not make it one more step, I am going to remind myself of the top of that mountain and look back at all of my past struggles and how I made it through.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Sierra Fields Photography story. Tell us more about it.
I am a photographer as well as a full-time nanny! I juggle life between baby cuddles, capturing clients and beautiful landscapes, and being a dog mom and girlfriend. Within 2018, I contemplated exactly what I would like to base my photography career. When I really thought about it all, it was an easy choice to focus on love and adventure! My favorite place to work is outdoors and to photograph elopements, adventurers or outdoor brands would be my dream.
I can’t say that I actually specialize in anything specific yet. I love photographing people, and landscapes but I take all types of photos. Being a nanny I take tons of photos of the babies I get to watch, and of course lots of my dog and my boyfriend, but I think some of my favorite photos are when I wake up before the sun and get to take in the world right before it wakes up! I would love the opportunity to capture a couple in love during sunrise on the top of my favorite mountains or beside a lake.
Since I am still pretty new to the scene as a professional photographer, I don’t think I am known at all really. I grew up in Los Angeles and moved to North County about four years ago; so I am newer to the San Diego community. Although it is a little nerve racking and overwhelming to not have very many people within the San Diego community know my name, I am using this time to really get to know the community and intentionally introduce myself and my business. It is a great fresh start, so to say. I get the chance to really let my true individuality stand out, allow people to know who I am today and what my work looks like now.
As a photographer, I am most proud of my ability to stick to my style. It is so easy to get lost in the trends, color schemes, and what is popular now. But I am photographing what is present today, and I strive to capture my client’s style and personalities while staying true to myself and being genuine. I take the time to get to know my clients and what locations would best fit them. I then scout out all location options. I spend the time to ensure the quality of my photos and my service. This is not just a photo shoot for strangers I so happened to meet, it is a moment within their life that they can remember together, a moment when we all make new friends and get to create beautiful photos. I am proud to say that I strive to make each of my clients feel as though this is more than just photos but an experience to share with the people you love in the places you love. Beyond the locations and fun with clients, I hand edit each photo individually, because I believe that each one deserves the attention. I hand select the design for the online photo gallery and I walk clients through downloading and ordering photos. I pride myself in customer service and knowing that the people I get to meet along the way feel taken care of.
Although there are a lot of phenomenal photographers out there, I know that I put my whole heart into my work. My clients know that I am not happy with my work until they are happy. And my work reflects myself but more importantly my clients. I capture the love and the beautiful moments but also all the in-between moments. Because what is life if it is not the deep belly laughs and sneaky side kisses, or the dog snatching the s’mores and your little boy being a boy! Those are the moments to get.
Do you have a lesson or advice you’d like to share with young women just starting out?
Well, considering I am a young woman starting my career I think I would like to first remind myself and everyone else that there is great worth in knowing your own worth!
I really struggled with this because I am such a people pleaser. I wanted to make everyone I knew feel like I loved them but I ended up giving away so much free time, photos, and even some of my confidence. At the end of the day, I, unfortunately, had to step away from some friendships because there was no real support behind them, and no one wants to feel taken advantage of. I allowed others to take advantage of my generosity; almost to the point of second guessing my capabilities and talent. Once I found my strength and stood strong in my worth others started to agree. They saw the value of my work and had no problem paying, some even encouraged me to raise my prices and others have been sharing my work on Instagram without me even asking. I think people see what you essentially present to them. If you are second guessing yourself or having a hard time giving prices without having to explain yourself others are going to wonder if you are worth their time as well. You have to be proud of who you are, even when you have doubtful moments. It is ok to be working out the kinks and figuring out exactly what you are worth, but when you present it to others: friends, family, and clients; it needs to come from a confident standpoint.
To all the amazing women who are just now following your dreams, whatever age you are, you can do this. I think one of the best things you can do for yourself is to hold yourself accountable and invest in yourself and your business. You are much more likely to stop considering your dream as a hobby and make it a business if you throw some money towards it. Make sure to educate yourself, go to some creative collective meetings, do a mentorship with a photographer you look up to, take classes in wood shop, whatever is going to help you take yourself more seriously. And do not be afraid to ask questions! There will be plenty of people out there who will tell you to figure it out yourself or just ignore you, but then there are those who will give you amazing opportunities or even just be there to talk when you are doubting yourself.
Lastly, one of the most important pieces of advice, connect with your community and your support system! Find a group of dreamers just like you and support each other. I know the world is so competitive today, but I honestly believe that community over the competition is the only way that small businesses can get bigger. We all have talents we can bring to the table, and we can all learn something from each other. It also helps to have a support system who understands exactly what you are going through, struggles and triumphs alike. It has helped immensely to have other photographers to speak with and to have a small group of friends and family who have supported from the beginning. Even when I was doubting myself, my community lifted me up and made me see what I am capable of creating and what I bring to the table.
Contact Info:
- Phone: (818) 857-7257
- Email: sierrapalkovic.j@gmail.com
- Instagram: @sierrajpalkovic
- Facebook: fb.me/sierrafieldsphotography
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
