Today we’d like to introduce you to Savanah Pool.
Hi Savanah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
How I got here is a long story. In short, I’ve always loved taking pictures.
Here’s the longer version…
My mom was a hobbyist photographer and would give me a camera to play with. As I got older, I would essentially put on my own styled shoots in our garden or shoot somewhere outside with my sisters or friends. I would often pose for my friends as well. When I was 18 years old, I worked at photography studio in the mall circa 2008. It was the studio where you’d go with friends and choose a background like bubbles, stars, hearts, etc. It was not super glamorous, but it was a fun job while I was in my first semester of college. At the time, I never thought photography could be a career option.
After college, I put my camera on the shelf and climbed the corporate ladder. Fast forward 8 years later, I came to a crossroads where I felt I lost the person I was. I used to be a creative and artistic person and now I was this strong businesswoman and was so stressed out all the time in such a demanding job. I felt I wasn’t living my life to the fullest. In the beginning of 2022, I decided I wanted to do what makes me happy, so that’s when I changed my mindset. I would make time for the things I like to do. I was going to concerts, taking pics, being outside, going to art museums, etc… It was a small rebellion against the last 8 years of my life where everything evolved around my work. I had no idea that small shift would have brought me to starting a business in photography. I know what you’re thinking, why couldn’t you have done that on the weekends or in your free time while still working my corporate job? There’s a lot of reasons, but at the end of the day, I’ve always been motivated to run my own business and give people unforgettable photographic moments.
That summer of 2022, my friend at the time and I would dress up and model for each other. We used her camera at the time. I had so much fun curating sessions and making art; I missed the creative person I was! I randomly walked in a camera store and walked out with a nice Sony camera. That’s when things started ramping up fast. I took free portraits of co-workers, friends, neighbors to start building my portfolio.
The morning of September 5th, 2022, I decided to register my LLC…without a business plan…really any plan. I just did it. After that, it got real, and it was time to go. Now that it was registered, it wasn’t just a dream; it was reality. That’s when I started working on the website, social media, continuing to build my portfolio, figuring out operating systems, photo delivery platforms…all the things. I was able to join a networking group of photographers led by Victoria Perez. Meeting her and its members helped me strengthen my understanding of photography, but also to establish healthy relationships with other photographers in the city.
I am really thankful I dove headfirst, and if you have a dream, I recommend you pursue it! You’ll figure it out along the way!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I would say that it’s been a fairly smooth ride with the business sides of things. The biggest struggle was losing a ton of friendships along the way.
Honestly, the biggest struggle is building a business while having my full-time job. It’s hard to sacrifice personal things while building the business. Often times, I stay up late night or wake up early to work on the business, when I could easily be going to the gym, cleaning the house…taking care of things that need to get done in my personal life. I know that this is short term, and all my hard work is going to pay off!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a wedding and family photographer. I am most proud of booking so many weddings in my second year in! I am also proud that I made a ton of new friends in the photography space!
I would say my work, plus my personality, sets me apart from a lot of photographers.
Alright, so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can work/support with me by inquiring through my website or simply reaching out via email and booking a session and or recommending me to friends and family! I love collaborating with other photographers and vendors in the wedding industry. Whether it’s going to each other’s styled shoots, shooting BTS videos of them, referring them when I am not available, or hiring my friends for second shooter opportunities. The best way to do that is simply sending me an email!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://savanahpoolphotography.mypixieset.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savanahpoolphotography?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
