Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Turk.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Sometimes, things need to fall apart in order to fall into place. There’s a quote by Deepak Chopra that says, “All great changes are proceeded by chaos.”, and that’s exactly what had to happen to put me on my current path.
Let me rewind to Spring of 2016. At this point in my career, I had owned a boutique spa for 12 years. I was surrounded by wonderful clients, amazing family and friends and was, for the most part, a very happy, bubbly, positive person. On the flip side, I was turning 31, ending an unhealthy relationship that included weekends filled with drugs, alcohol and fighting. Have you ever reached a point in your life where you were just pissed off and fed up? Well, March 7, 2016 (my 31st birthday) was that point for me. I had finally had enough of the party scene. I was disappointed with myself and my choices. I was exhausted. I knew I needed to do something different, I just didn’t know what.
I got down on my hands and knees and prayed. I prayed for change. I prayed that if I were to meet a man that I would be just as happy with him as I was alone. I prayed for my perfect partner. The Universe heard me. Long story short, I started dating a guy I had been friends with for four years. He was in the military and got orders to move to Hawaii. After 3 months of dating, I sold my business and bought a one-way ticket to a place I had never been before.
I laugh when I tell people this, but I am being serious when I say, “I had to move to an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean where I didn’t know one person to figure out my shit”! I had no idea the journey I was embarking on, and most of the time, it’s probably better that way!
I lived in Hawaii for 3 ½ years. I spent a lot of time alone since my ex-boyfriend went into work every day. I spent most of my time healing. Healing from childhood trauma, unlearning habits that weren’t serving me or my relationships. I read a lot of books. I learned about real estate and business and built some really amazing friendships. I got my sweet pup, Koa. I became a better version of myself.
My morning routine consists of gratitude journaling, meditation, and EFT Tapping. In the beginning of 2019, I prayed for clarity. My journaling shifted from what I was grateful for to powerful “I AM” affirmations. Affirmations of how I wanted to feel, who I wanted to be around, and how I wanted to show up in the world. My ex and I decided to end our relationship in September. I believe he was put into my life to provide a place of healing for me. And that’s exactly what he did. The time had come for me to move on to the next chapter of my life and it wasn’t going to be in Hawaii with him.
October 26, 2019 is when I moved back to San Diego. I lost my relationship, my home, the real estate business we built, and my friends. I left all my belongings except for three suitcases, a few boxes, some credit card debt, and Koa.
My parents lovingly welcomed me back into their home as I transitioned back to mainland life. Shortly after I arrived, I was studying to get my CA real estate license. But something didn’t feel right, so I spent some time “reverse engineering my life”. I asked myself these 4 questions: 1. What kind of lifestyle do I want to live? 2. What do I like doing? 3. What am I good at? 4. How can I make money doing it?
I want freedom and adventure. I want the ability to travel and work from anywhere. I have always been interested in photography. So, I signed up for a 3-month photography class and bought myself some camera equipment!
I am a lover of people, and I love entrepreneurship. I love building people up and making people feel good about themselves. I love learning about people, where they’ve been, what they’re doing, where they’re going and what makes them tick. I love being the light in people’s lives.
Then we entered a pandemic. COVID-19 took over and shut everything down. I actually think this was a blessing in disguise for me. My life had already fallen apart, so nothing really changed for me. What I do have is my health, my dog and my family! My time in Hawaii was me letting go, and I have used this time during quarantine to become more of myself without outside opinions or feedback. I have spent most of my time alone, really alone. I’ve used this time to go inward to figure out who I really am and what I really want out of life, it’s been nice.
These past four years of working on myself bleeds into everything I do. I have always had a way of connecting with people. My mission is to create a safe space for people to shine and be who they really are. Since I have taken the time to show up for myself through meditation and other daily rituals, I am so much more aware and present in my life, which allows me to be present in other’s lives.
I love supporting people and their dreams. I love making people feel comfortable so they can relax and be themselves. There are so many different and wonderful types of personalities on this planet and we should all be given the opportunity to be accepted. I love the sound of laughter and I love making people smile with my infectious energy.
Being a photographer allows me the opportunity to meet so many different people. I get to learn about them, their business and life. I have the ability to showcase their dreams to the world. Photographs tell a story; they evoke a feeling. And that’s what I aspire to do through my work – tell a story and evoke a feeling. We all have a story to tell. Our story is what connects us with others. And by me sharing mine, I hope others feels safe to share theirs.
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?
Absolutely not! But that’s life. Life is filled with highs, lows, and everything in between. I feel like I’ve spent most of my life chasing happiness. I’ve been looking for love in all the wrong places (lol) when all I had to do was look within.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Photographer in Heels story. Tell us more about the business.
I specialize in headshot, branding and lifestyle photography for business owners. I help create custom content for their website and social accounts. The best compliment I receive often is how comfortable I make people feel, how I’m able to capture my client’s true personalities through my photographs, and how fun I make a photoshoot. I truly love human connections and thrive off watching people succeed at their craft. What I’m most proud of would be me bringing in my years of experience in business and personal growth. My ability to be present and aware is what allows me to connect with my clients and provide them with quality images.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’m not sure I believe in good or bad luck. I believe in attitude. I believe that what we choose to focus on is exactly what we’ll manifest into your life, good or bad. I believe that we create our own reality. I believe that we’re all here to serve a purpose and until you figure it out, life will probably be somewhat of a struggle. My life has gone in waves of highs and lows. I’m really sensitive to who I surround myself with and where I spend my time. The better choices I make, the better quality people I surround myself with and the healthier my environments, the better my life and work gets! Like DUH! So I’m learning to take control of my life and only do things that serve where I want to go, even if that means me having FOMO.
Pricing:
- Headshots: 1-hour shoot. Includes unlimited outfit changes and 5 edited images. $95
- Branding/Lifestyle: 2-hour shoot that includes unlimited outfit changes and 20-25 edited images. $350
Contact Info:
- Address: 4660 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92122 - Website: https://photographerinheels.com/
- Phone: 619-742-2635
- Email: vanessa@photographerinheels.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photographer_in_heels/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photographerinheels/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/photographer-in-heels-san-diego?osq=photographer+in+heels
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