Life and Work with Blue Newswander

Today we’d like to introduce you to Blue Newswander.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I introduce myself in person, I always say, “Hi! My name is Blue, like the color” because I know it is always the next question. I have always loved people and stories. My major is Cultural Anthropology: the study of culture and people. I love learning, and ultimately; I love sharing what I have learned.

I am a portrait photographer based in Arizona. I started in a high school class, which I was inspired to take because of how much I loved National Geographic. Their features on cultures and people I didn’t understand made me look deeper into myself and the people in the photos, and suddenly I could see the pride, love, kinship, confusion, familiarity, and humanity in people I would never know. I was absolutely floored that someone could help me understand a person through a still. In the high school photography class, I learned the basics of a camera and had some brief training in Lightroom and Photoshop. I immediately took to photographing my friends and family. Since I had an interest in this art for a while, I already had a Canon Rebel T3i. For the longest while, I wanted to be an elopement photographer and capture that intimate an untouched love.

I had one lens, one camera, and a lot to do.

After two years of school at Utah State University, and through years of practicing and learning, I was eventually hired by an amazing wedding photography studio in Utah for six months. I learned so much there about people and the business I was about to get into. After six months there, I had a family emergency and moved back to AZ, which helped me hit my RESET button. I realized I didn’t want to gear my work towards weddings and elopements, but people and their passions.

After almost four years of finding my way in the photography world, I am excited to go forward in this new genre: Branding Photography. I have already worked with local businesses, as well as Utah businesses, and I am currently creating some content with a business in Pennsylvania.

There is nothing more powerful than passion and influence. I am finding businesses and people who can be powerful and good. I want to be able to apply what I have learned about portrait photography into my major. One day, I will be featured in National Geographic. It will be because I have never stopped working, learning and sharing the powerful and influential people I have been, and will be, blessed to meet.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No woman trying to create a space for herself where she is the leader will tell you that it has been easy. I am no different. When I was younger, I just didn’t think that jobs, money, and leadership were for women. No one told me I couldn’t have those things, they just told me I “should want other things.” At 16 years old, I was legitimately torn between staying in religion I didn’t believe in, that told me my only worth was as a mom, and dropping everything I thought I might know and firing myself into the world to be bold and learn. I know that people do both, and they are so strong, but I just didn’t want to be a mom. I felt like my worth as a woman was diminishing, and that my worth was even becoming less feminine, in some way.

Four years later, and I am unbothered by what people tell me I should be or believe if it is anything other than “great.” And, even then, I am not “great” at all of my days. Sometimes, I am just good. But, I am creative. I am a survivor of things big and small. I am working, learning, and sharing. I am a woman. I am loud. I am valid. I am just going to keep doing my thing.

They tell you that the beginning is the hardest part of anything. But, for us girls, it is all hard. And, that is why we are strong. Nothing is easy for us, and yet everything is expected of us. Create your own expectations. Learn how to lift yourself up without paying any mind to those around you who choose to go in different directions. Pushing the women around you, who may have chosen different ideals, into the ground, does not make you fly: it makes you walk alone. Women need to support women. Support the women who choose differently than you, and when they fly, you will, too. Do not stop women who want to be powerful in the home. Do not stop women who want to be powerful in the office. Do not stop women who want to be powerful for good. And, most importantly, do not stop yourself. People are either on your side, by your side, or in your way, but no one can stop you. Move.

Please tell us about Blue Newswander Photo.
I am a portrait photographer. What sets me apart from other humans who photograph humans is that I want to capture candidacy, passion, and in the quality that it deserves. These ideals have served me well in every aspect of my life: be real, passionate, and work hard. Be quality, and give quality. I want to give businesses the social media content they deserve. I capture the people, the product they are passionate about, and the quality, all in one shot. I am proud of my work and I am always learning new things. People who have shot with me more than once always say they see improvement in my work, as well as those who have never shot with me and just observe. I am great with people, even the most awkward, and I love to give people content they can proudly present to people.

When you invest in your social media, your followers invest in your business. When you invest in your business, your business gives back. Whether it is by recommendation or purchase, investment is an investment. Invest in yourself and get the social media content you deserve. I work with everything from hair stylists, to apparel companies, to personal trainers. Your passion is my passion.

There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
Apply for everything. If you do not get the job or the internship, you still get your name out there. And, sometimes in applying for a job you are not qualified for, you gain a mentor anyway. Got to workshops for whatever your craft is. Write down ALL of your mistakes and ALL of your improvements. Make business cards. And, the one I have the most trouble with: keep up with your business’s social media. People need to have someone to actually follow, and people enjoy consistency.

Find your groove. Tell people what you do. Tell people what you want (more clients, a mentor, an office). If you’re still practicing, do your work for free or be honest about your skill sets and do not overcharge for the quality you are not capable of providing. If you know you are good enough to be paid, stand your ground. Be humble! If you come across an amazing mentor but you don’t seem like someone who they would want to teach because of your pride or lack of focus, that is a silly way of cheating yourself out of a learning opportunity. Always be ready to learn, and know that you are never done learning!

Pricing:

• Solo Session is $150
• Couples Session is $200
• Social Media Content/ Branding is Donation Based (free) until the end of May 2019

Contact Info:

• Website: bnewswander.com
• Email: bnewswander@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnewswanderphoto/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bnewswanderphoto/

Image Credit:
Paintings: Taia Newswander — tdoinanart.com & @tdoinanart, Hailey R Beauty — @haileyr.beauty, Indie Cords — @indiecords.co

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix 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.