Meet Larissa Stevenson of Larissa Jean Photography in Scottsdale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Larissa Stevenson.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Larissa. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always loved taking photos from a young age, back when disposable cameras and one-hour photo processing were all the rage. I’ve also always loved looking through all the photo albums in my family, seeing all the images of me and my twin sister and our two older brothers growing up, and remembering those forgotten moments because they were captured on film. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve gone through them, they always bring back special memories.

I’ll be honest, I never imagined I would have my own photography business! Several years ago when my husband and I first started dating and I was working long hours in retail, he asked me what my dream job would be. I told him how I loved taking photos and how I would love to become a professional someday, but the only camera I had was a tiny little point-and-shoot and no money to invest in gear. I had no idea what “someday” actually meant, it was just a far off dream. Our first Christmas together he bought me my very first DSLR. It was a beginner’s camera but it was a start. He just wanted me to get one step closer to turning a daydream into a reality.

Over the next couple years, I only used the camera to take photos of our vacations together, and our French bulldog, Denver, and I honestly had no idea what I was doing. I started following other photographers on social media, reading blogs, paying for online courses and watching free webinars as often as possible. I still had a lot to learn, but I finally got the courage to put myself out there, and I posted on my own social media that I was going to start my photography business. I had zero experience, but all of a sudden I had a plethora of friends and family that were excited to let me practice on them!

I even had a friend ask me to photograph her wedding, again with zero experience. She told me she had faith in me and knew that I would learn all I needed to know to capture her wedding day. I was blown away that I had so many people believing in me, and I slowly gained more and more clients, almost all through word-of-mouth. I started second shooting weddings with more established photographers and I made friends in the industry. I may be a one-person business, but I didn’t get to this point completely on my own. I don’t pretend to know everything!

I still have a ton to learn, and I’m always craving more experience. I think anyone starting and running their own business would say the same.

Has it been a smooth road?
No, definitely not! One of my biggest struggles is comparison. I’ve had my business for four years now, and while I have clients that book me because they love my style and my work, I sometimes still have trouble believing in myself because I’m always comparing myself to other photographers. I love looking at their work and getting inspired by them, but it can also lead to self-doubt at times. I think the best way to overcome this is to compare myself now to where I was when I started. I’ve come a long way and I continue to improve, and that’s all I can do. I can’t be other people and be myself at the same time, that’s impossible.

The other hard part is wearing all the different hats of being a business owner. I don’t get to just take photos and call it a day. I have to edit and do the marketing and the accounting and the blogging and the emailing and scheduling and a million other things (maybe an exaggeration but all the entrepreneurs out there know what I’m talking about). I still have a part-time job too, and it can be overwhelming and feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day.

I know I’m not alone and I’m very thankful for all the on-going support from my husband and friends and family. I realize the busier I am the more grateful I feel because it means my business is ultimately a success no matter how big or small!

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I am an engagement, wedding and family photographer based in Scottsdale, AZ. I love photographing couples and I love when I have the opportunity to capture milestone after milestone for them, from their engagement session to their wedding, maternity to newborn, and so on. It’s my dream to have lifelong clients, people who are so happy with the service and quality that I provide that they continue to hire me year after year.

The moments that make me feel the most proud are when I hear feedback from my clients. When they tell me that I made the session run smoothly because they had more fun than they thought they would or that I made it easier than they had imagined, that’s when I feel like I’ve done my job to the best of my ability. I’ve had clients tell me they’ve never seen their fiance look at them the way they did in their photos, and that it’s priceless that I captured that emotion for them.

I’ve had clients tell me that they cried while looking through their galleries because all the feelings of love and excitement that they felt on their wedding day came rushing back when they saw their photos. Hearing those things literally makes my heart happy and nothing compares to that for me!

It makes my heart happy because making my clients feel good about themselves, that’s my main goal and reason for doing photography. Satisfied clients are the number one thing for me, they keep me in business!

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes, I absolutely do! Considering how saturated the market is with photographers, I do believe this is a great city for starting a business like mine because there are millions of people that live here which means plenty of clients to go around.

We all have different styles and needs, photographers and clients alike, so there’s a little something for everyone. We have diversity in people, we have plenty of variety in locations, and there are so many entrepreneurs out here that we even have our own little community. It’s amazing!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.larissajeanphotography.com
• Phone: 928-362-8861
• Email: larissajeanphotography@gmail.com

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.