I met Stephanie several years ago when her family moved to Tampa for a much too brief  stint. I am not only a huge fan of her work, but also her heart. Her work to me is so emotive, it makes me feel and that to me is the mark of a true artist. I have so much admiration for her commitment to being a mom and balance, something that I know I am constantly working to perfect. I am honored to call her my friend. Thanks Steph for being so open and sharing such valuable advice and insight with us. xoxo

We so love your brand, can you share with us how you came up with the name for your business?
Before I was a photographer, I worked in advertising and public relations for 10 years. When I began the business five years ago, most photographers used their namesake. I wanted to create a brand that was memorable, flexible and unique–yet still fitting as my work evolved over time. Lifeography was a great descriptor of what I was hoping to achieve. Authentic captures that were honest, with a focus on relationship.

You are so open and inspire so many people with your work, who inspires you?

Inspiration comes from many sources. These days, I think looking beyond the limited realm of photography is the best place to start. I admire authors, creatives, mothers, musicians–and my own family. The most inspiring people I know are authentic, brave, faith-filled and humble — plus many of them are amazingly talented.

What is your advice to someone who is just starting out?

From a technical perspective, it would be to shoot on manual and JPG only. Don’t even open photoshop until you are happy with what is consistently coming out of your camera. Photo editing is irrelevant (yes, this will take months and months). If you want to become a good photographer, you can start with the cheapest DSLR and 50mm lens you can buy. Then shoot. Learn the basics first. I guarantee that anyone who can do this will be a better photographer than 95% of their peers in just a few short years. Once you can produce an entire session of good work using just those tools, switch to RAW and learn how Photoshop can take your work to the next level. I wish someone had told me this.

For a philosophy, it would be to try to find your own way. Try on others’ styles as you are learning — this is an integral part of the journey. But don’t put yourself out there until you find what drives you and your portfolio isn’t mimicking others’ work. This takes time, but you will be a happier artist in the end.

Finally, learn things for yourself. Invest in your education whether through time, workshops or research–and temper your expectations of what should be given to you. Form a network of peers and walk the journey together. It’s much more gratifying to succeed this way.

One of the best things about owning a photography business is that it’s not one size fits all. How do you make photography the perfect fit for you and your family?

I make the business “fit” my family. It is not our primary source of income, so I have flexibility here. But, with three children five and under with a fourth on the way, my priority is my my loved ones. Early on, I spent a disproportionate amount of time on the business to the detriment of them, because I was “passionate” about it and just loved the creative outlet it offered. Without hesitation, I can say that living an unbalanced life did not bring me happiness–and in fact was quite selfish of me. Since then, I have learned to establish realistic business goals and work to achieve them within the time I allot myself for business. When that time is up, I’m done. My focus is 100% on my family. We are all better for it.

We know that it is important to you to give back and would love to hear more about the Give Ten Project.

The Give Ten Project is simply a name I gave to my philosophy of giving back: a commitment to give 10% of my time AND profits to causes greater than myself. The concept seemed like it could be universal, so I shared the idea. Mostly, it’s just that — a commitment photographers (or anyone) can make. There’s a logo and a web page, but really it’s just aligning with a philosophy versus an organization. I’d love to do more with it since I have so many ideas, but right now I focus on my own Give Ten projects and am grateful if they inspire others to do the same.

Do you have a favorite subject to shoot? If you had to give them all up and choose just one, what/who would it be?

If I absolutely had to just choose one thing, I’d give up my business and photograph my own children and family. They are my heart, my muse, my inspiration and a gift. That’s where it began and where it will end.

To see more of Stephanie’s work, visit her site. Did I mention what an amazing writer she is? Go see for yourself!