Patty's Photographic Journey, Paramedic Insights, and The Roam Collective Project

Welcome to 'Your Photography Podcast'! In this episode, join us as Patty takes us on a captivating journey through her photographic world. Delve into her background, exploring the roots of her passion and the unique twists her journey has taken. From her favorite photography genres to the intriguing intersection of her work as a paramedic and its impact on her artistic vision, Patty shares insights that will inspire you.

Discover the exciting details of Patty's recent collaboration with The Roam Collective, unraveling the story behind this compelling project. Dive into her thoughts on lenses, gaining valuable perspectives on the tools that shape her visual narrative. Want to see Patty's incredible work for yourself? Find out where you can view her photography online.

Tune in for a rich conversation beyond the lens, offering a glimpse into the artistry and stories that define Patty's photographic prowess. Whether you're a seasoned photographer or just starting, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about capturing moments.
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Transcript

You welcome to your photography podcast, where we immerse ourselves in the diverse world of creative expression with photography and sometimes videography, unveiling insights from portraits and weddings to the heart of what I truly cherish, adventure, sports, photography and the vibrant tapestry of an active lifestyle. Whether you've been following my adventures or you're new to fstops and shutter speeds, this podcast is your gateway to a treasure trove of knowledge and insights. Together, we'll explore the art of working with clients, brands, capturing the essence of families, athletes, models and products.

This isn't just about capturing moments, it's a guide to Mashable storytelling through your lens. Join us as we explore the intricate facets of photography as a business, uncovering the invaluable tips and tricks of the trade. Learn from our shared experiences, the highs, the lows, the transformative moments that have shaped our path.

This podcast isn't just for photographers, it's a sanctuary for those hungry to deepen their understanding of photography and videography. Whether you're a seasoned pro or you're just starting to find your creative expedition, get ready for a captivating exploration of the art, the business, the spirit of photography. Creativity can be your vehicle and your passport to endless possibilities.

Let's embark on this adventure together. Be sure to subscribe and follow for every episode. What's up guys? Thanks for joining your photography podcast.

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Welcome. Today we have an extraordinary guest on our podcast, the talented and adventurous Patty Valencia. Patty is not your average photographer.

She's also a paramedic. And when she's not saving lives, she's behind a lens, capturing the essence of adventure and lifestyle. A first generation South American hailing from southern California, Patty has spent over a decade honing her skills in photography.

Join us as we delve into her journey from paramedic to passionate photographer, exploring her commitment to adventure, love for the outdoors, and the infectious goofiness that defines her spirit. Get ready for a captivating conversation with Patty Valencia. Welcome, Patty.

Thanks for joining us. Yeah, thank you. Why or what do you enjoy most about photography? Like, how did you get started? What's your story? Yeah, so I think that when I was in high school, I kind of always had a camera with me.

And then as I went into college and traveling, I just always had a camera. And I didn't realize that that was such a huge part of me until my sister shared a paper that she had written for one of her english classes at her university. And she was like, hey, I just really want to share this with you.

And the entire thing was about me and my camera and how I would always carry this thing around and capture these goofy moments. And back then, which I can't believe I'm saying back then, it was film, primarily because we're so digital now, but it was the excitement of, I think, for me, it was always exciting to capture these things. And then, okay, I'd send it off to whatever, because I didn't ever do film, like, in a room or anything.

And the excitement of seeing what did I get and reminiscing on that moment. And so I think when I read that letter in my younger twenty s, it kind of was like, oh, I do always carry my camera. I am always capturing these moments in time.

And so I then was like, I wonder if I should dive into that a little bit more serious. Those are times that I'm the most happy. And so I just started kind of like, learning off the cuff, started talking to people who shoot at the time.

Again, I was on a film camera that got stolen out of my car, and so that forced me into digital. So then it was like, oh, my God, digital was like mind blowing at the. So.

But then learned. So here we are. And then worked in a studio for a little bit in California, which was a lot of fun.

I learned a lot of things there and then just kind of progressed to action and lifestyle photography. Right on. So did you, were you doing all this when you were in California? Yeah, so I started in California, raised and grew up in Southern California and San Diego, and through a lot of weird, which would be an entire other podcast, made my way to the midwest, lived in this tiny, janky little town called Joplin for a long time, and then made my way up to Springfield, Missouri, and then back over to where I live now in Bentonville, Arkansas.

So it's been quite the journey for me. I'm still here in the midwest. I would love to get pulled back to the west, but I guess some people would argue that Arkansas is a part of the south.

I don't really know or care, but yeah, it all started in California and then out here I got into action photography because mountain biking has become such a big thing here in Arkansas. And one day I was just doing primarily portraits at the time, and one day I was like, I wonder. I was getting kind of bored with the portraits because, I don't know, it's just what I did and I wanted to try something different.

And so I went to a race. Yeah, I was going to say portraits tend to be like kind of the same thing over and over. It's very monotonous in a way, and I can see, and I also know with the active lifestyle type of photography, there's a lot of spontaneity in it.

Your settings are different. You're now capturing this thing that's going incredibly fast, doing things in the air. And I think I found that a little bit more intriguing.

I had started to try and change the way portraits were done at the time because I was like, this is kind of boring. How can I change this? But then I fell into adventure, outdoor lifestyle, rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, all of the surfing photography, I mean, all of it, I was like, this is what makes me excited. It's so challenging, it's so diverse.

So, yeah, I think that I kind of like to marry the two of lifestyle and action because I still love. So I did portrait photography, but then I started getting into documentary photography and just capturing family stories. And I think this is where the importance of being a paramedic now for eleven years and a photographer has really kind of taught me a lot because, and I always hate saying this to families, but so bluntly, like, you're going to die.

You're going to die. Yeah, I know for a fact. I've seen it.

And your kids one day are going to pull out that photo and look and say, oh, my God, I remember mom used to put me in that shirt. Or do you remember that little toy in that corner? Do you remember when? And all of those things that photos can really bring back to you. It's almost this connection with a thing in the past can become present with you.

And I really enjoyed, right before I started getting into action, I started doing more storytelling within families. And it was such a beautiful thing to just spend a day with a family doing something that was a ritual for them, and then sitting with the family afterwards and hearing the parents even being like, oh, my God, I didn't realize my daughter looked at me that way when I talked to her. Or, oh, that's my son taking food off the counter when I'm cooking.

He does that every single time. And so on the back end, I love still doing that because I think that's so important to have those key moments in time that you're going to hold onto for generations that tells your family stories, but then face fronting business wise. I love doing action and lifestyle because it's just challenging and it's fast paced and you have to get up and go and you're outside and you're in the elements.

I think paramedic has kind of put me in both of those. Right. Because in paramedicine, you are constantly going changing in the elements, but then also slowing down and realizing the preciousness of life and that in an instant it can be all gone.

And that's it. End of story. And it's kind of like this weird, mind blowing, like, oh, my God.

Yeah. And so I think in a weird way, paramedicine has kind of weaved its way through my shooting in the way I capture and the way I think about things and go about it. No, that's really cool.

And I almost feel like I kind of wasn't really thinking about this. But given that you have some medical background or being a paramedic and everything, that probably gives you a bit of an upper hand on working with people in the active lifestyle kind of scene because stuff can go sideways and people get hurt. And so I don't know if that you've ever maybe seen that when you're doing a shoot, but I just feel like that gives you like, hey, I can save your life a little bit, maybe, or at least attempt to yeah.

I truly thought getting into action photography would give me that leg up that producers or marketers would be like, oh, she's also paramedic. It actually hasn't, I mean, people are like, okay, cool. I always say to my athletes, I'm like, hey, just so you know, I'm also a paramedic.

And they're always like, oh, thank God. And I laugh and I'm like, yeah, I can call 911 calmly, yes, it's broken. But it hasn't really yielded this extra, hey, this is an extra thing I have.

I think I just bring that skill there. And people are like, okay, cool. I also think it might be because people don't still fully understand the capabilities of a paramedic, which is really funny.

I think they're like, cool. What does that mean? And it's fine, whatever. But I really did think that that would be like my pitch.

Like, hey, hire me. I'm also a medic. And people would be like, thank God.

But everyone's been like, okay, cool. Yeah, Patty's a know, which has come in handy on I have, it has helped where they're like, oh, yeah, Patty's a paramedic. Patty, come over, know, and the leg is over, you know? Yeah.

But it's not as much of a selling point. I thought it would maybe, I don't know, maybe I should keep leaning into it. No, I think you're, and I, I kind of relate to it in a different way, but I think there's that much more of a disconnect with.

So I have a bunch of military background and I've been trained in like TCCC and stuff like that. And when they do that training, they kind of put a bit more of a stressful environment, like someone's yelling at you while you're trying to put a tourniquet on or whatever. And it's just kind of interesting.

I mean, I know how to plug a bullet hole, I guess, but I don't really know how to maybe splint someone's leg really. Well, if anyone here gets shot, we're okay. Yeah, but anyway, I digress.

Anyway, so back to photography. I really love your work, and I'll plug it or put it in the show notes, your website and stuff. Do you have a favorite look? Do you have a favorite discipline in the active lifestyle type, scene or lens? Yeah, all the things.

I think one of the things, maybe this is for me, maybe other people do it. I just love capturing authentic moments. And so when I have, like, let's say a brand is like hey, we want you to shoot this shoe.

Whatever. Yes. I'll get, like, your classic commercial.

Here's your shoe. But I love looking back and capturing the story. Why is this thing, why do we want to purchase this? How does it make our life better, happier, more faster on the trail or whatever? And so when I have my models, I just let them do their thing, and I just move around them and I ask them, what is running for you? What does that process look like for you? And they're like, oh, okay, well, first.

And so then I just capture it, and I love that a little bit more. So I think a lot of those photos on my website was really me just hanging out with surfers, mountain bikers, whatever, rock climbers, just like us hanging out, and then me just kind of slowly backing out of the situation and capturing it as it unfolds. And I love that too, because you never know where it's going to take you.

You don't know where the story is going to end up. And I think that it brings about a more authentic feel to the brand and the situation versus. I have been on some sets where the producer is like, okay, I want you to stand here.

Stand here. All right, Patty, capture this. And they're, know, mid swallow or whatever, and that's fine, too.

I just love the little bit more organic movement in that. So that is what I try to lean towards when I shoot any kind of lifestyle brands or action. I just let the athlete do their thing.

I'm like, just, you do your thing. And with, like, mountain biking, sometimes I'll have them run a section just so I can see what it is, how they treat that section. Because in my mind, I might treat it one way when I ride, but they might treat it another way.

And so sometimes I'll ask them like, hey, do you mind just hitting that berm or that tabletop or whatever? I just want to see what you do, and then I can visualize, okay, I want to actually stand here or I want to do this or use this lens. And so the same thing with any action, if there's a spot where I can have them kind of repeat that space. Sometimes, especially with an athlete, I'm just kind of starting to work with.

Ask them to like, okay, I want to see what you do in this place. What, is that natural for you? Or can we push the limits a little bit? Can you try this? And so, yeah, I try to make it a little bit more relaxed. What is natural for you as far as lenses go? The 7200 is my absolute I will carry that thing even though it weighs 1000 pounds because I'm shooting with Nikon, so I don't have the lighter one.

I love that lens. I love it for so many reasons. I think the depth of field is beautiful on it.

I think the reach is perfect. Occasionally I would love a longer reach, but I don't know. Trying to carry that around on a bike or hiking is kind of a pain.

And then the 24 to 70 is my second favorite, especially with lifestyle, because you have that wide range of coming in tight, but also like a really nice wider look to kind of showcase the whole story. And because I love that. I recently have just been carrying around a 24 millimeter prime and that's like my, if I'm just hanging out or with friends and I just want to capture us playing or doing whatever, I just love that lens.

I think it's the perfect storytelling lens. It's wide, it has really good depth of field on it. And I don't know.

I really love the 24. And it's small. It's like a little pancake lens.

So I'm carrying a mirrorless z 72 from Nikon. And so having a smaller lens on that makes it feel a little bit more pointy and shootier if I can use words that don't exist. And so then I kind of like that.

I like the little bit more. Just take it out, grab a few cute snips and put it back without it being like a big, like, oh, this is amazing. And people are like, what are you doing? Yeah, it's not in your face.

Yeah, that's cool. Yeah. I guess that kind of leads into the next question that I usually ask is you have a favorite project or a recent project that you've done that you're really super stoked about.

Your work is amazing. It's cool. Thank you so much.

I feel like last year I didn't shoot as much. I kind of took the year and stepped back. We launched a 90s themed ice cream trailer, and so I kind of leaned into that a little bit.

Oh, that's cool. Yeah. But shameless plug.

Oh, snap. Ice cream. And so I kind of thankful.

I'm thankful I took a year to just do a few select projects because now I'm ready to just get out there and capture a big project I'm working on right now that. Really, really excited and so honored for the opportunity. I'm working with a nonprofit called the Rome Collective.

So Rome events or Rome festival, is an all femme mountain bike festival. It's like one of the only kinds, really in the world, because it's not like a clinic that you come to. It's literally a three day, insane, wonderful festival that is uplifting.

It's fun. And to watch all of the outdoor industry come together and say, we are going to just uplift these femme identifying women all weekend long. They started a nonprofit, and one of the sectors and goals for that, besides getting more BIPOC people on bikes, is what we're calling a media corps.

And so the whole purpose of this is to develop a program where we can help widen the field of getting women and women of color shooting in the outdoor industry. And I think what a lot of people don't realize is women make up less than 1% of photographers in the outdoors. Women of color are even less than that.

And the LGBTQA plus, the entire Alphabet, as I say, is even less than that. And so as we think about diversifying and widening the field, how do we get more people into that arena and help connect the dots for them to these marketing and businesses? And how do you do the whole thing? And it's something that I wish I could have had ten years ago. And so I'm kind of really running it based on what would have helped me along the way.

Being feminine, being hispanic, being gay, like, all the things. And how do I get myself? How do we help get more people into the space? And so that is a project we're launching this year. Peak design has graciously come on board to help fund it.

And so really, really excited. I'm so stoked to have mentors who have already been paving the way, and then to have just this group of people come up and hopefully the industry kind of realizes like, hey, there's more than the same three guys that we can ask to do this shoot. And maybe we can all stop acting like it's this feast or famine mentality, because it's not.

Photography still exists. The money is still out there. We don't need a gatekeep.

We don't need to kill each other for it. Like, scoot over. There's plenty for all of us.

You will be fine. And I don't know, we're hoping to really break a lot of barriers with this program and really just elevate a ton of women in the process. Oh, that's awesome.

No, that's so cool. I told re when she was on here that I am really trying to make sure that I don't just interview guys. Like you said, the whole change or the 1% versus what else is out there.

And I will say it's slightly difficult. And then even then, you ask someone that, you give them the opportunity to be on the podcast and they're like, well, I don't know. And I'm like, all right, well, yeah, I think there's a lot of levels to that and hopefully we can help people navigate through that.

Take these opportunities, get out there, be vulnerable, show your work. I think it's so hard with Instagram. Instagram being a primarily photography based platform, even though it is leaning towards video, which I do both, but it being primarily photography is really hard.

I think now for photographers to believe in themselves and impostor syndrome is a real thing and you can start scrolling and go into this doom scroll of like, oh, maybe I shouldn't do that. Maybe I shouldn't share on the podcast, maybe I shouldn't. And all of a sudden you're shrinking yourself.

Shrinking yourself. I've been there, I do it all the time. I have adhd, so it's like 1000 times worse.

And I have to just remind myself art is different and this is not. Photography is art. And creating is your spectrum and whatever that is for you, lean into it because we need more of it.

We don't need the same filter over and over and over and over. We need to diversify the way we see and communicate our emotions and our stories. And that's the only way we're going to continue growing as a humanity.

If we keep seeing the same thing over and over, what are we doing? And so I want to lean more this year into just shooting what I see and feel and makes me excited and sharing it from that perspective versus here's the same mundane thing over and over, and here's the same filter and that was trending, so I'm going to use it too. But what can I bring to the table? I think when we do that, those paths and those connections are going to happen organically and you will be where you need to be to share that piece of art. Yeah, no, I think it's awesome.

I love what you just said and it kind of reminds me a little bit of, and I don't know who said it because I can't quote it per se, but it's been said that if you want to really make an impact or a difference, and it goes with business, it goes with the photography scene or creative scene in general, whether you're a graphic designer or whatever, to lean into the thing that people don't agree with at first, because when you do the thing that's different. Rather than following the trend, you're the person that likely makes an impact. And with that, I think, comes with learning to be confident in the thing that you're going to lean into that's not accepted by the masses in a sense.

And there's going to be times that things are rejected. Oh, 1000 times. Get used to rejection.

That's what I would say. You want to start a business? Cool. Get used to rejection your whole life for that one.

Acceptance. The thing is, too, I don't think it's just confidence. I think it's vulnerability.

Yes. Because sometimes doing the thing that's different is uncomfortable because you have to allow a part of you to be very vulnerable to the experience, vulnerable to possible failure, vulnerable to not being accepted, being the person that's kind of in the corner, like, hey, this is wrong or this is different or this is whatever. But, man, I'm turning 40 next week and if I could just give some advice to the world, be more vulnerable.

Because when you do that, you crack away at this shell that I think we've all kind of built around us. And this beautiful thing happens. And I haven't accomplished this, trust me.

I literally just had a conversation the other night with one of my sponsors and I was just like, I can't do this because I'm working on my first film right now. And so it's very overwhelming and it's very vulnerable. And I'm like, I'm going to fail.

And she's just like, listen, you're not going to fail. Just do it. Just show up.

And just the encouragement of like, okay, you're right. But there is something at the end of it that, whether it's good or it turns out sloppy, but you went through that. You went through that vulnerability and that challenge and that growth, and you learned so much through it.

And now you can take that nugget and continue growing off of it. And I just think, just go for it. It may seem insane.

Your idea might be, I want to jump out of an airplane in an elephant suit, but just to capture this one little thing that you can see. Go for it. Try it.

What's the worst that could happen? Your parachute doesn't open. Yeah, just joking. That's probably the worst.

Well, yeah, that could be. Yep. Okay.

Anyway. No, yes. I completely agree.

Leaning into that part of being vulnerable. What did I listen to the other day? It was something about kind of like, it was like not feeding into the story that we've kind of always told ourselves. And if you want to be different, you have to do that thing that's different, not feed into the narrative that you've kind of, like, maybe grown up with and maybe it was Tony Robbins or something.

Anyway. But, yes. No, this is great.

I love this conversation. This is, like, probably one of the harder asked questions or more thought provoking ones. But if you could change anything about the photography field or the industry, what might that be? So when I read that and was thinking about it, I think the first thing I thought of was, I want more transparency in pay.

Yeah. I think that is one of the hardest things in the most exhausting conversations to have with companies is pay. And I think it's hard because how do you value your work? There isn't really, like a line.

Right? Like, art is art, and then your time and your expertise. I've seen some photographers charge things, and I look at their work, and I'm like, why? Okay, but you have to respect that because that's what you believe your value is. And I'm like, you're two weeks into it.

Calm down. I'm like, you just picked up a camera. Oh, my God.

That's like a whole other thing wrong with social media. Okay. So one thing I've learned is when negotiating, I just straight up ask, what's your budget? What are you guys needing? And then I then look at my time and what I can bring to the table, and I ask myself, does that feel fair to what I'm capable of doing? But what I think is hard is that there's times where being a female entrepreneur sometimes is a little bit harder.

And I think people don't realize this, that those conversations are a little bit harder to have where that may not be the case for guys. And I have seen it's still hard. No, it's still hard as a guy.

Yeah, well, that's good. But I mean, from the receiving end, it may be easier for. If I, as a business owner, for a guy was like, hey, what's your budget? I'd be like, oh, it's this.

But if a girl asks, I'm like, bitch, why? You know what I'm saying? There's like, this weird, like, why don't you have enough? I do it, too. I mean, we're all humans, but, yeah, I think just transparency, like, hey, what did you get paid for that? Or what would you charge for that? And to be able to have an open dialogue a little bit more, I think would be really cool. And I think we're headed there.

I'm not saying that this is something that doesn't exist. I think we're headed in that direction. I found in the last year, especially since COVID that the conversations have become a lot easier between photographers and to the company of interest.

And then I've also just learned to navigate. Like I said, just ask, well, what's the budget? Let's cut to the cheese. What is it? What do you guys need? What do you expect a time on this? Because I feel like, gosh, it really has changed.

Because I feel like five years ago, maybe it just felt almost pandering to be going back and forth. And now I just tell people this is a non negotiable. This is my hourly rate.

I don't have time. Emotionally and physically. This is what I charge.

Yeah, I don't know. I think that would be cool. And then obviously, for the purpose of the project I'm working on, I want to see more women shooting and I want to see them presented.

The thing is, there are some wonderful and inspiring work that men have done. Like, absolutely. I'm not saying that, but how do we get some of the most inspiring and impactful work that women have created out there? How do we tell those stories on a platform that people are going to read? And we already know it is no hidden fact that women's sports is like least paid women's anything is always kind of like a little bit less, a little bit not.

I don't know, the country or the world has created this narrative that, well, it's because people are interested, but I don't think that's true. I think people are interested and I think people do want to see more women kicking ass and stepping into that space and pushing their limits. And I think it's honestly an older generation that is uncomfortable with it.

I think we have a new generation now that truly believes equality can be a thing and that women can create and push the boundaries in that. And I want to see more of it, and I want to see more women of color doing that and knowing that they have space to do that and that their voice matters and their perspective matters. We, I think, often shoot things through the lens based on how we experience them.

Right. So I want to see different experiences and how you captivate that. And I think that becomes more intriguing to me sometimes than the photo itself is the process.

And I want to see more of that. And so I'm hoping this year to be able to find myself on more sets watching the process of other photographers than actually just shooting. Yeah, that's what I would like.

Another thing I would like to see, because I just want to see your process. Like, why did you pick that? Where did that come from? I don't know. Dive in a little bit deeper.

Yeah, no, I think behind the scenes stuff is so cool. You're like, oh, that's what they did with the camera. Or like, yeah, that's how you got that.

I would have never thought that. Yeah, that's so cool. I think we need more of that, for sure.

Yeah. And I completely agree with the transparency. And with that said, I feel like it hurts the industry as a whole to not be transparent.

If someone doesn't know or have at least some transparency in what they should charge a client, they get taken advantage of and it then hurts everyone else that charges, like, a premium price because it's lost work. And then this company thinks they can continue to do that to new photographers. Yeah.

Because if everyone is charging no less than a price or something, I feel like it adds a little bit more scarcity in what's available. Like, a company is not going to be able to be like, oh, we can just have this newbie do it for $100 for the day. Yeah.

So anyway, that's my thoughts a little bit with it. I know, I listen to Chris Doe a lot. He mentioned going into things kind of like, you have this silver platter to offer in a sense of work and to the point that, and when you value your work that you have to offer as such, it tends to, I think, be more irresistible.

But also being willing to say no when a client doesn't want to pay that certain price, like you said, like a non negotiable, sorry. I'm better off not having the work and having my freedom of time back to spend with my family or to do whatever it is than it is for me to stress over this shoot for a price that isn't reasonable. And I think I've learned that the hard way.

I've done stuff where they underpaid and over expected, and then halfway through it, I'm like, and then you're just angry. I'm like, what am I doing? I think taking a step back last year and being very select has given me the confidence to just say, no, thanks. And I think that's okay.

And I think we need to just trust the process and trust that we're going to get what we need to get and we'll be okay. We don't need to kill for it. Those who say, like, oh, we can just pay this intern $5 and get.

You're going to pay for what you get. And that's the thing too. I think in anything you purchase, you can buy an off brand or you can buy the brand and you're going to pay for what you get and longevity and you know what you're going to get out of it.

And so I think what's hard though is, again, because we don't have a reference point, it's hard from the photographer's point of view because sometimes we're a little too confident. And like I said, I've seen some people charge stuff and I'm like, why'd they charge that? It's just hard. And so I have to remind myself to also be kind to the person hiring because they're dealing with that too.

I've been fortunate enough to have some relationships with companies where they've called me and they're like, hey, what would you charge for this? We just need this thing. And I love that. I think that's so important to have an open communication with your photographers, even if you're not going to hire that person, but to have a relationship where you can be like, hey, what do you think of this? What would you charge for this? Budgets are budgets at the end of the day, yeah.

What can you do? Work with it. Work with it, yeah. But also within reason.

Within reason. Like if that company didn't put a budget together for marketing and for the photographer, how often do you see that? Okay, so there's this joke. As a paramedic, you go into a nursing home.

I've worked in several states, okay? You go into the nursing home, the patient's like decrepit and the nurse always says, I don't know anything about them. I just got here and I'm like, it's three in the afternoon, your shift starts at seven. What do you mean you just got here? Every single without fail.

That's always the weirdest. It's like this weird thing. It's the same thing.

So then I think in photography, what's that one thing that you always hear that you're like, really? We don't have a budget for marketing. How are you going to pay? I just don't understand. You want to sell a product? You want to sell a product, but you have no money for marketing.

It drives me banana. I just sit back sometimes. I'm like, how do you plan on existing in the world? I don't understand.

How is this an extra thought? Yeah. And why is it the first fat that's cut? I'm about to get on my stool. It's always the first fat that's cut.

And I'm like, okay, so you guys are struggling to sell the product like you didn't make the sales. And so for now, for 2024, the first thing you're going to cut is your entire marketing team who is responsible for making the sales. I don't get it.

It's so mind boggling to me. But it's the industry, I guess. Yeah, no, it is.

And what's super interesting is, and I think sometimes the budget falls into the same thing when you look at branding versus marketing. I think sometimes the budget is out of the same pool of money probably. But the thing is, even if that company cuts the marketing stuff, the branding side is also a part of photography or a thing that photographers can help you with.

And they are different because branding, if you think about it, branding is the way that the customer base feels about your company and it has nothing to necessarily do with the ads and the advertising that you do, but just how they are emotionally connected to what it is that you have. So like the Nike Swoosh wouldn't mean anything if it wasn't for the way that people have become fans about Nike. But anyway, again, I digress, but watch, all the marketing people are going to chime in and be like, yeah, I mean, educate me.

I just don't get it. I don't know. Yeah, well anyway, there's so much to it, but they are different.

I'm not in this space to really completely educate because it's something that I have recently started learning. What goals do you have? I definitely want to continue learning as much as I can about technique. I look at a lot of different photography and videography and I'm always like, wow, that was a unique angle.

Or the way you utilized that light. So first I do this year, I really want to challenge myself to kind of get to the next level of creativity and I really, really want to start shooting outside of where I am. Like, I really want to get back out west or out east.

Just, I don't know, capture something different. I feel like Arkansas is a beautiful state, but it's like, okay, what can I do? Yeah, I want to really grow kind of, like I said, the vulnerability and just do the thing. I think sometimes for me, well, one, as an adult, I was recently diagnosed with ADHD, which has helped me understand a lot about myself and helped me understand a lot about my hesitancy to be vulnerable, my hesitancy to show up and do the thing when it's not absolutely dopamine infused fun and the thing is, sometimes you have to get up at three in the morning to do the 14,000 mountain climb whatever to get the shot.

And waking up at three in the morning isn't very exciting. This is just a weird example, but what I'm trying to say is I want to show up more in the areas that don't seem dopamine infused because I think that in the end I will receive it. Then does that make sense? Yes.

I want to show up more for the process and not just try to quickly get the end result. And I think that I have done myself a disservice in my creativity for not showing up for the full process and just trying to go get the thing that's exciting and fun. And so whether that's here in Arkansas or a little bit more out west, I want to do that.

I want to push myself to be uncomfortable at 03:00 in the morning and just go do the thing and see what happens. And so, yeah, I hope that this year does that and that I can capture something a little different. Yeah, no, I think that's cool.

I heard something recently that we all have this. The sexy way that it's always been put is, oh, just be persistent and consistent and things will work out. But it was like the not so sexy way of saying that is be patient.

And it was like, that's kind of like. But I think there's so much truth to that and they are sort of the same. But I thought that was such a cool thing because I'm like, yeah, be patient.

It's like, how did you get to where you are? I was patient. There's nothing fun or cool. Ask me in two weeks, though, because again, I have ADHD.

It can completely change. I love that. So do you have any.

You've been doing photography for a while. You've got a lot of skills and things that you've learned along the way. What tips or advice for anyone beginning photography or wanting to start a photography career? What do you got? Yeah, one, find a mentor.

Find someone that you can and make sure that they're okay with it, but someone that you can talk to, pick their brain, help you navigate that field. I know Ree Wickstrom has just been, and I just feel like I shout her every moment I can to the rooftops because she's been so influential for me, not only in her work, I mean, my God. But also just the ability to create a friendship that I can also ask questions and be challenged and say, how did you navigate this? Or what do you think of this photo or what could I have changed? I think it's really good to get.

Sorry, can you hear the dogs? Okay. I think it's really good to get the opinion of others, but I think it's really important to not allow that to change who you are. So ask for the opinion, but also sit back and evaluate how you feel about it.

Does that really change the way you want to shoot that? So get a mentor, figure out your pricing. It'll make things so much easier. I just this year redid my budget or pricing for 2024 down to the second for video.

And that really helped because right off the bat, I had a client that was like, hey, what would you charge for this? And I was like, oh, perfect. Right here. 32nd video.

This is how much it's going to cost. And so just sit down and just figure out what your time is worth, what you're willing to do. And then third, have a portfolio ready.

I think I didn't have a website for a long time and re kept saying, like, you need a website. And I was like, I know. And so once I was able to just create a portfolio, I think that made it easier because you're just saying like, hey, this is how I shoot.

This is what you can expect. This is the product. And it makes it easier, I think, for people to say, yeah, that's on par or it's not really the vibe we're going for.

And so I think that just makes it easier. So mentor pricing portfolio. Go get them.

Nice. Now, I appreciate you being on here. Where can people find your work? And I'll put this into the show notes, but for those that are driving and shouldn't be texting or messing with their phone, where can people.

What's your Instagram handle? What's your website? Yeah, so my website is pattyv, as in victorphotography.com. My Instagram is pattyvphotography. However, I will say I've been trying to lean into changing my Instagram a little.

Know for a long time. I was just like, here's a photo. Here's a photo.

Here's what I did. I'm kind of trying to rediscover who I am on Instagram. And I do encourage you to follow me.

I personally think I'm funny, so I think people should follow me there. But if you want to see my pure work, my website is going to be, I think, the most honest thing you'll see. If you want to get to know who I am as a person and who you're working with.

I think my instagram is what you'll see. And so yeah, I've been putting like funny reels. I'm going to start shooting some behind the scenes and do a little bit more educational.

I want to include that. I think people really value that. But yeah, I'm a sarcastic, fun person to work with and so I kind of want to show a little bit more of who I am as a person on social media and more of my work on my website.

Oh, I love that. Thanks again, Patty. Thank you so much.

I'm stoked to be here. Yeah, I'm stoked to have you. Thank you so much for tuning in to another episode of your photography podcast.

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