“How Did You Get So Good?” — The Answer No One Sees Behind the Scenes
A candid look at what it really takes to find your style, trust your gut, and turn passion into something powerful
When a client recently looked at me during her session and asked,
“How did you get here?”
I blinked, unsure of what she meant.
Then she clarified with a smile:
“How did you get so good?”
Whew. That hit me.
Not because I’ve never heard kind words about my work before—I’ve been lucky to have the most encouraging clients—but because something about the way she said it felt different.
It wasn’t just flattery. It was curiosity. Admiration. Respect.
She went on to say she’d talked to a few photographers before finding me. “I just loved your work,” she said. “Your use of color, your eye. The others… everything looked so posed. And not to be rude, but I could’ve taken those with my phone.”
And while I laughed with her, inside I felt deeply seen.
The Not-So-Overnight Success Story
I didn’t go to photography school.
I didn’t have money for a fancy camera, I had a borrowed one.
I had a photographer friend who believed in me.
I had YouTube.
I had free time during nap schedules.
I had an obsessive desire to figure it out.
I watched hours of tutorials. Read blog posts deep into the night. Learned how light works, how different lenses behave, and what every button on my camera did. I offered free sessions—so many free sessions—just to practice in every lighting scenario I could find. Midday sun, golden hour, cloudy mornings, dim living rooms… I made it my mission to shoot them all.
Then came the editing phase. And if I’m being honest? I got it wrong at first.
Chasing a Trend I Didn’t Even Like
When I started editing, it was overwhelming! I thought I had to follow what everyone else was doing: muted tones, desaturated skin, beige everything. I thought that was “professional.” That was “in.” So I tried to make my work fit the trend… and I hated every minute of it.
It didn’t feel like me.
I didn’t feel proud of it.
And worst of all, I didn’t believe in it.
Eventually, I reached a point of frustration & I told myself:
I’m just gonna do me.
Whoever connects with it will stick around. And if they don’t? They’ll find the photographer who’s right for them—and that’s okay. It was scary. Would anyone love my bold colorful style?
That’s when the magic showed up.
I leaned into color, emotion, movement, and imperfection. And guess what?
My inbox started filling up with people saying they felt something when they saw my photos. That they loved how fun and full of life they were. That they’d never seen their families captured like that before. they cried when they received their galleries. They were connecting with my work!
Embracing Imperfection Is Where the Art Lives
If you’re a fellow creative reading this—or even just someone chasing a dream—let me remind you:
You don’t need to wait until everything is perfect to begin.
You don’t need to follow the trend to be taken seriously.
You just need to start.
Start with what you love.
Start before you feel ready.
Start messy.
That’s what I did. And I’m so glad I did.
So yes—being asked “how did you get so good?” was flattering.
But what I really heard was,
“I see your heart in this. I see your effort. And I love the way you see the world.”
That’s everything.
P.S. If you’re someone who loves colorful, candid, joy-filled photos that don’t feel stiff or overly posed—my camera and I would love to meet you. 💛
