Today we’d like to introduce you to April Payne.
Hi April, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have always loved photography, looking back it was always something I went to when I was processing things in my life or simply when I needed a creative outlet. For my wedding present, my husband bought me a camera – one of the good ones I had never allowed myself to dream about owning. To be honest, I was confused by his purchase, I hadn’t really confided in my deep love of photography and dream to someday know how to use a camera, but I loved his purchase and took it on our honeymoon knowing literally nothing about how to use it.
It stayed in our closet for years, the settings confusing me to the point that I chose to use my iPhone for all photography needs, even when I needed a creative outlet.
And then 2020 hit.
By this point I had 2 toddlers and being stuck at home, homeschooling 2 small children without any outlets whatsoever was a really tricky time for me and my mental health. I desperately needed a creative outlet that didn’t involve children’s artwork so I picked up my camera again and started taking photos of my children. We went on a small trip to the beach with our family later that year and it’s like a lightbulb went off when I started photographing my kids. The settings made sense. The composition made sense. i could SEE the world in a different way. So I told my husband what I was thinking – that maybe I could use my camera for more than just snaps at home – and he insisted I buy a domain right then and there because he was immediately, fully bought in.
I started taking on clients at a rapid pace and quickly learned that I had a lot to learn. But over the last few years I’ve put a lot of time and strategy in learning all I can, getting better, and – most importantly – not getting discouraged by my failures, of which there were many. I continue to show up, try new things, and give my clients the best of what I’ve got and it’s paid off in such incredible ways!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, the road has not been smooth sailing. It’s easy to believe that in the world of social media and immediate access that the growth of a business should be overnight. We constantly hear and see stories of people going from 300 followers to 10,000 followers and out-of-stock products, being booked years out suddenly, but the truth is that rarely happens. And when it does, it’s incredibly overwhelming and hard.
I think the biggest struggle for me has been learning that I can only go so quickly. I am a one-person shop, I am the one behind the emails, the social media, the camera, the editing, the delivery. All of it is me. And so when it’s just me, I can only do so much.
The biggest shift, I think has been the mindset shift that, yes, I am the one in charge, but that means I can do it how I’d like to do it! I can make the art I love to make and find the people who value it along the way. And yes, that often happens very slowly with a lot of backend work for me, but it’s absolutely worth it to keep going and create what makes my soul come alive.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in romantic, elegant, candid photography. I don’t niche myself into boxes, I am not just a wedding or family photographer. I do shoot those things and I love doing both, but I believe that both a wedding and your family memories deserve to be photographed and preserved in a beautiful, artistic way. The saying “romanticize your life” doesn’t just apply to the days when you’re at your best and feel all put together with painstaking detail. In fact, I believe it’s most important to do that when you DON’T feel like you have it together. When the kids are arguing or the stresses are a bit more than you thought. Because I believe those are the moments when we’re tempted to miss the good stuff in life, when really there is always so much goodness around us. And I believe it’s my calling to capture that good stuff and to give my clients a permanent seat to witnessing and being grateful for the goodness captured in their images.
Pricing:
- Elopements start at $2000
- Weddings start at $4000
- Families start at $700
Contact Info:
- Website: AprilmPaynephotography.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/byaprilmpayne
