Today we’d like to introduce you to Cara Soulia.
Cara, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
After graduating college with degrees in Math and Economics, I spent 15 years working in the finance industry. I had a challenging, stable career, but I could never shake the sense that I was put on this earth to do something very different.
It wasn’t clear at first that I wanted to be a photographer. I’ve always loved taking pictures, but I wasn’t very good at it. One day, I decided to start a project 365 (take a photo every day for a year) so I could better learn to use my camera. Within the first couple of weeks I found I couldn’t stop thinking about photography. I began carrying my camera with me everywhere and practiced constantly. I took a class at New England School of Photography in Boston and during the very first session I remember being so captivated by the instructor– I had goose bumps all over. It was a pivotal moment in my life — I just knew right then I was going to be a photographer.
I started offering some portfolio building sessions to local moms, and it quickly became clear to me that photography was something I wanted to pursue as a business. For four years I took classes and worked tirelessly on my photo business at night and on weekends while continuing to work at my corporate job during the day. Then in 2015, after the birth of my third child, I decided it was time to make the leap to running my photography business full time. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once. And I wouldn’t change a thing.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I have been a professional photographer since 2011 and am located in Needham, MA. I focus primarily on photographing newborns and families with young children. I specialize in capturing important moments in a family’s life in a beautiful and natural way. I strive to make clients feel relaxed at photo sessions so the resulting images are very real and true to their family.
My clients most often describe my imagery as emotional, colorful and beautiful — I would tend to agree with this! I love deep rich colors and dramatic shadows when I’m photographing indoors. Outside, I love bright bold colors and interesting compositions. No matter where I’m shooting, I’m always looking for unique points of view and beautiful light, but the most important thing about photographing people is making a connection with them so they can relax and be themselves. This is the secret to making images that are memorable and emotional — images that people will treasure for a lifetime.
Any advice for aspiring or new artists?
The hardest part about being your own boss, especially when you work out of your home, is separating work and family life. It’s easy to work every minute of the day and night when you are building something you are passionate about and your office is right in your house. It has been challenging, but I have a set structure of time I focus on the business, time I focus on the house, my kids, my husband, even the cat.
Another challenge of being a solopreneur is that it can be quite isolating. I spend about 1-2 hours with each of my clients in person, but then work behind the scenes for an additional 6-8 hours per client alone in my office. I often miss the days of having a cube mate to discuss the latest episode of Top Chef! I’ve realized it is crucial for me to reach out to other local small business owners so we can hang out, share ideas, and keep each other sane!
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
www.carasoulia.com
Expertise Best Newborn Photographer in Boston 2017, 2018. Clickin’ Moms Voice Collection Finalist, Beautiful Light Category: http://www.clickinmoms.com/voice/2015-voice-collection/beautiful-light/
Contact Info:
- Website: www.carasoulia.com
- Phone: 617-501-4008
- Email: cara@carasoulia.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carasoulia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carasouliaphoto/?ref=bookmarks
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaraSoulia
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carasouliaphoto/
Image Credit:
Cara Soulia Photography
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