Your Friendly Local Photographer

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in photography but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nicolas Debrosse, Owner of Nicolas Debrosse Photographie, located in Montréal, QC, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I'm in the business of capturing snapshots of light, seizing short but beautiful moments in time... which is a lot of words to say that I am a photographer! My customers are mostly families, engaged couples, or anyone who cares to have their memories immortalized by someone with a keen eye. However, I also do commercial and corporate photography.

Tell us about yourself

I was always interested in visual arts. Since I was a child, I captured what I saw by drawing it or crafting it with whatever I could find. However, I believe it was my maternal grandmother who inspired me to capture special memories. Mind you, I grew up in the 1990s, so picking up a camera to take photos and videos was a much more intentional act than it is today! Her collection of photo albums, some photos dating to the 1800s, was always a pride of hers. For a long time, I had wanted a photo camera of my own, and the sentiment grew when my older sister got herself one and took photography classes. It was always on the back of my mind but never truly a priority. That was until the day a friend of mine sold me my first camera. See, I'm also a musician, and I wanted to film good-quality videos for music covers on YouTube. But when I took my newly acquired toy on a trip to Haiti, I really truly fell in love with photography! I loved photographing the landscapes there, but I also enjoyed doing portraits of the people who accompanied me during this experience. It really shaped the way I do photography today; even during events, I still do a lot of portrait shots. I kept practicing my craft, one thing led to another, and people started asking me how much I charged to photograph them. That's how it all started! What motivates me today is seeing the look in people's eyes when they see photos of them and realize how beautiful they are! I really love doing candid photos more than posed ones. These moments I catch from people laughing, having fun, and just being their natural selves are the best. I also love being present for milestone moments in my subjects' lives; it truly is a privilege I do not take lightly.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Building my business from the ground up and being able to redistribute the wealth to the people I hire.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

I'd say keeping a balance between your personal and professional life. When you work a 9 to 5 for someone else, it's easy to detach when you go back home. But when it's your own business, you may actually work more hours than a regular job, but since it is closer to your heart, you don't feel it as much. That is when it can become tricky not to overwork, and it becomes important to have boundaries and refuse some projects when necessary.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Do something you're passionate about.
Have a solid business plan.
Maintain healthy boundaries between your personal life and your business.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://nicolasdphoto.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolasdphotographie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolasdphotographie/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nicolas-debrosse-photographie/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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