Capturing Love in ALL Forms - Stephanie Skeffington

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in photography but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Stephanie Skeffington, Owner of Seattle Flashing Lights Photography, located in Seattle, WA, USA.

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

Seattle Flashing Lights Photography is a full-service still photography company specializing in perfectly capturing moments big and small, from newborns to families, engagements to weddings, headshots, and corporate events, to empowering boudoir sessions. We do a little of everything, offering the best in customer care and creating a memorable and enjoyable session with final images you will be ecstatic to look at and enjoy for the rest of time.

Our clients become friends, and we treat everyone from all backgrounds and stories with the utmost care because we want photos to not just be stress-free but fun. And because when you are free to be your authentic self, the photos are always better. Our ideal clients chose us because of our creative story-telling, organized but laid-back approach to sessions, and trust our artistic vision to capture their truest selves beautifully. We've been doing photography work since 2011, photographed over 350 weddings and 2,500 families, and traveled all over the world to provide people of all different backgrounds and dynamics with perfectly captured images.

Tell us about yourself

I have always had a passion for photography, it brought me so much joy to capture people, places, and moments in a unique way, but I never thought I could make a career out of something I loved doing so much. I went to school intending to become a commercial airline pilot. I have a background in Aerospace with a degree in Aeronautical Science, Minors in Meteorology and Business, respectively, and a commercial pilot's license (multi-engine and single engine with instrument rating), and I worked in aviation for ten years before starting my photography business.

Because of the passion I have for perfecting in-camera work and my unique way of seeing the world which I bring to photos, my photographs caught on and flourished through word of mouth referrals from happy clients, allowing me to pursue photography full-time in 2016 after five years of starting up Seattle Flashing Lights. I love that my technical acumen and creative brain coalesce to create a very unique style of art, as well as a top-notch customer experience for my clients.

Being able to capture love stories, families in all stages of life, and moments big and small in a way that freezes the emotion and feelings in time is what motivates me every day. I love this job so much and feel so incredibly lucky to get to do something I am so passionate about and share that with other people.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Being asked by Business Radio to do an interview about my success as a small business owner in 2020 was a huge highlight of my career. Another huge highlight was having work published on ESPN for a feature I photographed for a long-time client-friend who is a tremendous athlete competing in the Paralympics and is a 12-time World Champion Triathlete. It is also an enormous joy to see photographs I have done for a number of authors and hold a book they created, adorned with a photo I created in my hands.

But I think the biggest joy I have, comes from the relationships I have with my clients - getting to document so many milestones for people is huge. I have many families who I have been working with since they were engaged, captured their weddings, and now they have kids in school that I still get to see year after year for family photos. It is huge to be welcomed into people's lives again and again for the moments they cherish most, and I do not take that for granted.

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

The joys of success are all due to your hard work, but the failures are fully your responsibility, and any places you fall short are all on you. No one else is to blame, and that can be difficult. So I always try to do my biggest learning when that happens and reflect on how to improve processes and myself to become better for my clients. Also taxes, they're frustrating and can be complex to navigate. Tax season is the worst time of the year, by far, but I have an awesome CPA who I value immensely and who helps me navigate the murky quagmire that is tax filings (thanks, Richard!).

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

Be the type of business you would want to shop at, i.e., treat people the way you want to be treated, and you can't go wrong.
Remember your worth - people will ask for discounts or try to negotiate on pricing, and it is ok to stay firm and charge what you charge (you are worth it!)
Make time to rest and recharge - it is easy to fall into overworking and under-prioritizing other pieces of your life, but try to carve out time to recoup.

I now offer sessions and bookings/events in both Seattle/Washington State as well as the Bay Area and Southern California, so if you are in need of awesome photos, I am everywhere (also have a passport, and will travel!)

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: http://www.seaflashinglights.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seaflashinglights
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seattleflashinglightsphoto/

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.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.