Today we’d like to introduce you to Sylvia Schofield.
Hi Sylvia , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have loved photography as long as I can remember. As a young kid, I had a purple film camera that I loved to use in my backyard. I would take photos of all the plants and our pet bunny. As a teenager, I got my first digital camera. It was a little handheld baby blue one. I loved photographing my grandparents’ farm every chance I could. I would walk around alone for hours just taking pictures. When I got my first job after high school, I saved up to buy myself my first DSLR Canon. After I graduated high school, I attended college and intended to get my degree in Spanish. I debated changing that degree to Chemistry or Math (two more subjects I enjoyed). I was told by somebody once not to get a degree in photography because it would ruin my love for it. In the end, I decided to take a chance and I changed my degree to a bachelor’s in visual communications with an emphasis in photography. I loved spending more of my time learning about photography and the technical/computer side and still getting to stretch my artistic side. No regrets! I continued to mostly focus on nature photography but it was these classes that forced me to branch out and start interacting with people, something I was always nervous to do. But eventually, I gained confidence and really found out that it wasn’t so bad! This was around the same time that I met my husband and got married (after he pushed past that hermit shell I was hiding in). During my college experience, my older sister got married and started a family of her own. She started asking me to take photos for her which was another one of my fears: photographing people. I did her maternity photos and later her newborn photos and family photos. It has now been 11 years since I first started playing around and learning family photography! I started my business in Logan Utah in 2021 after I got the courage to take photos for more than just my immediate family and friends. I first started by doing a giveaway on a local Facebook group for ten free photo sessions. I had a great response so, after I finished those, I started doing sessions for cheap. I shadowed and took an online course from a very successful wedding photographer & friend (Jackie Siggard). I learned so many new tricks and gained a lot of confidence from her course lessons. I was able to then raise my prices and keep getting new clients and doing what I love. I have learned and grown so much and have gained confidence in myself, my work, and my ability to capture the love and smiles of families in Cache Valley. Again, no regrets!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The first challenge I struggled with was overcoming my lack of confidence in myself. I struggled with thinking that I wasn’t good enough and didn’t know enough to be successful in running a business or even photographing people. Taking classes in college helped me learn the technical side of using my camera which was huge!
The biggest challenge outside of finding/keeping confidence in myself I would say is balancing my time; time with my family and time capturing memories for other families. My own family comes first, always. I am blessed to have a husband who supports my dream and our family so that I can find that balance between being a stay-at-home mom (which I love!) and doing photography.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a family photographer in Cache Valley Utah. I photograph families, extended families, graduating seniors, engagement/couples, expecting mothers, newborns (lifestyle & posed), and baptism/missionary portraits. (My website is www.lavenderflash.com)
I am most proud of the progress I have made as a successful business owner and photographer. My work has improved since I started 11 years ago, and I love the direction it has taken! It continues to grow as I continue to learn, and there is always something new to learn!
I try very hard to get my photos back to clients as quickly as I possible can. Within 1 week is always my goal! I also do not put a limit on the number of photos you get back. You will always get all of my final edits, no matter how many!
The world is full of photographers, particularly Utah! So, it is tricky “competing” with others. One thing that sets me apart is I have a bachelor’s degree in photography and am educated in Photoshop and how to do certain editing techniques that other photographers must outsource. I try to provide classic portrait style family photos that everybody is looking for to put on their wall, but I also like to mix in some artistic options as well such as a candid moment with the families laughing, a tickle fight, snuggling close or the amazement of seeing baby brother/sister for the first time. I do it because I love it and it makes me happy to capture these small moments!
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I ask myself this all of the time. At what point am I going to be burnt out and want to be done? And what comes after this? It’s hard to say. If you ask me this question in a busy month where all of my Saturdays are filled with sessions, I’d say “I’m tired and kind of want to be done with this!” But if you ask me after I do a session that just sings to my heart and makes me so happy, I’d tell you “I never want to quit, I want to do this forever!” I am currently loving newborn sessions and have a goal to expand my knowledge in that area next year.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lavenderflash.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavenderflashphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lavenderflashphotography
