Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoe Martin.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
We all have that family member or friend that is the self-appointed “photographer” when you’re together, right? That’s me. As far back as I can remember, think 35mm and 110 film days, I’ve taken photos of my friends, family, vacations, and events. When I chose to give up my potential career in marketing for the local cable office to become a stay-at-home mom, I got a little stir-crazy and began my educational journey into making photography a business. The local college offered courses, which I enrolled in with gusto. Online learning was in its infancy then. It was something that I could do on my own time, so it became something I would binge – educational courses geared to photography and business. After launching my own on-location business in Midland, I asked a local studio owner if she’d critique my website. She agreed and then hired me to be one of five photographers at Studio 1401. We worked with every type of portrait photography imaginable. Five years after working there, our family moved to Longview, where I was able to start my own business again. It catered to entrepreneurs and small business owners, then just two years in, right before the Pandemic hit, I started offering Beauty Portraits and Video Production. We moved to McKinney two years later, where I currently offer Personal Brand Photography, Beauty Portraits, Video Production, Websites, and Graphic Design.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been some learning curves over the last ten years. One of the struggles was deciding what my niche would be once I started my own studio. Having photographed everything from Weddings to Seniors, I knew I didn’t want to offer a large variety of services. Instead, I chose to work specifically with small businesses and entrepreneurs to offer Personal Brand Photography initially. When I saw that most of my clients were women, I realized how much it thrilled me to see women who were uncomfortable in front of the camera transition to feeling good about themselves, so I added Beauty Portraits. Of course, deciding when to upgrade gear, marketing, and adding team members have also been something that has been difficult. Purchasing photography equipment has been a bit of a rabbit hole for me. A word to the wise for those interested in making photography a business – the lenses are so much more important than the camera you choose.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At the time of this article, I cater to mostly women entrepreneurs and small business owners who want to be the face of their Personal Brand and Beauty Portraits. Rather than just taking their pictures, I make the entire process a personalized experience. Once a client contacts me, we jump on a call to decide exactly what they need. Hardly anyone just needs a traditional headshot these days. Instead, they’re looking for custom images for their website and social media presence. The images we’ll capture will be based on the discovery call answers. For instance, the client wants to shoot at their home and at their office. They want to end with a Beauty Portrait session alone, with their spouse, children, mom, friend, or dog. They want to share a teachable moment with their audience using an image of something they collect. Done. Another thing that sets me apart is that I will come to my client’s homes to help them choose what to wear. Not only that, but I also offer professional hair and makeup services at no additional cost. That one thing alone can make my client’s confidence in themselves soar. Most of the women that come to me have expressed how uncomfortable they feel in front of the camera. We’ll go over what it is that makes them feel this way, and I assure them that I know how they feel. I’ve had photo shoots done by other photographers that didn’t turn out so well, and because I know that feeling, I go out of my way to make sure my clients not only look but feel amazing while they’re with me. Watching them transition from unsure to “I’ve got this” by showing them the back of the camera is an adrenaline rush for them and me.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Photography will always be an avenue to document life. It’s one of the reasons I enjoy it so much. People deserve to exist in photos. For this reason, I believe that while there will be some changes happening, at the time of this article even (AI), it will still be a necessary service industry. When I began photographing at a young age, film was the only way to capture images, but consumers were introduced to digital cameras, which overtook the scene in the early 90s, and now the film industry is making a comeback as some prefer the grainy look that they have to manipulate to get from a digital photo. Since I shoot both photo and video, I don’t know if I’ll jump on that train just yet. I appreciate the convenience of having one camera that offers both.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thezoemartin.com/social
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.zoe.martin/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thezoemartin
- Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/thezoemartin
