Today we’d like to introduce you to Francesca Schell.
Hi Francesca, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I inherited my love of photography from my dad, who seemed to always have a camera or camcorder in hand as we were growing up. Photos and photo albums were always very important to my family and extended family. Prints and photo albums were considered family treasures, and as a child I would spend hours flipping through pages of memories. As I got older, I tried to get my hands on as many cameras as I could, my favorite of which was my dad’s old film Pentax. When I got into collage, I became the friend that people would hand their phones to for photos, so it only seemed natural that I would buy a camera. My first official digital camera was a $100.00 canon camera that I bought off of eBay with a kit lens, and my first paid session was an engagement session at the Dallas Arboretum in 2019. From there, my business grew primarily through word of mouth and mutual friends, and I began to take on weddings and engagements, traveling to New York, Oregon, all over Texas and beyond for my clients. Today, I am just as passionate as ever for photography. It is something that I plan to continuously pursue because it gives me joy and provides incredible fulfillment to capture my life and the lives of my friends, family and clients in a beautiful and artful way. Like I’ve said on my website- to understand what is beautiful is to understand the reality of what it is to be human. What is most beautiful on this earth is that which is finite, delicate, fleeting and temporary; starting with human life and experiences itself. Photography is one of those art forms that allows us to give permanence to the beauty of life. The world will be saved by beauty, and I believe my calling as a photographer is to capture the world beautifully.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The path of an entrepreneur or artist is never easy- but it was a path that (in some ways) seemed to come naturally to me. Like many other creatives and photographers, I’ve struggled with constant insecurities about my own work- comparing my work with others in the industry. I’ve struggled with taking on more work than I was capable of, I’ve struggled to maintain a healthy work life balance, often missing events and sometimes even major holidays with my friends and family in order to work with clients. I’ve had to take financial risks and invest in my business when I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make the money back, say yes to jobs that intimidated me, swallow my pride and reach out and ask for advise and help and so many things I could have never imagined I would have ever have had to do a few years prior.
The thing is, nobody teaches you how to run your own business, and I have been completely self taught. My brain doesn’t naturally take to the business side of the photography, so learning that side of this has been and still is a somewhat difficult learning curve. At the end of the day, the greatest struggle has been finding confidence in my own competence to run a business. Growing up, I never thought for a second that I would become a business owner, but now, I can’t imagine a life without it.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a photographer- simply put. I specialize mostly in Weddings and engagements but book the occasional senior session, family or maternity shoots- especially for reoccurring clients of mine. Some of my favorite shoots have been the family sessions with clients whose wedding I’ve captured. It’s incredibly special to follow families through life, and to have their trust in choosing you again and again to document their lives.
Within my business, I am most proud of a couple of things;
1. My ability to capture photos artistically, and to have my clients look at their photos and gasp a little “wow, that’s me?” and
2. My demeanor during a shoot. I am an extrovert, and try to immediately read the room and the personalities of my clients so that I can adjust to whatever it is that they need in the moment. It can be bringing a calm and relaxing presence to the stressed bride who is feeling overwhelmed, it could be bringing out the eldest daughter in me to organize a group of groomsmen, or it could be chatting with the children or grandparents and building a relationship with them to help them feel comfortable with me when the time comes for me to photograph them.
The people are always the soul of my work, and it is my hope to capture them beautifully and truthfully.
I’ve tried to set myself apart with my attention to detail in the different lighting scenarios I have on a wedding day. Dramatic, Caravaggio inspired photos have always been my signature style, and I hope to make my work recognizable with the lighting that I use in photos.
In summary, if anything sets me apart, I believe (and hope) that it is firstly the positive experience I bring to my clients, and secondly the beautifully lit, art inspired photos that I capture of them.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My parents have been my greatest inspirations. My dad taught me the love for photography, and Inspired me with his own photography and love of documenting. My mom, a former opera singer, taught me to love and appreciate different arts, cultures, and most importantly, relationships. (She comes from a tight knit American/Italian family). Without them, I would not see the world the way that I do.
Pricing:
- Engagement Sessions- starting at $500.00
- Wedding Collections- starting at $4,600.00
- Family sessions- starting at $450.00
- Portrait sessions – starting at $400.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://francescaschellphotography.mypixieset.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/francescaschellphotography/
