The Side Snap Spotlight

Laëtitia Donaghy

In This Issue:

🌟 Laëtitia Donaghy

• From: France. Working downtown Chicago + worldwide

• Specialty: Luxury weddings, high-end interiors & fine art.

• Photography Experience: Professional, in business since 2014

• Fun Fact: In the heart of a vibrant Costa Rican adventure, Laetitia joined a close-knit photography workshop that led her group to a mesmerizing waterfall. Tempted by the exhilarating energy around, she decided to take a daring plunge off the 30-40 feet cascade with newfound friends. A slip halfway up resulted in a heart-pounding, rocky descent, yet miraculously, she instinctively protected herself during the fall, emerging unscathed except for a few scrapes. Determined to jump, she got back up and made it to the top. This wild escapade not only left her with a tiny scar but also an indelible mark of triumph and camaraderie from her fearless leap off a Costa Rican waterfall!

🔍 In the Spotlight 🔍

Laëtitia Donaghy

How did you first discover your passion for photography, and what advice can you give to someone who's looking to find their creative spark?

It started as a teen when all we had were disposable cameras and I kept getting in trouble with my dad for shooting too much lol (because developing the films was expensive!) It got reignited in college when I pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts and when it came time to pick a medium to focus on, I chose photography. Got my first gig through a friend after graduating and next thing you know, I’m 9 years into it!

For those looking for their creative spark, I say keep shooting. Shoot EVERYTHING. My first year I made a deal with myself that I’d say “yes” to ALL projects that came my way. Whether they paid well or not, whether they sounded fun or not, whether I was scared or not. I saw that year as a learning-in-the-field year and it was! I shot everything from children’s school portraits to New York Fashion Week.

I got an understanding of what I liked and didn’t, and of how much DIFFERENT photography is in each of these areas. Give yourself a Challenge Year like that, you can’t leave it not having learned about yourself, photography, and what gets you creatively going!

What steps did you take when transitioning from a hobbyist photographer to a more serious photographer, and what practical tips can you offer for a smooth transition?

My main tip is dive in. Don’t halfway commit or else it will drag out. Of course you have to find the right time to leave whatever job you are doing, but at some point you have to be all in and jump. I left my job, bought the gear, YouTubed the heck out of everything, went to workshops, made connections, shot a lot… I was just 100% in.

For someone new to the field, what are the essential pieces of equipment and gear that you recommend investing in when starting a photography business?

When you’re building your portfolio, I think it’s fine to go with an intermediate camera and lens. Mine was a cropped sensor Canon (T3i I think) and whatever kit lens came with it. Because who has thousands of dollars yet to invest in gear at that point? Just whatever you can get your hands on. As soon as you’re able though, grab the most affordable full-frame and a versatile lens (like a 24-70.) You can buy things second-hand or look for sales. Then you slowly upgrade from there.

Can you share some of the valuable lessons you've learned from early mistakes or challenges you've faced while managing your photography business?

They weren’t mistakes per se, but things I knew would be an issue if I didn’t plan for them that I saw confirmed again and again with others.

1) You can’t over-plan. Pack and test your gear the day before the wedding, always have backup gear, have a back up photographer lined up, have an alternative way to get to the wedding figured out, buffer the clients’ timeline and your own… Issues WILL arise, but if you’re prepared, they won’t stress you out.

2) Under-promise and over-deliver.

3) Have EVERYTHING important in writing. If you say something on the phone, send out an email after repeating it. Invest in good contracts. Have all possible scenarios and how you will handle them in that contract.

4) Communication & setting expectations is huge.

5) Have boundaries, whatever that means for you. An example of mine is a boundary between my personal and professional life. I don’t answer texts, calls and emails on evenings and weekends (baring an emergency.)

How do you handle challenging client situations or difficult requests while maintaining professionalism and delivering quality work?

There is always a way to present the same information different ways, and the client’s experience of receiving that information can be drastically different based on that. I never say “no”, I have THEM say “no.”

For example, if they are requesting something I am not comfortable with, say the raw files, I won’t say “No, sorry, I don’t provide those”, I’ll say “Sure! For a full buyout, it with be $X” and I make that a high enough number that either a) They’ll say “no” to it, or b) if they say “yes” then great, it’s worth it for me. In any case, they feel in control.

What are the most common pricing mistakes that new photographers should avoid, and how can they confidently price their services to reflect their value and expertise?

That’s a REALLY tough one, because there is no standard pricing in the industry (because of antitrust laws) and not everybody in your area will be transparent about their pricing, which makes it hard for you to understand the “norm” in your area and where you fall within it. (And “charge your worth” is an answer that drives me crazy.) I’d say do three things:

1) Do some market research. Google photographers in your area who do the same genre of work you do. Not all, but a lot will have at least starting prices on their website. Once you gather 5-10 of those, and you see their skill level and years in business (from their About page usually), you’ll start to get an understanding for how they compare to you.

2) Calculate your CODB (Cost of Doing Business) and what your financial goals are (how much to you want to make before & after tax each year to have the lifestyle you want and save money for retirement.)

3) Decide which market you want to work in. A luxury photographer will charge much more, but not everyone wants to work in the luxury market. Those three things should be enough to give you a good idea of how much to charge!

What are your long-term goals and aspirations for your photography business, and how do you plan to achieve them?

I’m looking to pivot into working travel, luxury weddings with clients who value fine art. I don’t want to burn out shooting dozens of weddings per year and dread my job. I want to shoot fewer but have them feel like art projects. How can I make pieces of art out of these people’s day.

Would you like to share any additional words of advice or inspiration for aspiring photographers who are looking to follow in your footsteps?

Don’t compare yourself to others. You’ll hear this a lot but it’s true. That can ONLY lead to unhappiness, because you’ll NEVER be that other photographer. They’re them, you’re you, so from the start it’s a flawed plan. Don’t try to emulate their work.

At best you’ll end up with a lesser copy of someone else’s art, and while you’re wasting time trying to make their work, you’ll be losing time not making yours.

Whatever YOUR natural voice is? Embrace it. Truly. Develop THAT. Niche down and then down even further. There is a market out there hoping to find exactly what you make, what’s supposed to come out of you, and how cool it would be for you to find each other.

Get connected with Laëtitia!

• Find my Instagram here!

• Find my website here!