BY CONNIE CHAN

How I Came To Do What I Do And How It Feeds My Soul

I wanted to be a photographer since I was in the 7th grade and my teacher made an off-hand compliment about a holiday snap I shot. It’s amazing how a few words can ripple through someone’s life.

When I was older, I thought that a career in commercial photography would be the perfect way to combine a creative career with earning a good income. But after many years working in big-money advertising, I knew that the long hours, countless meetings, and high stress weren’t for me.

So I took a new job in the growing field of e-commerce. There the hours were stable, the mood more relaxed, and trying new ideas was always encouraged.

My work/life balance started to actually become balanced.

It wasn’t long before I was drawn to social--particularly Instagram--because it was all about photography and connecting with real people. This was a community where I could focus on creating and sharing ideas instead of just selling products.

Perfection was no longer the goal, and that suited me just fine.

Today, my favorite clients are boutique brands where I may be chatting directly with the founder herself. As a content creator, I get to spend time getting to know my clients including what drives them to do what they do. That sort of passion gets lost in the ad agency world, but in social, I’m immersed in it everyday. I love turning my client’s vision and ideas into beautiful images that embody their brand story.