30 Years in Business at Elizabeth Larson Photography!

What a milestone - this year I'm celebrating 30 Years in business at Elizabeth Larson Photography! My first paying assignment was in 1990 and here I am thirty years later. This is huge for me! I’ve photographed countless assignments - I’ve lost count of how many weddings! One year I photographed 32 weddings & that was the most ever in a year (and the most intense!). Lucky if I get half of that many these days (some of it by choice, some of it not so much. Lots of factors involved here). So yeah, I guess I have a “few” years of experience. I may have started to "slow down" a bit, however I don’t plan to retire anytime soon! Grateful for those who have had faith in me all along, grateful for my many clients I've had over the years, many repeats, and I'm so grateful I get to do what I love.  

To think I started off part time with just two film cameras, a couple of lenses, a flash, reflector, and a few other accessories, somewhat of a plan, a business license (very important), and as much liability insurance I could afford at the time. I was able to build up my business little my little. I joined American Society of Media Photographers, and from there I started assisting other commercial photographers and second shooting weddings with another well-established Charlottesville wedding and editorial photographer - thank you Will Kerner!  All while either working full time at a professional photo lab and then later at Pro Camera where I learned the ropes around the office (which has helped me in my own business).

In 2002 I finally made the decision to go full time with it, by cutting my hours back at Pro Camera to about 20 a week. Thank you Bill Moretz, my boss at the time. That was really big for me and he was kind enough to encourage me to pursue it and allow for me to have a flexible schedule. But what really was big (and bold!), was when I made the decision to relocate (long story) my home and business. I picked up and made the big move from Charlottesville, VA to Greensboro, NC. 15 years later I'm still living in North Carolina just north of Greensboro and I'm still very much in business at Elizabeth Larson Photography.

It hasn't always been easy and I'm the first to admit that in the past several years, even more so with so many other photographers out there. It's difficult to stand out as a photographer anymore, but I'm hopeful that potential clients will see that I have the experience, education, knowledge, not the mention the creativity, to be THEIR photographer.  I really have lots of things to be grateful for - and lots of things to celebrate! Wow, 30 years. Even I can't believe it!