Check Out Noelle Peterson’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Noelle Peterson.

Noelle, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Though I’ve always been an artist, when I was younger I wanted to be a zoologist. I went to college for science, but part way through was diagnosed with h-EDS, a genetic disease that affects my musculoskeletal system and connective tissue. This diagnosis forced me to re-examine my life and my physical limitations and gave me the courage to take a chance on a different kind of career. I never thought I could make money as a photographer, and honestly it has been a struggle, but I am so, so happy with my job. I truly can’t imagine doing anything else. I get the opportunity to work with all kinds of people, learn their stories, and help them capture memories they’ll cherish forever. I get to help ordinary people feel confident and beautiful in front of the camera and make art in the process. I’ve gotten to meet some incredible models and fellow photographers who have taught me so much, and I’m grateful to them for how they challenge me to grow. I’ve had some big failures, but I’ve also had some huge successes. The thing I like most about being a photographer is that there is always more to learn, and I can’t wait to see where I go from here.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
As an artist, the struggle with imposter syndrome is something I face on a daily basis. I am constantly tuning out the voice in my head that tells me I am a failure, that I’ll never be as good as my peers, or that I’ll never get better. It can be overwhelming, but simply knowing that all artists feel this way sometimes is a huge comfort. There is no success without risk of failure and no growth without stepping outside your comfort zone and actively working to improve. I have always been someone who loves to learn and grow, and a large part of that as an artist is learning to be self-critical in an accurate way. The artistic process is a continuous cycle of ideas, experimentation, critique, doubt, and growth. By giving up, all you accomplish is cutting short your artistic growth and destroying any chance for improvement. You have to learn how to assess your work accurately, acknowledging the weaknesses and celebrating the strengths, and silence the doubting voice in your head. It’s a continuous struggle, but you CAN do it. And when you feel like quitting, try to remember why you ever started; the joy of creating that makes it all worth it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I have been lucky the past three years to be able to experiment and collaborate with other creatives on all types of projects. As a romance-novel enthusiast, my true passion is wedding photography, but I have a varied portfolio and a love of creating, learning, and improving. I have worked with all types of people, from professional models to newborns, and no two shoots are ever the same.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Considering how fast technology develops, I worry about the market getting oversaturated and underappreciated in years to come. Because professional photography tends to be expensive, people are sometimes hesitant, and with the increasing accessibility of high-quality phone cameras, editing apps, etc. more and more people are becoming their own photographers.

Contact Info:

• Website: noellepetersonphoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noellepeterson_photography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoellePPhotography0 

Image Credits
Cici Anderson