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Life and Work with Libbie Martin

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Libbie Martin.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started my “first life” in cable television, first at Cox Communications as an intern while attending college in Omaha, Nebraska and then picking up my life and moving to Atlanta to work as a Sales Manager for Showtime Networks. I loved my job, but traveling close to 40 times a year was demanding and started to take its toll after several years. I had always enjoyed photography as a hobby but more and more friends were hiring me to take headshots and family portraits and I decided to take the leap and pursue photography as a full-time career. I had no idea what area of photography to focus on and I knew I wanted to get a solid technical background in it, so I enrolled at the Art Institute of Colorado. I quickly fell in love with both portrait and architectural photography. The two subject matters could not be more different from one another, but that is one of the reasons I love it so much. The variety keeps my creative juices flowing. I graduated from the Art Institute in March of 2012 and have been shooting weddings, portraits, product and architectural photography in Denver ever since.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh, I wish it had been as smooth as I imagined it would be when I first started out! Being an entrepreneur is always a struggle, no matter what kind of business you are building. You sacrifice so much along the way but the rewards of living life on your own terms is so gratifying. I work so much harder than I did working in television, but knowing I am building my own brand and pursuing my dream makes those seven day work weeks and 14 hour days worth it.

 My advice to young women starting on their journey, especially those in a creative field, is to know your worth and set your rates appropriately. It can be easy to fall into the trap of working for so-called “exposure” or “experience” but knowing your value, asking for it and then working with clients who respect that is what has enabled me to keep my business going for the last seven years. The first few years, I didn’t do that and it was not only a struggle to stay afloat financially, but mentally too.

Please tell us about your work.
I shoot a variety of subjects for a variety of clients, but my two main areas of specialization are wedding photography and interior design and architectural photography. They are so different from one another but I love them both equally. With weddings, I get to connect with a ton of people on the wedding day (which is perfect because I consider myself to be very much a people person) and I love it when my clients and I become friends, even if its just for a day. Weddings happen so fast and it really is so exciting being there to capture every moment as it unfolds. Shooting spaces is the exact opposite. I can take my time, set up the scene, the lighting the props, etc….I have control over everything!

 I love collaborating with my clients to create images that they will cherish no matter what the subject matter is. I pride myself on providing excellent customer service to all of my clients. I want the people that work with me to feel like they are important because to me, they are. There are a million photographers my customers could choose to work with, so I try to go above and beyond what their expectations are.

Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?
For a long time, the photography industry, much like many other industries, was dominated by men. So many of my customers, however, are women so I feel like I am able to connect with them more than if I were a man. Most of my Interior Designer clients are female and most of the wedding planning is done by the bride and in those intimate moments, like the moments when a bride is putting her dress on, she may feel more comfortable with a woman in the room.

Pricing:

  • Full Wedding Coverage Starts at $2,500
  • Engagement and Portrait Sessions Start at $300
  • Interior Design Projects are based on the size and number of images needed

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
All photos are take by me except the one of me in the green dress. Photo credit my husband Sev Martin/Role Agency

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