Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Austin.
Hi Christine, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
It all started when I was in middle school. I always enjoyed going through our family photos as a kid, but I started scrapbooking around that time. My mother would get upset with me for trying to take some of the photos to use for my scrapbook projects, so I started taking my own photos with disposable cameras. That Christmas my parents got me my first point and shoot digital camera.
I was so pumped to be able to take as many photos as I wanted and not be constrained to the 24 “clicks” my disposable offered. My favorite subject matter to photograph was horses. I started riding when I was 7, so anytime I could get to the barn I was there all day long. I began challenging myself to capture images of the horses and riders jumping in the arena as I would see in my monthly horse magazines. It was much harder than I thought!
As a horse-crazy girl, I played horse-related games on the computer and when I found Horseland, this ironically was where I figured out what I wanted to do for a career. In the game each horse would have its own photo – some were composites created in Photoshop and looked so professional and beautiful. My 12-year-old self was determined to figure out how to use this program and have the best-looking horses. Again, much harder than it looked! This was the beginning of my journey into photography and graphic design, and what led to my interest in joining the yearbook staff when I entered high school. I was the only freshman accepted onto the staff that year and was introduced to the Adobe suite and my first DSLR Nikon camera.
The yearbook staff only fueled my passion to create things that other people could enjoy – I soaked it all the training up like a sponge. In my junior year of high school, my parents gifted me my very own Nikon DSLR camera and a Macbook Pro. I saved up to purchase the Adobe CS4 Suite and continued to challenge myself to practice the programs on my own. I think my dad still wasn’t sold on my desire to pursue an art-related career, but the fact that he and my mom financially helped me get the tools I needed, is how I was able to gain the foundation necessary to go into my college art program.
I attended the University of North Florida and pursued my BFA in Graphic Design and Digital Media. During my second year at UNF, one of my older roommates was a professional wedding photographer. We clicked with our mutual love for art and photography and one day she invited me to tag along with her at a wedding. The wedding world was something I didn’t really know much about in relation to photography, but that day got me hooked! Seeing how we were able to capture some of the best memories of this couples’ life just resonated with me.
I continued on second shooting for my roommate for more than the following year – gaining experience and improving my photography skills. My first solo wedding was in April of 2014. Friends at our church had seen me post images on social media from the weddings I had assisted at, and didn’t really have the budget to pay a professional photographer. They loved the photos I had captured and asked if I would photograph their wedding. To say, I was excited beyond belief and crazy scared at the same time is an understatement, but I agreed and they officially booked me.
I continued capturing weddings and other portraits as I concluded my degree at UNF. Shortly after marrying my husband in the fall of 2016, one of my college professors introduced me to an established graphic designer and wedding photographer in town looking to hire an associate. My time working under her for 4 years was truly amazing! I was able to pursue both my passions and I grew and learned so much about the business side of things. I honestly thought this was what I would continue doing for years. In the fall of 2020, I started sensing that things were shifting.
I loved doing both graphic design and photography, but I could tell that I was struggling to maintain both at the level I wanted to. I had grown to love investing in my photography clients and juggling both careers wasn’t allowing me to give them the time I felt I needed to. In the midst of Covid and a lot of uncertainty, I decided that I needed to listen to what I was being called to, and officially stepped back from graphic design in February of 2021 to pursue photography full time.
It’s been a wild ride! I truly didn’t anticipate all the amazing opportunities and experiences I’ve had so far this year, but I am so grateful for each of the people I get to work with. I worried that letting go of graphic design was a sign of failure, but that was a lie I allowed myself to believe. By letting that go, for the time being, it’s been so cool to see the growth in my photography business.
I know that design isn’t over for me, but during this season of photography, I am looking forward to all the amazing opportunities that are ahead. (And a bonus – I’m able to create all my own marketing materials! haha).
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think everyone’s journey includes some struggle along the way. Mine is no different. My two largest struggles have been personal loss and maintaining confidence and a work-life balance on this journey.
My husband and I have gone through more loss than I care to admit. Only six months into dating, we lost his father to cancer. Seven months after that (and two days before my first solo wedding), we lost his mother. Her passing shook us to the core and I had even attempted to hire another photographer to take my place because I couldn’t see myself capturing a wedding in the midst of what we were going through. I couldn’t find anyone to take over for me so I still went, and my husband and his brother did too. I think that wedding was the biggest blessing for us in that time of sadness. It kept us surrounded by our closest friends, and gave me my break into capturing my first solo wedding. Had I not gone, there is a chance things could have turned out very differently!
Lack of belief in myself, like so many others, has held me back along the way. There have been times when I would look at what I was doing and felt like I wasn’t far enough along as someone else my age. Pursuing a freelance career and running your own business doesn’t always produce the same results that someone who works a 9 to 5 might have, so I’ve battled keeping a healthy work-life balance too.
Sometimes we believe the lie that busyness equals success when in reality it just drains us and keeps us from being our best. I don’t claim to have it all together, but recognizing that it’s okay to take time for your personal life and maintain regular “business hours” with your clients has been crucial to the success of what I’m doing now!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I officially started my own business in early 2017. Who would have thought coming up with a business name would be so challenging? At the time, I was pursuing both graphic design and photography, so I decided that Christine Austin Creative would be a great way to cover both of my passions. From there I obtained a DBA in Christine Austin Photography, which allowed me to advertise both my specialties separately.
Currently, I am a full-time wedding and portrait photographer. My photography style is a blend of light and bright, true to color. I always want our clients’ images to reflect how things actually looked when we are at their session or wedding, while at the same time adding just a little pop to the colors that are naturally there. I would definitely say that I am very passionate about our wedding clients. I love having the opportunity to be on the journey with our couples and capture their love story. Something that has set me apart is my desire to create personal relationships with each of our couples and investing time in them.
I never enjoyed the “transactional” experience in photography – especially when I first started out. As a business owner, I desire to be profitable and pay our bills, but at the end of the day, it’s not just about money. If I can use my business and my talents to be a light in other peoples’ lives, then that is what it’s about! That is how I approach every client I have the opportunity to work with – from the time they first reach out to me, to when I deliver their gallery. I’m always taking the time to communicate with them, hear their story, and find ways to showcase them and their vision in their photos.
Recently, I have started exploring the corporate photography space and have enjoyed the diversity in creativity. I think my heart will always be for weddings, but I do enjoy the various opportunities that photography has to offer!
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I wouldn’t say I am a “risk-taker” but rather a “faith walker” haha. My faith in God has ultimately been the foundation that has led me to where I am. Yes, there has been some serious “risk” involved in the decisions I’ve made along the way, but none have been without some sort of confirmation or peace in that decision.
My first big faith walk was when I decided to pursue my freelance design and photography business. I started it while holding a secure retail job after college, but came to realize that it was time to let go of that retail position in order to allow my business to grow. That came with saying “goodbye” to consistent income, some insurances, and retirement securities. It also involved a large financial investment upfront without knowing I’d even be successful and putting a lot of pressure on my husband to support us both during this season. Even though there were so many unknowns, the work I needed came in and I was able to learn and grow beyond anything I could have imagined.
My second big faith walk was this past January when I knew it was time to let go of the graphic design portion of my business and focus solely on photography full time – in the midst of Covid nonetheless. As a wedding vendor, Covid completely turned the wedding industry upside down last year. The inconsistency of events only got worse and there was no guarantee that things were going to improve in 2021. Even in the midst of all the uncertainty, I knew that it was time to let a graphic design go, so I did. What has been so amazing, is even in this season of the unknown with Covid and running my own business, my photography jobs increased so much as soon as I made my decision. Each month when I’m not sure if I’ll have enough work to sustain us, God provides it every single time!
Do I believe in blindly taking risks… no? I do however know from experience that sometimes in order to grow or be successful, there is a level of faith and trust in stepping out into a new chapter. I might not always know what’s around the corner or have a 100% guarantee of success, but I do know that no matter what I do, as long as I am walking in faith and allowing the Lord to direct my steps, I’ll be okay. He’s got me!
Pricing:
- Wedding Photography Collections begin at $3,300
- Portrait Photography Experiences begin at $325
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.christineaustinphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christineaustinphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christineaustinphotography
Image Credits
Christine Austin Photography
