Daily Inspiration: Meet Meghan O’Sullivan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Meghan O’Sullivan. 

Hi Meghan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My love for photography began back in 2005 on a family and friends’ trip to Paris. Exploring the city, the art, and the culture was inspiring to say the least. I took hundreds of photos of the city and for the first time in my life, truly felt artistic. I was only 18 at the time, so when we returned home from our trip, I continued on the traditional path of college and career with the notion that photography couldn’t possibly be a “real” career. I went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, complete a teaching credential program, and earn my Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis in cross-cultural teaching. After a couple of years of employment as a teacher and in the midst of starting a family with my husband, I just decided that there was no time like the present and finally started taking steps to pursue my dream. I reached out to our wedding photographer and she graciously agreed to let me tag along with her to weddings and sessions and learn the trade. I watched countless hours of YouTube videos about how to use my camera, basics of photo composition, and how to edit my photos. From there I began taking photos of my friends and their families. After our second son was born, I officially opened up my business! It was very challenging and exhausting to build a business with a toddler and a baby, but I did it! Since I started my business in Los Angeles in 2015, we have moved from Southern California to Reno, Nevada and have recently relocated to the Nashville area. I’m excited to build my business here and get to know the families and small businesses in our new community. I love what I do. I love being able to capture people, their personalities, and their relationships, and hopefully, give them photos they’ll cherish for years and years. I get to be creative and be my own boss, and I get to be home with my kids. It’s been the most rewarding job I’ve ever had and I’m so grateful for a husband who has encouraged me from the very beginning. I’m so happy I decided to stop dreaming and just go for it! 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
There were many struggles in the beginning since I had a nursing baby and a toddler! I also reached a point a few years after I started where I was so busy with our boys during the day that I was doing 100% of my editing, emails, and other tasks in the middle of the night, plus shoots on evenings and weekends. There were major growing pains and it was a learning curve to learn how to manage my time effectively. When you’re self-employed it’s easy to forget you need some boundaries for yourself to keep your sanity. You’re not leaving an office and leaving your work behind until the next day, it’s always right at your fingertips on your phone. We’re all so connected by our phones and social media so it can be difficult to leave an email or message response for later. I think an ongoing challenge is to set boundaries that keep me in a mentally healthy space and let me be fully present when I’m with my family and friends. 

The biggest challenge for me has always been the fear. Fear of failure. Fear of judgment. Fear of rejection. What if my work isn’t good enough? What if no one wants to hire me? What if I fail? Those feelings of self-doubt are inevitable, but luckily, I really and truly have the most supportive husband to remind me that I can do anything I set my mind to. In a profession with so much raw talent, it can be overwhelming to put yourself and your work out there for the world to compare. I’ve found the best way to work through those feelings of doubt is to set up a shoot just for me. I get to be creative without worrying about anyone’s expectations. It always refreshes me and gets my mind back in a positive place. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in natural light photography focusing on real and organic moments. I photograph all the important moments in life including maternity, newborns, family, engagements, and weddings. I also offer branding photography for individuals and companies. I’m most proud of my ability to capture emotion while still allowing my clients to feel calm and at ease during their session. Most people are not a fan of having their photos taken, and I can’t tell you how many people have told me I have a calming presence and how easy the experience was. I pride myself on being able to find the balance in following my creative voice and sticking to my style and aesthetic, but also meeting clients’ expectations whether I’m photographing a family or a small business owner. Branding photography is one of my favorite avenues I’ve explored the last few years simply because I know how difficult it can be to start and run your own business. I just love seeing others follow their dreams and being able to play a small part in that by capturing content for their business is really neat. 

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
After I told my husband that I really wanted to pursue a dream of a career as a photographer and have my own business, he came home from work one day with a professional DSLR camera in hand and confidently told me to “go make it happen.” He always supports me and I’m so grateful. Our wedding photographer, Melissa Vossler, graciously allowed me to shadow her, learn from her, and still to this day, answers questions or is a sounding board for me. She’s photographed every stage of my family’s life and we’re so grateful for her. I’ve worked with some wonderful photographers and for a time was working with Ashley Burns Photography who taught me so much about weddings and truly helped my eye for aesthetics develop. Stephanie Loren Photography is the coolest girl you’ll ever meet and has always been the most positive, encouraging person. Photography can be really competitive, but these three ladies were huge supports and I’d like to think we all supported each other as best we could as we all worked to grow our own businesses. Lastly, my parents supported me and encouraged me throughout the process. My mom babysat many days or handled pre-school drop-offs and pick-ups for me while I had mid-week shoots. My dad always taught me that if you’re going to do something, then you better do it well. His work ethic was incredible and his example has definitely led the way for me in how I view my business. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.meghanosullivan.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/meghanosullivanphotography

Image Credits
Meghan O’Sullivan Photography