Non-Photography Skills That Make Me a Better Photographer

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with school. I love learning subjects that interest me, but always had a hard time retaining any info about stuff that made me snooze. My point of view changed in college when taking business classes required for my major. Mind you - I was studying Visual Communication and specializing in photography and video, so I personally felt that I didn’t need Econ or Accounting or Statistics.

But my program at BGSU required this one class: Entrepreneurship. It completely changed my perspective. Ran by a grouchy old local gazillionaire who was obsessed with Casey Neistat and Shark Tank (it WAS 2016, after all), Professor Gene Poor threw every creative and free-spirited tactic at us, and it STUCK. I left every class in awe and filled with inspiration to find my niche, build a brand, and put myself in business.

After one incredible semester, I learned that in order for anyone to succeed in the life of entrepreneurship, they needed to keep learning and find joy in it! Since committing myself to my business, here are a few of my favorite subjects that I’ve studied up to give myself an edge.

Botany

Now that I’m back in the Midwest, having four seasons is my entire personality. Blossoming dogwoods? Those are in mid-April. Wildflowers? Late July for my area. Peak fall color? You’ve got ONE weekend in October and it’s a bit of a gamble. October 15 was too early for 2025, but who knows about 2026. 

My senior photography clients in Northern Illinois will often ask for specific environmental aspects like willow trees, a river bank, a forest preserve, etc. and it’s up to me to help them find the best spot and best time of year for their dream senior photos.

Meteorology & Astronomy

When you start a 1.5 hour photoshoot at 5pm and the sun goes down at 6pm, you learn your lesson the hard way. I now have my eye on timeanddate.com regularly to get a heads up on the best time for golden hour and sunset pics. My favorite day of the year? The 2nd Sunday of March - when daylight savings begins.

Food Styling & Wine Pairings

I’ve developed this skill immensely since moving to Las Vegas to be a “marketing” photographer (code word for food photographer - surprise!) Even though I mostly use these practices in my professional 9-5 setting, I have applied this knowledge on contract jobs like my branding photoshoot for Prairie View Golf Club. 

Yes, food does in fact have a “good” side. Sometimes you have to rotate it a little to find the right spot, but other times I’ll have chefs explain to me where their point of view was in the plating process. It’s also good to know that red wine pairs with beef and pork, and white wine pairs with poultry and fish. Cocktails depend on the flavor profile of the table and the restaurant itself. Tequila pairs with lime flavors and Mexican food, beer is a natural option in a casual American dining atmosphere, and Old Fashioneds are for dark, moody steakhouses. 

Note: I’ve had entire photoshoots scrapped because of amateur pairings. My lack of knowledge and attention to detail, plus the dining staff member’s lack of attention to detail, caused some big issues with the Dining Room Manager of a well-known Sin City establishment. Every photoshoot is an opportunity to learn, but beware of signing up for projects you’re not prepared for. God forbid a girl pairs beef carpaccio with a mimosa. I didn’t have that knowledge then, but now I do!

Rules & Regs of Each Sport

When I got hired to be the Social Media & Marketing Manager of the Las Vegas Aviators, Triple-A Affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, the first thing I did was run to Barnes & Noble and buy the Baseball Field Guide.

Once I fully understood the sport I was working with, and the individual athletes, my photography was 1000x better. At any point in the game, I could look at what was happening, who was up to bat and how many people were on base, and I could get myself in the right spot for the best content possible. Yohel Pozo always throws his bat and yells when he hits a homer. Luis Barrera either gave ice baths or received them himself. Mason Miller is the most talented pitcher I’ve ever worked with, and he’s the subject of some of my favorite photos.

It helps to play the sport yourself. I was a gymnast growing up - and working with the NIU gymnastics team was the easiest transition I’ve ever had. I don’t stand at the end of the beam or the corners of the floor, I know the routine choreography and the poses they have for the judges, and I wait by the spots their teammates will flood to celebrate a stuck landing.

There’s some easy rules of thumb to remember when photographing sports: catch facial expressions, not the backs of heads. Use cropping to your advantage. Fans & coaching staff make great subjects, too. Avoid any vulnerable angles or posing that would make athletes uncomfortable if the photos were shared - it’s part of your job to protect them and their privacy.

Web Design & Social Media Marketing

Web design and social media content and marketing falls under the umbrella of my Visual Communication degree from college. However, one semester on HTML coding did not cover the difference between Wix and Squarespace, and how to build a web page within those platforms. I could’ve hired a freelance web designer, but I decided to build my own from scratch ! I spent a lot of time looking at other photographer’s websites while building mine, and I sent mine out to a lot of people to get peer reviews on functionality. At one point I was too focused on the “look” and my site was not easy for new clients to navigate at all!

As for Social Media Marketing, that knowledge was already in my wheelhouse from years spent as a full-time social media marketing manager after college. I choose a strategy that is different than most photographers - I don’t really utilize Instagram reels. I prefer thought-out informative carousels, or stories that drive engagement. I’ve tried out a few paid Meta ads, but they don’t quite work for my small budget and niche target audience.

My biggest secret weapon? Pinterest. I highly recommend other photographers and business owners to check out Jenna Kutcher’s website and podcast; she praises Pinterest’s marketing capabilities all the time.

Check out my Pinterest board here for inspo.

One last thing

Finally, I’ve learned how to have confidence in myself.

Imposter syndrome can be absolutely brutal sometimes. You see other photographers in your area booked solid, meanwhile you’re hearing crickets. I’ve been practicing affirmations with my amazing therapist, and one of my favorites is “Every client is a reminder that someone believes in you”. I’ve started focusing on the positives: the clients I have, the social posts that perform well, my family and friends who show their support for my business.

Not only has this photography journey allowed me to explore my creativity and experience some incredible moments, but it’s taught me that I can just be me, and that’s enough.