Meet Suzanne Pedersen | Photographer & Fitness Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Suzanne Pedersen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Suzanne, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I am inspired by many things in this world, but I do feel like people are high on the list. The way we move, the way we interact with our world and each other, the way we show ourselves to others is big in my book. I am also heavily inspired by nature, mostly the details and subtle elements and how they interact, although the grand landscape can be inspiring too. If I feel I can connect on some level, with humans or nature, I am inspired. Music can help inspiration flow as well, although in nature I prefer to be surrounded by the sounds of silence.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started photography professionally when my youngest daughter Farron was 2, so that puts me at about 24 years “in business”. I started with portraits, as I remember not being able to get enough photos of my own girls (you should see the volumes of prints/negatives/digital files I have amassed, and I’m not mad about it) and eventually I was asked by friends if I could photograph their kiddos and families. It was definitely not easy, and the nerves were off the charts, but I just went for it. It was slow at first, with some early sessions that were almost a complete fail, but I had the most supportive and understanding clients that never judged or criticized. I feel utterly blessed by this to this day, and I remember them, they made a huge impact on me.

I continued to learn and grow and develop more confidence as the years passed and I photographed more. I learn something, to this day, at every session. To me, this is a great thing. I don’t ever want to stop learning! I think the biggest lesson I can take away from my experiences is to not give up. If you are doing something you truly love, and it gets hard, that’s not a reason to throw in the towel. There will always be good and bad days, but if what you are pursuing is a passion, all days are worth it.

I had a few years in my journey where life was a little more challenging and while I took a step back from photography, I never stopped. What I found was, after that period of time when I backed off a little, I came back stronger, with even more drive than I had before. When I look back at old work, I can honestly say I am proud of images I have made for families, even from the beginning which feels good. Evolution of craft is real, and I am also proud to say that I feel that I have become a more creative and aware photographer, a skill I believe comes with time behind the lens and experience, including failures along side successes. Whereas I always get some kind of nerves before sessions, my confidence that I know what I am doing is definitely way stronger.

After my girls grew up and were no longer interested in being photographed as much, I felt lost. This is where my lesson of don’t give up on passion comes into play. I was still desperately in love with photography and wanted to continue my business, but had to find a way to fuel that drive for my own photos with something other than my kids. This is where I feel I really took off. I began pursuing work purely for the personal satisfaction, that may or may not include people. This was by no means an overnight transition, and took a few years to really feel like I had a new focus. I just kept shooting.

Today I have a blend of paid portraiture (individual, couples, small business) as well as pursing my own art that consists of elements of nature, and self portraiture. My goal with my personal focused photography is to develop a significant body of work that can speak for me as a human, and what makes me feel alive. I hope it one day can be looked back on fondly by my kids, but even if it dies with me, I will still create. As far as my business, I am more excited than ever, and enjoy on location work as well as studio work, and the differences they each bring. I love to focus on emotion and connection with those who are in front of my camera, and showcasing my clients in a meaningful and emotive way is key, to reflect their beauty and soul.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If I had a friend visiting from out of town and nothing to do but play, I would first take them to the mountains. I would drive up to Echo Lake so they could see the beauty not only at the lake, but on the drive up from Idaho Springs, and back down into Evergreen. We would definitely walk the trails around and behind the lake! I would secondly take them to Boulder to see the flatirons, hopefully during the week when it is a little less busy! Red Rocks would be top on the list as the famous venue that it is!

A trip downtown would be really fun, heading to Union Station, and RiNO and maybe checking out the Santa Fe Arts district, maybe it would be a first Friday and we could enjoy the galleries being open and alive with energy! If we were going for dinner or drinks, I would find something that had burgers and cocktails in RiNO!

I would absolutely take them for a coffee date at Mint & Serif in Lakewood, and then onto the Botanic Gardens. If we had time, I would go to York Street first, but hope to visit the Chatfield location another day as it’s so wild and beautiful!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I absolutely wouldn’t be where I am today without the upbringing I had. I am one of the privileged ones who had parents who encouraged me to follow my dreams, even before I could comprehend what that meant. They both always made me believe I could do anything, literally anything I put my mind to. Whether that is truly accurate is questionable, but they put the belief in me which I credit to me being content following the paths I have taken in my life.

I credit my daughters Gabby and Farron as being the best thing to happen to me, back when life may have felt a little more in flux. Without my them, I would not be who I am today. Their sheer existence makes me a better person. Their appearance and their beautiful lives helped my goals flip from those of personal focus, to continually committing to being the best person I could be for other people (I do have personal goals, but my girls helped me realize how the world is not all about me).

My husband Chris is a continuous support and encouraging figure in my closest world. The support he gives me helps me continue to feel confident even when confidence wanes. Having him in my corner and as my closest supporter means more than I can express.

I am grateful for all the friendships I have made through photography, from the online people who I feel like I know, as well as the support of my non photographer friends. I truly am surrounded by a beautiful network of humans that are absolutely a group I would love to shout out.

Truly, I could go on and on because although we are all sole individuals in this world, I truly believe we succeed and progress through our connections to others. There are so many people that deserve credit in my world!

Website: https://www.suzannepedersen.com

Instagram: @b.roll.backup

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzanne.lopez.5688

Other: My facebook has my old name but everything is updated on FB. Bluesky – @suzannepedersen.bsky.social, Foto – @suzannepedersen, Threads –
@b.roll.backup

Image Credits
Chris Pedersen took the photo of me. All else are mine.