Meet Becca Wissman | Photographer & Failed Perfectionist

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

Hi Becca, how does your business help the community?
In the first few months of the pandemic I spent many sleepless nights laying wide awake. I wasn’t sick, but rather restless from a feeling of helplessness. I wondered how I could help alleviate the pain of others around me, so desperately wishing I had the skills to lift the burden of people like my best friend who is a nurse. But the reality was, without years of paper training I couldn’t assist in the medical field. I quite honestly felt pretty useless and depressed.

As the months rolled on and the world turned even more chaotic I received a unique inquiry. This wasn’t for an elopement or a wedding. It wasn’t even for someone to build their branding. The request came from a family whose father was nearing end of life. He couldn’t recognize his wife, or kids, or even his best friend. However they sought one last rememberabce of being with him before it was too late to capture the essence of life on film. Heavy, right? I debated. “What would I say when I greeted them?”, “Should I snap photos even if they’re crying?”, and “How the heck will I keep my own empath emotions in check?!” raced through my mind.

I decided to set up a zoom call with the daughter in law and son who had contacted me, so we could discuss exactly what they were looking for. We would meet in a park, the family would be dressed up and transport their father to the photo spot. They understood he likely wouldn’t show much emotion but liked the idea of both posed and candid shots of the interactions. His best friend was going to fly in. After chatting with them I was determined to be a part of this special mission.

We had a BLAST. It ended up being one of the windiest days of the year but I think that made the day all the more memorable. Family members would switch in and out shielding each other from the windy gusts while wrapping up in jackets as others had their photo time with the guest of honor. There was laughter through all of it. No complaining about the cold, or how their hair was going crazy. They were fully immersed in the moments, making the best of the situation and soaking up that time together.

Since that session I myself have lost several who are near and dear to my heart. Although that family heavily understood the inevitable was approaching I’ve realized that we more often don’t know it’s the last time until after it’s the last time. When we lose a loved one there is an insatiable longing to obtain tangible memories of togetherness. The immense sadness of knowing there are no more opportunities to experience life together, and the heartfelt nostalgia looking back on the good times. When I capture photos of others I’m actually giving them one of the most precious gifts. I am freeze framing them and their tribe to cherish for years to come. And that is how my photography gives back to the world.

*Out of respect for the family, I am not including photos from our session together in this article.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Bluebird Day Photo is much more than a cute name. Anyone in the winter sports world may recognize the phrase “Bluebird Day” as a way to describe clear, sunny conditions, usually happening right after a night of snow fall. I took this concept and thought, “hey, that could tie into photography too”. To me your wedding, elopement, engagement, brand (you name it) is uniquely and perfectly you. Sometimes life doesn’t go as planned but that doesn’t mean the moments can’t be special. Whether it’s raining on your event, numbers are trimmed down due to a pandemic, or your company morphed into something not even remotely like you had planned…no matter the circumstances, we’ll capture your magic and have our own bluebird day.

As a photographer I really thrive off of the challenge of telling each story in its own light rather than focusing on producing the same styled look over and over. To me, individuality and real moments are where the good stuff is. Most of the people I’ve worked with haven’t gotten married in giant castles or fashioned the most expensive designer dress. They’re awesome, “average” people who want their story documented in varied settings with their tribe. They have different vibes, different interests, different personalities. I take pride in truly spending time getting to know my clients leading up to and during their shoot. Prioritizing open conversations helps me hone in on determining how to capture and tell their story best.

Starting a company came pretty naturally to me although not without a bit of a learning curve. Before moving to Colorado I owned and operated a bicycle racing company so was able to carry many of those experiences into my photography venture. Some of the takeaways and hard lessons I try to remember:

-Failure is necessary for success: Ouch. I really hated learning this. I’m fortunate to be a very quick learner but also historically held tremendous standards for myself. I used to think operating at a level of perfection was tangible with the right amount of research, practice, and dedication. Those actions certainly help but nothing in this world can guarantee you instant success in all you do. Sometimes you’ll mess up, sometimes you’ll let people down. That’s reality. Over the years I’ve learned a person is defined not solely by their wins or mistakes, but rather how they react to those life happenings. Often times failure, although painful, can be the best teacher around. Look at what went wrong, brainstorm how to be better next time, and implement that change moving forward.

-Anyone can do it: At times I fall into a discouraged rut. Am I good enough? Do I actually know what I’m doing? Would these clients be better off if I sent them to someone else? On the down days my mind goes there. However on the kickass days I realize that mentality is rubbish! First off, hesitation and concern often stem from caring. Those of us who have those thoughts care about producing great product. We care about making my clients happy. That’s a great start and on its own a valid reason for why clients are in great hands with us. We care. Now comparison often breeds unhappiness but if done with the right perspective it can be helpful. Yes there are MANY amazing artists out there that may be “better”. However there are also MANY different clients with varying tastes and attractions. The beautiful thing about art is that it’s relative. One person may prefer a piece that looks like a kindergartener’s finger painting while their best friend may prefer very detailed pencil portraits of cats. All people are different people yet there inevitably will be others who resonate with you. Lean into what makes you unique as an artist and keep bringing your beauty to this world.

-You’re not as awkward as you think and if you are, who cares?: Think about the smartest, most gifted people you have known or learned about. Were they consistently perfect in social situations or always acting as others wanted them to? Likely not. Some of the most ingenious minds throughout history presented a bit of awkwardness with others. I used to get so paranoid about how I looked or how I spoke while I was photographing people. “Am I smiling enough? I keep looking at that tree…they probably don’t realize I’m mentally staging an image…I should probably stop so they aren’t weirded out. I’m not talking as much as I should, is it rude to allow some silence while I’m shooting?”. I’ve come to realize that although it’s important to ensure your clients feel comfortable and at ease, overthinking can be a detriment. If I’m always focused on coming off perfectly, I’m not being my true self and as a result hindering my creativity. People would rather work with someone who was a little quirky yet produced amazing photos than someone who said and did all the right things but allowed that focus to compromise their abilities.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m fighting the urge to take this question quite literally and write out a weeklong itinerary. In my 9-5 job I act as Contracting & Project Management for a travel company, so planning itineraries is my language! But let’s be a bit more laid back here and break down by some of my favorite locations:

Nederland:
The town of Nederland is near and dear to my heart as a laid back, fun mountain town that I used to live in. If I could talk her into it we’d probably hike one of the local trails for sunrise (I hate arriving when everyone else does – way too much traffic!) and have breakfast at the new bagel place. Decent Bagels is a-ma-zing. I’d definitely take her to the Train Cars Coffee Shop to grab some mini donuts and show off how cool it is. If she was visiting during March, we’d stop in for the town’s annual Frozen Dead Guy Days festival (anyone reading this should look it up – quite the conversation starter!).

Idaho Springs and Blackhawk:
Assuming my bestie would come during the summer, we would go whitewater rafting down Clear Creek. I am a bus driver and photographer during summer weekends for a company called Liquid Descent in Idaho Springs and enjoy sharing my love for river life (with the help of my guide pals!)! Lunch would probably be at Smokin’ Yards. I just can’t resist their BBQ! We’d also visit the shops downtown, take a mining tour, and check out some of the Black Hawk casinos. Driving up to the top of Mount Evans would also be a good choice.

Estes Park:
My fondest experiences with Estes Park actually happen during the nighttime. I am a sucker for beautiful, historic buildings so the Stanley Hotel would be on the agenda. Ideally we’d take a nighttime tour to learn about the haunted history and connection to The Shining, wrapping up with a drink at their bar. Then we’d set out to visit Rocky Mountain National Park (yes, in the dark!). Nothing matches standing in the park on a clear night while staring up at the sky. Almost every time I’ve done this I’ve seen more than one shooting star and it’s an experience most city folk don’t have.

Denver:
Tracks. We’d definitely skate at Tracks on a Thursday or Friday night, whichever had a theme that resonated more with us. City, O’ City is an amazing restaurant for vegans and vegetarians (and even those who love meat like myself will likely be won over! I was pleasantly surprised with their variety). One of my favorite hotels has an amazing restaurant inside – we’d check out Hotel Teatro and The Nickel! I’d also look for some unique experiences like the Hammond’s Candy Factory tour, Denver US Mint tour, museums, or random events going on. I’ve always wanted to check out the Santa Fe Art District so we’d likely fit that in as well.

Golden & Morrison:
It can’t go unsaid that a concert at Red Rocks is unlike any other. Before a night enjoying music at that beautiful venue we’d start the day off in Golden. There are several hiking and biking trails to enjoy, and Golden Moon Speakeasy is such a fun place to take people to. Sherpa House is also a place I often take out-of-towners. It breeds such a unique and delicious experience.

Grand Lake:
If we were traveling in the area and needed a place to stay, Wild Acre Cabins would be the place to go. Rustic on the outside with a modern update on the inside. These cabins are very quaint and cute – perfect for a mini getaway!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My Grandfather, fondly known as Bob, was THE coolest and most loving dude around. It’s nearly impossible to accurately relay his personality through written words, especially for someone like me who often has a hard time verbalizing sentiments. He was someone who made anyone lucky enough to cross his path feel special, and I was graced beyond belief to be his granddaughter.

Bob had a gift with photographing people. He loved snapping images of any and every occasion, making sure each person present was photographed. He didn’t care if he knew them or not – he was focused on making people smile and ensuring they felt included. I think back to all of the moments he’s captured throughout the years and how fortunate our family is to have photo memories of them due to his diligence. Each time I’m at a photoshoot I look for the special, little moments which may normally be overlooked. I capture those in his honor.

Website: www.bluebirddayphoto.com

Instagram: bluebirddayphoto

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccawissman/