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

Hi Ivy, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
I have frequently thought about choosing another career path. There isn’t a lot of support in the arts and when you’re down in the dumps you’re more likely to hear, “go back to school,” “why don’t you try nursing,” “a government job will set you up.” I’ve tried the whole office job 9-5 thing and honestly, I’m just not that good at it. As a feminist I can no longer be the “customer is always right” smile and nod type. Once I decided to be a full-time photographer, do this all or nothing I owed it to myself to do my best, show up, put the work in every day, and strive to bring more creativity to the table. I love it. I absolutely love what I do and when you are passionate about something, trust me, go all in. You’ve heard the saying, “do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Well, that’s what it feels like to do what you’re passionate about because I work harder and I see the reward. You’ll put in more time but you’d have to do that anyways working on someone else’s dream. Why not do that for yourself?

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art medium is photography. I’m a sucker for love and when you see my work you just know, “these two are going to make it.” I’m really excited about growing my business further in the Rocky Mountains. How did I get where I am today? Drive. For the longest time I thought that photography would always just be a hobby for me. I attended the Rocky Mountain School of Photography and even still, didn’t think I’d ever make a living without a second job. One day, I decided that maybe I should go back to school for Dental Hygiene. The price would be about $30,000. I then told myself, for $30,000 I can definitely do photography full time why put that much money into something else? So, I went all in, doing all that it takes to launch a business, market my self, and book weddings. It was not easy but man was it invigorating! Traveling all over, meeting couples, creating art, the tears, the delicious food, this is the dream. I can’t stop now.
The challenges I faced were personal but isn’t that how it always goes when you invest in yourself, road bumps.
I recently got a divorce, sold my home, struggled to find affordable housing. It all worked out thankfully, but what I recommend to those who are their own support systems is to ask for help. Get a therapist, reach out to friends, treat yourself with forgiveness and compassion. We all have moments in life that can drag us down… if we let it. I traveled all over this year and ate all the delicious food, danced and did what was best for me.
I’d like people to know that they’re not alone, they are welcome here just as they are.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Salida is a very tourist friendly town so there is so much fun to be had! I’d definitely make us reservations at the Hooper Hot Springs, for a relaxing soak in their gorgeous greenhouse. Then for food and bev, we’d make our way to many of the local hot spots like Biker and the Baker, Woods Distillery, The Fritz, and Highside. For coffee I’d have Coffee by Topo deliver us some of her amazing pumpkin spiced java with a couple of scones from the Little Red Hen Bakery. Then I’d check for local shows at the Salida Steamplant or comedy at the Boathouse Cantina. Depending on the season I’d suggest mountain biking or skiing. Salida has amazing trails for hiking or biking and the ski resort is a quick 30 minute drive. An exciting time would be to check out the new baklava spot downtown, Rama makes delicious Turkish treats and teas and has an amazing spot to relax and hang out.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ll dedicate my shoutout to my mentor Taylor. She’s my support system and cheerleader. What’s funny is that we actually just met for the first time in person last week at the farmers market. Virtually, she showed me the way, she gave me the boost I needed to believe in myself. What really stuck was when she grabbed a calendar and pointed to a date, “Is this the day you’re going to quit your day job to go full time? Or what about this day?” I had no idea how ready I was to run a successful business. Imposter syndrome is real, but she’s the one who put it all into real numbers and made it all my reality.

Website: www.ivybencheckportraits.com

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Image Credits
Photo’s by Ivy Bencheck Portraits

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