Meet Miriam Dudley | Photographer

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

Hi Miriam, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
Since I can remember, I loved taking photos. I got my first camera at the age of 6 and filled so many albums with printed photos over the years. Becoming a professional photographer was not only a wild dream, but totally out of reach as life got busy and I never pursued chasing my dreams. This changed in 2019 when I moved from Germany (my home country) to Colorado to be with my husband, who I met in Germany. This was a huge step for me, as I was leaving behind a career as a Marketing Manager in the fashion industry, but also all of my friends and family. However, it offered me the chance to think about what I really wanted, as I had to start all over (and by the way, I got to the US right before covid hit which made it even harder to find a job). One day, I was on my phone, and saw an ad for a free webinar about photography, watched it and it all of a sudden clicked. I knew what I had to do. I enrolled into a mentorship program, spent tons of hours watching tutorials and courses, started doing free photo sessions to build up my portfolio and finally started my first ever business as a photographer. Having worked in large businesses over the years, my sense for business, organization and management is pretty strong. If I have a goal, I find ways to achieve it even if it takes a little longer or takes me through some ups and downs. But all in all, I know that doing what I love is the right thing and I am so excited for the future.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I worked many years as an Executive Assistant in large enterprises. After that, I became a Marketing and Process Manager in the Fashion Industry. All of those positions heavily shaped me, but in a very positive way. As Executive Assistant, a high degree of planning and organizational skills, as well as resilience and stress resistance, were required. I learned how to become highly efficient and to think strategically. But, I also learned to say no and respect my own boundaries and limits. Some years were hard, but this period taught me to now do certain things differently or better. Later, in Marketing, my creative side was required. I realized how much I liked to write creative concepts and learned the importance of visual marketing. All of these skills help me today in order to run my photography business. Taking visual appealing photos is one thing, but you need business understanding, as well, to be successful. I am now 40 years old and have learned a lot about businesses, and about myself over the years. But one thing I didn’t know until I started my own business, is how good it feels to do something you truly love. Sometimes you have to just wait for the right moment and then all of a sudden, it all makes sense.

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?
My best friend from Germany was visiting me actually last October and we had a blast together. I took her horseback riding at a ranch in Westcliffe with stunning mountain views. Of course, residing in Colorado Springs, I showed her the Garden of the Gods too. We also went up Pikes Peak, which was her first time ever on over 14,000 feet. One of the highlights was our trip to the mountains. We spent a night in a shepherd’s wagon :))) at Avalanche Ranch in Carbondale. They have their own hot springs in a super secluded area with picturesque views. It was the real Colorado experience. We left Colorado Springs in t-shirts and woke up the next day to a magical winter wonderland. On the way we stopped at the town of Vail and had delicious lunch at the Restaurant Bully Ranch. What would I recommend to someone who hasn’t been here yet? I love Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs but I also enjoy driving up to the mountains. There’s so much to do like Eleven Mile Reservoir, the old mining towns of Cripple Creek and Victor, the Million Dollar highway during Fall (soooo beautiful), Breckenridge and its beautiful hiking trails. In Colorado Springs downtown there’s a really nice bar scene with the coolest speak-easy bars and cute restaurants.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Oh yes! There are many people in my life, or who crossed my path that deserve a shout out! First and foremost, the biggest thanks goes to my husband for supporting me in all of my decisions. He is very proud of me and motivates me when I have a bad day. Next, I want to thank my photography mentor David Molnar for getting me here. He is the founder of the mentorship program TPM that I joined, and without all these courses, chats with his experts, webinars, etc. I wouldn’t have been able to get access to all the information I needed to start my business. I also want to thank my photographer friend Danusia Zdunek of Danusia Zdunek Photography in Colorado Springs for taking my profile pic. Lastly, I want to thank all of my friends and family for believing in me and supporting me, even from across the ocean!

Website: www.miriamdudley.com

Instagram: miriamdudley_photography

Facebook: Miriam Dudley Photography, LLC, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090432227905

Image Credits
Credit for profile pic / featured image only: Danusia Zdunek of Danusia Zdunek Photography