Meet Shan Baca | Photographer

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

Hi Shan, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Work / Life balance can be tough to navigate, weather you own your own company, or you work for a very demanding company. Learning when to prioritize your family and yourself can be a challenge. My work / Life balance has changed over time by going from working full time, to becoming a stay-at-home mother and wife, to owning and running my own business. It is easy to let the work take over, to say, ” let me just finish this really quick” and next thing you know hours have passed by. You quickly ate your dinner while staring at a screen, missed bath time, the nighttime routine and ran in quickly to say goodnight. Not really knowing what you are missing. But at least you “got it done”. I think especially when you own your own business you have to learn to turn it off. That work will still be there tomorrow, even if it means getting up earlier to get work done before your kiddo wakes up. Prioritize yourself, and your family, they come FIRST.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I pride myself on the experience that I provide to my clients. I want them to feel comfortable in front of my Lens, and to always leave with a smile on their face! Every session I have had my clients tell me that I made their session fun, and that they were glad they booked me! I feel like that sets me apart from others. You truly have to provide an amazing experience for your clients to want to return to you. Remember it only takes one bad day, one bad session for them to never come back, or never refer you to their family and friends.

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.
The absolute best time for someone to come visit Albuquerque, New Mexico would be in October, during the Balloon Fiesta. A weeklong event that brings people from across the globe to participate. With Morning, midday and evening events it’s a Blast! We of course wouldn’t spend the entire week at the Balloon Fiesta of course. There are plenty other fun things to see here. We would hit up a few of our favorite breweries for example Marble, Boxing Bear, Santa Fe Brewing Co. Some of mine and my husband’s favorite places to eat are, Blaze Pizza, Casa Taco and a couple other hole in the wall restaurants like Tia Sofias, Little Bear Coffee Co. We would hike the Trails in the Petroglyphs and see the volcanoes or travel up to Santa Fe and go to the Plaza. walk around and emerse ourselves in the New Mexican culture in our state’s capital.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When I first started this journey as a photographer, I knew absolutely nothing about it. I was one of those people who thought it was just a point and shoot type thing. I never knew the of things that have to come together to actually create a great photo session and produce a quality product. My first mentor I would like to dedicate this Shoutout to would be my father-in-law, Allen Baca. I remember when he asked me what f stop, I normally shoot at, and I was like a deer in the headlight. I honestly had NO idea what he was talking about, and after my answer he knew I didn’t know either. So, he had me bring my camera or use his camera and showed me exactly what makes up a great photo. He has shown me that you can never know enough, there is always something more to learn, a fresh perspective. To this day, I still welcome constructive criticism from him on my work and ask advice on how to fix things I am struggling with. Without him, I wouldn’t be the photographer I am today.

Secondly, I want to recognize my second mentor, Samantha D’anna, who helped me grow in my business, and helped me find my editing style. She shared all her secrets with me, from how she edits, to how she invoices clients, help with my contract, and how she delivers galleries to clients. With her help, I went from sending galleries, through text or google, with no contract to having and running a professional business, with a full proof contract, professional gallery delivery, and invoicing online vs. cash. I couldn’t have done this without her guidance

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Image Credits
Misha Harris Beauty – Hair and Makeup (Bridal) Ana Archuleta – Hair And makeup (Mountians) Bridal Elegance by Darlene _ Dresses Maggie Sottero – Dress Designer