Meet Vanessa Freeman | Photographer

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

Hi Vanessa, how do you define success?
To me, success is honoring your truth. It’s about discovering your deepest aspirations and fulfilling them. It’s achieving inner peace, living a life filled with love, happiness and compassion. It’s waking up in the mornings and being able to do the things you love and having the freedom to pursue your passions. To me, success is not dependent on the attainment of wealth, social status or recognition. I think it’s important that we don’t rely on the evaluations of others to define our success. When you feel satisfied with your life regardless of the societal views of success, you are successful.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My journey as a photographer started in Miami, FL around 12 years ago. Around this time, I was also a makeup artist. My goal getting into photography was to combine my makeup artistry with photography. This worked out for a couple of years until I realized my main passion was photography. I decided to stop doing makeup so I could solely focus on photography. This journey wasn’t a straight path, there were many ups and downs that interfered with my goal of being a full-time professional photographer. I quickly realized that the only way I could be truly happy and fulfilled was by pursuing my passion. I committed to this realization with persistent dedication. Eventually my desires started to manifest. Photography has enriched my life in many ways. It changed the way I experience the world, the way I look at things. It made me more aware of my surroundings. When I’m behind the camera, I’m truly present in the moment, taking everything in. I’m in a state of flow, fully immersed in what I’m doing. I think this is the reason I love it so much. Since moving to Colorado, I’ve been mostly focused on shooting weddings. I fell in love with wedding photography because it allowed me to shoot in a way that I could tell a story, a beautiful love story. There are no limits on what you can do in wedding photography. I love a good challenge and wedding photography is exactly that, it’s pushed me to grow artistically and professionally.

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.
Manitou Springs is one of my favorite places! it’s my go to when someone visits from out of town. It’s full of charm and cozy spots. I love exploring all the shops, especially La Henna Boheme, it’s where I go for all my witchy needs. When it comes to restaurants, Mexican!! I’m obsessed with Mexican food. One of my favorites is actually a taco truck called Mako’s Tacos, which is perfect because it’s right next to Leechpit Records, where I usually find all my favorite records. No visit would be complete without a trip to Amy’s Donuts, literally the best donuts I’ve ever had. The best part about living in Colorado is the scenery. I’m forever in awe of those epic mountain views.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Pursuing a creative career is extremely fulfilling but comes with many challenges. Having supportive people in your life is so important in overcoming these challenges. The support of my family during this journey has meant the world to me. I come from a creative family; both my parents have been entrepreneurs their entire lives, always ran their own businesses in a creative field. Creativity was always encouraged in my family. Later on, I met the love of my life, and this is when I truly blossomed into the person I am today. Became a mother to the most wonderful little girl in the Universe. In moments of doubt, the believe that my husband has in me has been the fuel needed to keep me going. When someone you love shows you that kind of support, believes in you with all of their heart, letting them down is not an option. Ultimately, my daughter inspires me to be the best possible version of myself.

Website: blissfulstudiosphotography.com

Instagram: @blissfulstudiosphotography

Image Credits
Photo of me was taken by Jesse Freeman