Life & Work with Elizabeth Richards of Historic Downtown Columbus

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Richards

Hi Elizabeth, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve had a camera in my hand since 1997, when I was just 3 years old, back in the “Ye Olde Analog Film Days”! All through my childhood I would steal my mom and my grandma’s cameras in order to document pretty things, places and people! By the time I was a Freshman in High School, my family broke down and got me my 1st digital camera. I was so excited! By the time Sophomore and Junior Year came, I was asked to take most of my friends’ Senior Pictures for the Year Book.

All through college, photography was my minor. I wanted to work with the State Police as a Crime Scene Photographer. On day one of job shadowing, I found out that the job title “Crime Scene Photographer” was just NOT for me. We were taken out to a cadaver field where police dogs and potential recruits were trained for their respective, various jobs. I threw up all over the wheel of the bus within a few minutes of stepping out into the training field.

So with that in mind, I made a career change and decided to work with victims of crime and troubled youth, thinking that if I could help teenagers when they are young, they would have a better chance of ending the cycle of violence. I worked as a Youth Addiction Counselor all while keeping my photography hobby in my back pocket. I continued to pull my talents out for friends and family, documenting their special occasions in life.

After I had my son in 2018, I had to leave my job as a Youth Addiction Counselor due to the mental and emotional toll it was taking on me. After being a Stay at Home Parent for almost the entire first 2 years of my son’s life, I realized I’d forgotten who I was outside of being a mom and wife.

So I asked my friends, and friends of friends, to take a chance on me and let me start to photograph their special moments in life. I restarted my hobby of photography, taking photos for free to gain more experience at the end of 2019. In 2020, I spent most of the year trying out all of the different genres of photography that I could. I attempted to learn what style I loved and who I loved to work with the most. At the end of 2020 it finally clicked!

That’s when I set out on this journey to become a Boudoir Photographer. That was 4 years ago now. My goal was to help others, especially women, see how other people see them. Sometimes just getting all dolled up and treating yourself to a day of pampering, playing dress up, and remembering who you are on the inside, who are you when you’re by yourself; is exactly what a someone needs to feel like themself again! And that was like a Lightning Strike to my soul! I felt electrified! I felt giddy and alive for the first time in ages!

In this day and age, especially as women, we are expected to carry so many titles; everything from Mom, Wife, Daughter, Sister, Friend, Teacher, Boss Lady… And on top of all those titles, we are expected to run our home-life, social-life, work-life, and do it all! Not just do it all though, do it all AND make it look easy! But you and I both know that is the furthest thing from easy!

So I became a Boudoir Photographer in the hopes that, even if only for a short while, I could help another woman see herself in a better light, from a different perspective, learn to be kinder to herself, and to help her gain more confidence, all while providing a truly luxurious, once-in-a-life-time, kind of experience!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Along the way, things have been difficult and extremely trying at times. As a professional photographer, an entrepreneur, a business lady, a mom, and wife, I’ve had to learn to roll with the punches, take things as they come and learn to let go, delegate, and take time for myself. These are my top 5 struggles in EVERYTHING I do.

When I first started out on this wild ride, I didn’t even know the first things about how to run a business or even start one. Filing for a business license, doing my taxes and how to keep the books was a HARD lesson to learn but, not nearly as hard as learning how to balance my work life and my personal life.

No one tells you that when you have a dream, if you love it, believe in it, and work super hard on it, that sometimes, you forget to stop, breathe and look back at how far you have come.

No one warned me that when I set out on this journey, that my business would essentially become my next baby. No one told me just how much time I would spend thinking about how to nurture and grow my business.

No one told me how much time I would spend on finding new ways to be creative, while still finding a way to be myself. In this business, where professional photographers are made to compete with not only each other, but with the camera that sits in everyone’s back pocket – their cell phone, it can be EXTREMELY difficult to set yourself apart from the rest.

In my experience, most business owners view their work as a competition to be the best, to get the best, to have the best… I decided 2 years ago, to not care about competing with anyone other than myself anymore. I have always believed in helping people. The minute I stopped caring about competing with what other people in the business were doing, was the moment that my life and my business just exploded with growth, joy, and happiness. When I started helping others and sharing what I was doing, they started sharing with me. I became a part of a group of amazing women photographers that help and support each other. Having a “Community is better than Competition” Mindset has been a complete game changer!

When it comes to any creative photography ideas, I’ve found that because I have ADHD, I Have To Do It RIGHT NOW, no matter what, because I don’t want to forget. That’s another place where I struggle; with my creativity and ADHD. This is another part of the work-life balancing act that I’ve had to learn. For me, work has to stay at work and I have to be home, when I’m home. This means being mentally present when I’m physically home.

Then there are the normal struggles that everyone deals with. I’ve had growing pains in my relationship with myself and my husband as we learn to navigate life as parents. Both my husband and I have had various health issues and health scares since moving to Ohio 3 years ago.

Moving from Northern Michigan to Central Ohio was another huge challenge. I had no idea just how big a task it would be, to move a business, especially a new business across state lines. It was an ordeal I was woefully unprepared for. When I say I struggled through it, I mean it… We moved to Ohio in 2021 when my business was just 1 year old, so it was almost like I had to start it all over again. We were just starting to see growth and progress in my business while living in Michigan, when after COVID, my husband lost his job due to being laid off. We moved to the Columbus area to be nearer to family and nearer to where there were way more job opportunities available for him, as opposed to the job market in rural Northern Michigan.

So, to surmise it all, in the past 4 years, I’ve learned and grown so much because I had to learn how to be okay with being uncomfortable. I’ve also had to learn how to just take the next step forward, even when I didn’t know where I was going to end up!

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an Intimates Portraits, Boudoir and Couples Photographer. I live for that one-on-one connection with people where I get to be their hype-girl for the day, and truly make them feel good about themself.

I specialize in custom, luxury Boudoir Photoshoot Experiences where I help women, find ways to make physical keepsakes out of their gorgeous images, turning them into luxurious albums, stunning wall art, and so much more.

I help lead all types of people to feel strong, confident, and empowered in the body that they are currently in.

I am most proud of times where I have helped people who struggle with Body Dysmorphia come to realize that they are handsome or beautiful just the way they currently are. I am also incredibly proud of helping them realize that they are worthy, deserving and are enough.

I think that my approach to talking with people, being there for them, helping them and guiding them through the whole process of loving themself a little more is what sets me apart. I truly care. I see friendships and long term working relationships with the women I meet and work with.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I love the Unscripted App for photographers. It’s really helped me with my posing.

As far as books go, I really try to fix my mindset and get my head right. I’ve noticed that when I’m in a good, open, positive, accepting mindset, that the universe just works for me instead of feeling like I’m just a cog in the machine. The main book I’ve read and reread is called You Are A Badass By Jen Sincero. It’s a little out there at times because the author, Jen really feels like she’s talking to you rather that you reading her book. She’s got a big personality and it really comes through in her book. BUT her book has really changed my mindset on a lot of different topics.

I have also found that just keeping my head down and my nose out of other people’s business has made all the difference. It’s not my business to know other people’s opinion’s of me and my work. It’s my job to know what my clients and I think about me and my work. Once I stopped worrying about what XYZ Photo business what doing and more about MY Photo business was doing, things got so much easier and way less stressful!

Pricing:

• The Session Retainer Fee is only $99 which secures your date.
• The Product Deposit is only $250 which ensures you walk away with 5 images no matter what and is taken off the total of your purchase.
• Image Collections start at $750 (really only $500 once the Product Deposit is paid).
• Most women spend about $3,000 to get everything they want in the way of a luxury keepsake album and custom artwork.
• Nearly all women use a personal Credit Card, Affirm, AfterPay, Klarna, or PayPal Credit to purchase their incredible keepsakes that will last them a life time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.intimatesbyelizabeth.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intimatesbyelizabeth/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/intimatesbyelizabeth
• Other: https://qrco.de/bcEncr