Today we’d like to introduce you to Denise McMahon.
Hi Denise, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
If you’d told me 10 years ago that I’d leave my IT career behind to become a stay-at-home mom, happily sandwiched between her photography and watercolors/alcohol inks businesses, I wouldn’t have believed you. If you’d told me this 5 years ago, I’d have told you that it sounds too good to be true.
Because 5 years ago, we were over a year into trying for our son, I wasn’t doing much with my photography business (still full-time in the corporate world), and I had just picked up a paintbrush. Fast forward to today and you’ll find me running after a 2.5-year-old toddler, running out the door for shoots, or ensconced at my art desk creating whatever my heart desires.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
“Absolutely!”, said no small business owner ever.
Some of the biggest struggles and insecurities I have gone through have been due to money. Knowing my cost of doing business, charging appropriately for it, believing in my value as a photographer and an artist… all of that have made me feel the imposter syndrome and insecure along the way. I didn’t go to business school, I’m still “not there” either. I’m juggling staying at home fulltime with my toddler, a photography business, and an art business.
I work really hard to not overdo it for myself. I have to give myself grace in not being super booked all the time, both with photography and with art commissions. Through this, I’ve taught myself to ignore “the comparison monster” because it rears its head within all of us sometimes.
It is just a part of being human and it’s okay knowing it exists in your headspace. It’s what you do with it that actually helps you navigate and grow your business — that is what makes the difference.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Well first, it’s like businesses!
I started Denise Van Photography in June 2017 and only did it as a side gig for the occasional session. Back then I thought I wanted to do engagements and weddings. Then as my life gradually shifted around, I found myself gravitating towards shooting lifestyle sessions for families, maternities, and newborns. And from 2019 onward, I slowly added on brand and product photography as well. I am known for capturing laughter and joy in my clients and having a minimally elegant style with an acute attention to detail. I shoot fairly intuitively, letting the people in front of my camera guide the flow for the time we spend together.
West Meadow Creative, my sister company, was born out of my postpartum fog and well, pandemic life. I am both a watercolor artist and an alcohol ink artist, with a new dabbling in the resin world. I picked up a paintbrush in 2017 but only started understanding the medium more in 2019. And thanks to The Crafter’s Box x Ashley Mahlberg, I was introduced to alcohol inks that same year. Then my son was born and my brush and inks gathered dust while I navigated a new postpartum mom life.
By the time I resurfaced, the pandemic had hit and I found myself with “time” on my hands. I desperately needed a creative outlet again since my photography biz was put on hold so I picked up my brush again. Fast forward to January 2021 and I created so much art gathering dust that I did a big scary thing and opened a shop. I haven’t looked back since then. In fact, this year instead of strolling through as a consumer, this year I started attending my local Reston Craft Market alongside the Reston Farmer’s Market as a vendor!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.denisevan.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/denisevanphotos
- Facebook: facebook.com/denisevanphotos
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/denise-van-photography-reston
- Etsy: westmeadowcreative.etsy.com
- Other: instagram.com/westmeadowcreative
