Emily Voss, Photographer/Owner – VOSStudios
What do you do?
I’m a photographer at VOSStudios, my business which I started six years ago. In general I have two main sources of work. The first is photographing soon-to-be Seniors in high school. Senior season runs from June through November and I spend that time capturing the personalities and passions of students in their last year of high school. The second part of my business is photographing Corporate Headshots. I do a variety of styles from traditional headshot and custom tailored lifestyle shots for those that work in fields such as real estate, writing, blogging, etc.
What education, classes or training were helpful to you?
My education ironically did not have a basis in photography. I never took a specific course in the field. For me it was more helpful to be out in the field experimenting with lighting and camera settings as I discovered my style. That being said I place a lot of value in my Bachelor’s degree at Luther College where I double majored in Fine Arts (painting/drawing, etc.) and Spanish.
During my Senior year in college I had the opportunity to live in NYC for a semester and worked as an intern and photo assistant under Annie Leibovitz. That experience taught me a lot about the industry including working with clients and understanding the behind the scenes both on set and in planning and executing a photo shoot.
Why did you choose this sort of work?
I chose photography because I feel I have a knack for working with people one-on-one and making them feel at ease in front of the camera. It is a great creative outlet and I get to show people how beautiful they are everyday!
What do you like best about your work?
I love when I get a client that sees the images of themself and gains self confidence about how beautiful or special they are.
What advice would you give girls who want to get into your field?
I have one big tip that I offer to everyone who expresses an interest in entrepreneurship. I advise that you surround yourself with great people who can support and guide you. If there is something in your business that isn’t your strong suit, you should hire someone to do that part of it for you. That way you can spend more time doing the parts that you love and are great at.
What is an example of something you’ve had to overcome to get to where you are now?
I have had to learn over the years to say “no”. At first I would never turn away business for fear that if I turned something down I might not make it up later. Now I interview my clients as much as they interview me. We have to be sure we are a great fit for each other and that goes both ways!
Anything else we should know?
Recently my mom and I started a campaign called “Be One of the Kind”. We are trying to bring awareness to how big of a difference tiny acts of kindness can make in the lives of others. We have spread tokens throughout the community to be awarded when someone is “caught in the act” of kindness. The individual is then rewarded a token which can be cashed in for a free “Be One of the Kind” T-shirt at the Wausau Police Department. More information can be found at: www.facebook.com/beooneofthekind
Thank you Emily Voss!
To read more interviews with local wonder women, check out the Wunderfrauen Archive.