Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Podobnik.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Photography started as a hobby long before it became a business. I’ve always loved documenting people and the moments that make up a life; from taking my friends senior photos in high school to being part of my elementary school camera club. In 2019 after a lot of encouragement from my husband and a close friend, I decided to take the leap and officially start my business.
At the time, we had recently moved from Okinawa, Japan, to North Carolina. I was figuring out what it looked like to turn something I loved into a career. Since then, photography has taken me through several different seasons of life, homes, and states including California and now Virginia.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There’s always a little vulnerability that comes with putting your work out into the world and wondering if it’s good enough. I still have moments of imposter syndrome, even after years of doing this. It’s easy to compare yourself to others.
There have also been some very literal challenges. As a military family we have moved several times, and each move has meant rebuilding my business from scratch; new locations, clients, connections, and a new community to become a part of.
Balancing a business while being a wife and mom (of 3) has probably been my biggest ongoing lesson. Photography can easily fill every available hour, especially when you genuinely love what you do. I’ve had to learn that protecting time with my family isn’t something I should feel guilty about. My business is important to me, but so is the life we’ve built outside of it.
There have definitely been seasons where I’ve questioned myself, felt stretched thin, or wondered what the next step should be. But those seasons have also made me more confident in who I am as a photographer and what I want my business to look like. Sometimes it looks like building something sustainable, doing meaningful work, and still having time to be present for the people you love.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an emotive wedding & family photographer. At the heart of all of my work is the same goal: to create photographs that feel like you.
My approach is a mix of gentle direction and genuine documentation. I’m not interested in creating a gallery where everyone looks perfectly posed and every moment feels staged. I want to give you enough direction that you feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera but know when to step back and let the real moments unfold. I want to catch the things that happen in between; the movement, the laughter, the way your kids interact with you, the quiet moments between a couple on their wedding day, etc.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was deeply shy growing up ( I have grown out of this). I was much more comfortable observing than being the center of attention. I was also drawn to fashion and loved the creativity and self-expression that came with it.
My interest in photography started surprisingly early. In elementary school, I joined our camera club, where we learned to develop film in a makeshift darkroom. I loved the hands-on process of taking a photograph and then waiting to see what we had captured. My last two years of high school I attended Career Center for photography.
Pricing:
- Family Session $375
- Newborn Session $525
- Wedding Collections starting at $4000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alexandrameganphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrameganphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexandrameganphotography/
