This photography business honestly just fell into my lap five years ago. A friend of a friend wanted some photos done for her portfolio and I was really hesitant. I had only been taking photos of THINGS. The idea of photographing people scared the crap out of me. But I did the photos and actually had a lot of fun doing it! Before I knew it, a friend of hers wanted photos done, and then someone else, and then a girl who was on the dance team with me asked me to photograph her wedding.
That’s how it all started. It started to snowball and I just ran with it and it’s been one of the greatest things to ever happen to me in my life. I LOVE this business. I ADORE my couples and being able to photograph their families and their love and some of the most important moments in their lives. It’s absolutely incredible what I get to do, and I truly am so honored to be a photographer.
After the first couple of years of running my business, I buckled down and started to get serious about it. I worked on setting up things with a lawyer, an accountant, and the city. I decided to make this a steady stream of income. But, I was still a teacher. I was teaching high school chemistry and I really did enjoy it so much! I’ve always wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl playing school with my stuffed animals. I was chasing two passions and two dreams, and I couldn’t believe how blessed I was.
Not too far into teaching, I started to feel some bitterness and resentment, and I longed for the day that I could take my business full time and chase a new dream. But I didn’t feel it was the right time.
On December 8th 2015, the pregnancy test was finally positive, and I had my sign. I had my motivation to take a break from teaching and pursue working from home while raising our little girl.
It’s been about a year since I started this new adventure and it’s been the scariest, yet most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.
To every single person and every couple and family who has invested in me, THANK YOU. From the bottom of my heart. You are supporting a dream I never realized I had, and you are helping me support my family and raising an incredible little human.
Every day I get to work on creating amazing experiences for people, and documenting some incredible moments, and I get to raise a family. It really doesn’t get much better than this – for me, at least.
I would not be where I am today without my daughter, and without my husband. He encouraged me to take the leap, and he has been working so hard so that I can continue to put energy into growing my business and helping Lily learn new things every day!
These people are my tribe, and they’re what got me here today.
Linda is a Maine-based photographer specializing in weddings and creating family legacies. You can see more of her work online at lindabarryphotography.com, on Instagram, or on Facebook. If you want to reach out directly: linda@lindabarryphotography.com
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