Meet Alexandra Colina of Alexandra Colina Photography in Marietta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Colina.

Alexandra, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
When I started riding 5 years ago, I was introduced to all the photography potential that was brought with horses. I saved up for a little while and bought my first camera and kit lens set and began taking pictures of friends at horse shows. After a while, I attended the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event, and that’s when my interest truly sparked. I bought a nicer camera shortly after that and began reaching out to more people and offering photo shoots for friends, which then led to me doing photoshoots for their friends, and so on.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Getting to where I am today has fortunately been a relatively easy adventure, but there were definitely a few rough patches along the way. The first challenge I had to deal with was when my camera broke after attending the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event and standing in the rain all day, despite investing in protective equipment for circumstances like that. After my camera broke, I had to take a break from photography until I was able to buy a new one, which took a while considering I didn’t even have a job yet at the time.

However, I was eventually able to save up enough to buy a new, nicer camera which is the camera I still use today. Another struggle I face is trying to make my business stand out from the rest. There are quite a few equine photographers in the area, and everyone operates pretty similarly. I’ve tried to make a priority out of making myself unique and desirable so that I am able to continue to expand and reach out to new people and new opportunities, but it is not uncommon to reach a point where you aren’t really sure what else you can do.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Alexandra Colina Photography – what should we know?
I primarily do equine show photos and photo shoots, but also occasionally do senior pictures and other non-equine photoshoots. One of the things I think I’m most proud of as a company is the friendships I’ve built with the people I take pictures of.

One of the challenges with being an equine photographer is that there is a lot of them, so one of the things I like to do to set myself apart is very friendly and open and more than just a business to the people I work with. I’ve managed to create an atmosphere that allows the people I’m photographing to feel comfortable, and I’m very fortunate to have them leaving happy enough that they come back to me when they want more pictures and satisfied enough with their own photos that they recommend me to their friends.

Another thing I try to do to set myself apart from others is having lower prices so that my pictures are more obtainable to people. Because I am not a professional, and photography isn’t my living, I have no desire to make a profit from what I do. And, with the majority of the people I take pictures of being teenagers too, I wanted to have low enough prices that they can afford pictures, and to come back for more.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I feel like the quality that has been the most influential and is arguably the most important to my success would have to be the friendliness I try to express. As I mentioned, this company has allowed me to become friends with many of the people I have photographed, encouraging them to return to me when they need more pictures, and it has also encouraged the growth of my company through word of mouth. Not only that, but it helps me to ensure that the people I’m photographing are enjoying their time and feel comfortable and happy, and allow them enough freedom to make their pictures exactly what they imagined.

Pricing:

• Show photos – free
• Photoshoots within 30 miles from Kennesaw – $15
• Photoshoots farther than 30 miles from Kennesaw – $20

Contact Info:

• Website: alexandracolinaphotography.weebly.com
• Email: ancolina85@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/equigraphed

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