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Where do you work, and what do you do in your current occupation?

I currently am the lead photographer at my studio at Meredith Ryncarz Photography. Separately, I own a second business, the Restart Specialist, dedicated to coaching fellow photographers and helping them grow their business in the market they are in or the market they want to be in.

What do you enjoy about your current to occupation? Do you consider yourself successful? In what way?

I love the flexibility of working for myself. As a military spouse, owning my own business allows me to continue to have a job no matter where we are.

I would consider myself successful in that we produce beautiful artwork for our clients, teach hundreds of photographers how to be successful each year, and that i can do this around my family schedule as a mom.

What led you to pursue your current line of work?

I never intended to be a photographer. In fact I started out as a middle school art teacher and college professor. In 2006, I got married and had a photographer back out two months before our wedding. This set the stage for the value we place on quality art and competent business owners. In 2007, I got a lot of requests for family photography as my neighbors experienced their family members being deployed. Because of of the lack of memories captured in our own wedding, I felt the push to help them out. From there my photography business grew and in 2009, i quit my job as a teacher and went full time into photography. I opened our coaching business in 2015 after being frustrated with the lack of education on how to remove a business effectively multiple time over.

Do the skills and knowledge that you gained as a student in the Department of Visual Arts (DoVA) contribute to your current occupation? If so, in what way?

I would not be as far as I am today without having been a student in DoVA. From applying principles of art to just simply learning creative collaboration with others, the visual arts department has acted as the foundation for the artwork that i create.

Now that you have a vantage point to reflect on your art education, what would you do differently?

If I had the ability to go back and do it all over again. I would have taken more classes in business and marketing. As as artist we can create the most beautiful masterpiece but if we don't know how to value our work or market if effectively, we will never be able to run an effective business. I also would have worked harder to get more internships with fellow photographers.

Do you have any words of wisdom for current DoVA students?

Find a mentor as quickly as you can. I waited too long to find one that would push me to where I am today. Value your work and charge accordingly. The mentality that no one will pay for your work is simply a lie. They will, you just have to find them. Constantly innovate and stay ahead of trends in marketing. never forget to create personal projects to avoid bum out and stagnation.