We’re looking forward to introducing you to Vanessa Case. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Vanessa, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Who are you learning from right now?
Currently, I’ve really been learning from other photographers in and around Charlotte — and actually all over the country. Social media, specifically Instagram (with its primary focus on photos), is such a great way to connect with, follow, and gain inspiration from other photographers. I’ve become pretty good friends with a few photographers, whether through second shooting, asking about their camera settings, or simply striking up conversations about what’s local to them. I really strive for that “community, not competition” mindset when it comes to my business. There are photographers who have been in the game for a decade, and others for only a few years, like myself — but we can all help each other instead of seeing one another as competition.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Vanessa, and I’m the one-woman show behind Vanessa Lynn Photography. I’ve had an interest in photography since I was a teenager and always wanted to chase that dream, but I didn’t take the leap until I purchased my camera back in December 2024. I did what most small business owners do when starting out — maxed out a credit card, made a sketchy website, and hoped for the best. I really started putting in the work, honing my skills, and (with much difficulty) teaching myself to shoot in manual in January 2025. I’m truly self-taught and often joke with family and friends that I have no idea what I’m doing — I’m just out here winging it! One thing I want my clients to know is that whenever you reach out to me — whether it’s through email or text — you’re getting me. I’m the one responding to messages, the one taking your photos, editing them, and putting my blood, sweat, and tears into this business. It’s something I truly love, and I believe that passion comes through in my work.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
Honestly, I have to give major credit for my work ethic to my parents. They separated when I was young, and my dad worked a full-time job at a steel factory, then spent his nights stocking shelves at a Walmart warehouse, napping in his car before heading to nursing school. He did that for years. My mom worked long hours, too, to make ends meet, and that “you do what you have to do” mindset has stuck with me completely. If they could do it, so can I.
I work a full-time job while also owning and running this business. Sometimes it feels like I don’t get days off — and that’s okay. I want to look back on this hectic, busy part of my life and be able to say, “Hey, I worked a full-time job to pay the bills and still hustled to chase my dream of doing photography full-time. No one got me here but myself.”
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Oh gosh, of course! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve opened Instagram, compared my work to someone who’s been doing this for a decade or more, and thought, “Wow, this market is oversaturated — there’s no room for me here! Let me just toss this $4k camera in the trash and call it quits.” But let’s be honest — I’d be lying to myself if I thought I could just lay down and turn off this part of me. I know that if someone connects with my style, my work ethic, my personality, and me as a person, the jobs will come. Comparison is the root of all evil, honestly, when it comes to small businesses. That low feeling of “I’m not good enough for this” can really affect you mentally if you let it. I just have to remind myself why I started — because I love this. And that’s what keeps me going.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
That every artist — because photography is an art — has to look the same. There are always new trends and fads that come around in the photography community every few years, and boy oh boy, do they add pressure. Dutch angles are huge right now, as well as bright direct flash, and I just can’t get behind it. The biggest lie in this industry is that you have to do things one way. I can tell you right now, the way I take a photo — camera settings and all — would probably be completely different from how another photographer would shoot the exact same image. We’re all different. We each have our own tastes, our own ways of running our businesses, and pretending we all have to do the same thing is just plain lame.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Ha! My parents would laugh at this question. I don’t think I’ve done what anyone’s told me to do since I was, like… ten. Ask my mom — she’d agree. I started nursing school and dropped out with one semester left because it just wasn’t what I wanted anymore. I completely changed the career I’d had for a decade, and now I have one of the most expensive hobbies — photography — while working in apartment leasing. My goal is to do photography full time. It’s what I love. It’s what I’ve always loved. And honestly, I think it’s what I always will love. I’m doing what I was born to do, for sure.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shotbyvanessalynn.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shotbyvanessalynn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vanessalynnphotos/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/vanessa-lynn-photography-charlotte
Image Credits
Vanessa Lynn Photography
