Daily Inspiration: Meet Rachael Mitchell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachael Mitchell.

Hi Rachael, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
In April 2021, I decided to take an online photography course. I had always loved taking photos and needed a hobby outside of being a mom and a teacher. When I started the course, I had never even used a professional camera and definitely had no idea what manual mode was.

After taking the course though and having some friends model for me, I was hooked and thought I could turn this hobby into a side hustle. As the year progressed, I wanted something new for myself after being in education for 10 years. I took a leap of faith to do photography full-time. In June of 2022, I resigned from my job as a kindergarten teacher and started my full-time career as a wedding photographer.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was not always a smooth road. It took a lot of investing in myself- educating myself on camera settings, posing, lighting, and the business side of photography. I was eager to learn and used every free moment to learn everything I could about photography. I also used any spare time I had for sessions and second shooting to break into weddings.

As a full-time teacher, mom, and wife, it was a huge sacrifice.

I would often work all day in the classroom, stay for meetings after school, take care of my daughter, and then stay up late editing. On the weekends, I would second shoot weddings, host mini sessions, and book regular sessions to try out new genres of photography. There were a lot of sleepless nights, but I knew that I wanted to be full-time with photography at the end of the 2022 school year so the sacrifice was worth it.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in wedding photography. I include lots of candid moments in my wedding galleries. I want couples to look back at their wedding photos and feel pure joy because their day is documented with raw, genuine moments. I offer true-to-life editing and always aim for colors to be what they were that day.

My style is bold and colorful and I always aim for timeless photos. I photograph families, children, newborns, and seniors too. I just love documenting all the important moments that you don’t want to forget. I love how powerful a photograph can be and how much it means years later.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
As a kid, I was always a rule follower. I wanted to please my parents and teachers. That has followed me into adulthood and I think being a rule follower has allowed me to be organized, detail-oriented, and driven.

Pricing:

• My wedding packages start at $2,200 for 4 hours of wedding day coverage.
• My hour sessions for families, cake smashes, and seniors are $300.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rachaelmitchellphotography.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachaelmitchellphotography
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/rachaelmitchellphotography