“Stop running away from your passion“, suggests Archana RJ, a renowned female photographer!
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“Empowering women doesn’t come from selfishness but rather from selflessness.“
How according to you should women support other women?
Women who support other women are more successful in business. I wish more women realized that helping another woman win, celebrating her accomplishments, encouraging her to go for it, does not take away from the blessings coming to them. Look for opportunities to give women you work with inputs that can help them learn and grow, be a mentor to other women which will help them succeed, encourage them to find their inner strength and be empathetic and listen to their problems without judgment.
Tell us your story. What inspired you on your journey and made you the woman you are today?
My interest in photography really took off when I did the cross country drive from Michigan to California trying to capture every single moment with my first camera phone, Nokia 3650. A subsequent trip to Seattle, touring the city and museums, my interest in photography grew. I started photographing landscapes and wildlife. Only recently did my subject switch to people after my first son was born! I purchased a better camera Nikon D60 to capture everyday moments of my son – his milestones, birthdays, school performances etc. The camera became more than a tool to document life; it also became a therapeutic tool of self-expression and rediscovery. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would actually pursue photography as my full-time profession. I was looking for jobs in accounting but it was not until my family & friends who saw the potential in me and encouraged me to pursue photography as a profession. I started out doing small gigs with not much pay but once I found I loved the challenge of capturing a good image and after receiving great feedback, I started my own venture Archana RJ Photography and it snowballed from there. My reason for shooting today remains the same reason that inspired me to pick up the camera in the first place: be able to capture milestones of both my kids, capture more than a photo, capture the essence of the moment!
“Embrace the imbalance and imperfection of our everyday lives.“
For years I looked up to women who claimed to have the perfect work-life balance and dreamed of how to emulate them. I always wondered how they were able to accomplish and have everything figured out when in reality, there are plenty of moments when we might feel like a bad colleague, a bad mom, a bad sister, or a bad friend because we simply cannot be everything to everyone all the time. Personally, I’m embracing the imbalance and friction. Our whole idea of balance is unrealistic, and no individual day or moment will ever truly be balanced. Some days I’ll lean too heavily into work. Other days, I will focus on my kids, or binge watch sitcoms or teach myself a new skill – learn a new language, learn how to build a website, sketching, learn new photoshop tricks, gardening. Every day is a journey and I’m 100% percent here for it!
From your personal experience, what piece of advice would you like to give to our readers?
Whatever you do, give your 100% and never stop to learn and grow as a person. Part of starting a small business is doing things in a way that makes the most sense to you. Every small business owner has certain skills, abilities, knowledge and experience that gives them an edge when time comes. However, no small business owner is so adept that they can be an expert in every single process related to developing a new company. While you’ll have to wear a lot of different hats, especially during the business’s earliest stages, don’t place too much of a burden on yourself for too long or expect yourself to dive into a highly complicated task. Develop a strong understanding of your skills and weaknesses so you know where to best focus your attention.
Did you face any challenges and how did you overcome them?
We’ve all know that “nothing comes easy in life”. The same applies to photography. Though photography is one of the most trending professions of this era, there are several obstacles every photographer faces in the initial phase of their career. I think the major challenge a lot of female photographers face is gender stereotyping and being a South Asian female photographer only adds up more! I’ve definitely dealt with people who’ve assumed I’m less capable than a man, or should be paid less than a man, or that I can be easily taken advantage of, or will accept a lesser deal because I am a woman. This is shifting, but this dynamic is still certainly present. If you look beyond all that, one of the best advantages you have as a female photographer, especially in communities where older people, women or children might feel uncomfortable with a male photographer. This might seem unfair to male photographers, but I find I can sometimes be less conspicuous or more approachable. For all photographers, being discreet with equipment, and courteous and sensitive is essential. I have male photographer friends who are as gentle and kind as any woman, so gender differences might be oversimplifying things a bit!
What are some of your proudest moments?
I still remember the excitement when I saw one of my wildlife pictures (an antelope) was chosen as a picture of the day on Nature Conservancy website. That was my first ever picture that was randomly selected among hundreds or may be thousands of pictures from so many talented photographers. Now, I see many of my pictures being featured in local news media and bloggers across the internet. Seeing some of my pictures from a luxury styled shoot getting featured in south asian bridal magazine was a pleasant surprise. It was a collaborative initiative of photographers, videographers, models, henna artists, jewelry designers, fashion designers, which was spearheaded by Timsi Malhotra. I met Timsi during one of the wedding photoshoot and we connected instantly. I’ve seen a lot of TFP for American weddings, but not that many for south asian weddings. So, when she shared her idea of doing a luxury shoot to showcase an entire gamut of a typical north Indian wedding, I instantly said yes! Helping my friends start up their businesses, and seeing them succeed is something I will cherish forever.
Would love to relive my high school days!
What moment from your life would you love to relive?
Definitely my high school days! If I could relive a moment from my life it would be the morning bike rides during summer break. We were about 15 friends from different neighborhoods. We would stroll around the city, explore new places and randomly ask one of our friends to host and feed breakfast for all of us. Around noon, we’d all gather up again to learn how to roller skate and try some cool stunts (thankfully no broken bones).
Looking back, what three pieces of advice do you have for your younger self?
- Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do or cannot achieve it. Don’t ever allow it!
- Follow your passion – life is too short not to do what you love, what you feel passionate about and what makes you happy!
- The sooner in life you realize that you gain more from feeling your way through than thinking your way through , the better life is and the more you can achieve!
Did you have a woman leader as a mentor or are there specific women who inspired you and why?
I am inspired by all the women from different walks of life. But if I have to choose one, that would be my Mom! My rock(star). My best friend. My biggest supporter. My safe place. She truly has the biggest heart in the world & has a way of making everybody she encounters feel special. When I think of her and her contagious energy, I’m inspired to sprinkle her positivity to the people around me. She inspires me to be kind and empathetic, to humble myself, to be aware of the abundance of blessings I have and knowing how precious life is! She inspires me to rejoice in times of joy and find laughter in the trials and pain. She inspires me to know my limitless potential, see my worth and beauty and not believe anything less. She inspires strength and confidence. Above all, she has been the voice for many women and fights for what is right. She advises us to “Always speak up and take care of yourself. Your voice and opinions matter. But sometimes being silent is also important, so don’t mistake silence for weakness. It helps us to channel our energy, and gives us the clarity we need to calmly face challenges. Remember that receiving feedback is just as important as speaking up.“
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I’ve entered my 11th year of full-time photography & so much has changed/evolved, especially after COVID-19 pandemic. It is hard to imagine what the next 5 years holds! I do hope to continue to build a solid, wedding photography based business. I would love to see my work featured in various blogs/magazines & hope to have started doing a few destination weddings. I would like to be able to teach, and hopefully share my talents with others and help them to make a difference in their own way. The practical part of me hopes that in 5 years, I am sticking to a schedule, working out, eating right, enjoying time with my family, and that I will still be loving what I do – photography! It is a part of me and I’ll never stop, not 5 years from now, not 25 years from now!
If you had to switch careers, what career would you choose?
Not a switch in career but more like an addition to what I’m currently doing. If I can, I’d love to be a freelance travel photographer. It’s my dream job, but I understand it’s a privileged position to be in! You may probably not make a huge income, but there’s editorial work out there. Also, work with NGOs, and commercial assignments.
