Meet Sarah Bradley | Owner & Photographer of Sarah Bradley Photography

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Bradley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
My work-life balance has changed so much over time. For a few years, I was balancing a full-time job in Advertising while also growing my photography business on the side. It was a lot — working all day, then shooting sessions or editing at night and on weekends. I loved photography, but trying to do both wasn’t sustainable long term. I eventually reached a point where I knew something had to give.

Photography has always been my passion, and it was what truly made me happy. But leaving the security of a full-time job to pursue my business full-time was still a really scary decision. I’m also a mom, so finding balance has always been a challenge — but I can honestly say that going full-time into photography has been the best decision I’ve ever made. It’s only been about three months since I made the leap, and I already feel so much lighter and more aligned with what I’m meant to be doing.

It’s not always easy — running your own business comes with its own set of challenges — but now my time and energy are spent doing something I love. I’m present with my family in a way I couldn’t be before, and I get to pour my heart into capturing memories for other families. It’s been a huge shift, but I’m so grateful for it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a natural light photographer, and I’ve always been drawn to beautiful light. Specifically, I love shooting into the sun at golden hour — when the light is warm and glowy. That’s where I feel like my work really shines. I’m always chasing those sun rays and finding ways to create contrast and warmth in my images because it adds so much emotion to a photo.

But what I love most about my job is working with families. Being a mom myself, I know how fast these stages fly by, so I’m really intentional about capturing both the big and small moments — the giggles, the messy hair, the sweet snuggles. I especially love getting those close-up portraits of kids that parents can hang in their homes and look at every day. To me, it’s not just about pretty pictures — it’s about documenting what life feels like in that season.

Getting to where I am today definitely wasn’t easy. For five years, I ran my photography business on the side while working full-time in Advertising. That meant giving up most of my weekends for shoots and staying up until midnight editing after putting my child to bed and finishing my day job. It was exhausting, but I kept doing it because I loved photography and dreamed of making it my full-time career.

Finally, after five years of juggling both, I was able to take the leap and go full-time into my business. It was scary — and honestly, a temporary setback financially — but it’s been so worth it. Now I get to make my own schedule, spend more time with my family, and pour my energy into something I’m genuinely passionate about. My books have never been more full, and my days feel so much lighter now that I’m doing work that I love.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that sometimes you have to take a risk to build the life you really want. It wasn’t always easy, but I’m so proud of myself for sticking with it. Now, I get to do what I love and be there for my family — and that’s everything I hoped for when I started this journey.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would have to show them around downtown Woodstock, where I live. It has such a fun, small-town vibe with great restaurants, breweries, and cute shops. There’s always something happening on the weekends, like farmers markets or live music, so it’s a fun place to hang out. Plus, it’s a gorgeous spot for photos with all the brick walls, greenery, and little hidden gems around town. For food, we’d definitely hit up some of my favorites like Salt or Prime 120. If we wanted a fun night out, we’d head to downtown Canton and bar hop! And of course, I’d have to squeeze in a golden hour photo session somewhere — because what’s a trip without some amazing photos to remember it by?

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate this to my husband. He has been my constant supporter and ALWAYS believed I could pursue photography and run my business full-time. He helps make this possible and I love him for that.

Website: https://www.sarahbradleyphotography.com/

Instagram: sarahbradleyphotography

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahbradleyphotographyatlanta

Image Credits
Sarah Bradley Photography