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

Hi Sarah, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
I 1000000% believe in outsourcing and delegation. Outsourcing various tasks that my business needs completed in order to succeed has been a game changer. Running a photography business consists of much more than taking photographs. My time spent photographing clients takes up only about 20% of the time it takes to run the entire business. I learned VERY quickly that I’m not that great at bookkeeping, accounting, marketing, etc. and so I outsourced those very necessary activities to experts that could help. There are also myriad tasks that I am good at and CAN do, but they don’t directly help me grow my business in the way that only I know how. Those tasks are some that I’ve delegated out to others around me who can get them done while I focus on growing and strengthening my business.

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.
Boudoir photography as a genre has grown exponentially in the last 15 years. What used to be reserved for brides-to-be has now morphed into an avenue for people to express their sexuality, morph into an alter ego, gain confidence, bring out a side of themselves that they’ve always known was there, revisit an ‘old’ self, celebrate milestones, etc. I absolutely love that my clients choose me to go on their boudoir journey with.

I am so proud to have an incredibly diverse clientele. My work should allow the client to be able to see at least one person in my portfolio that they can relate to. If a client looks at my work and cannot find relation to any of my photographs then I’ve failed. My purpose is to show clients their OWN beauty and sensuality. This is why I work hard for different posing, lighting, wardrobe, and style for each client.

This creative process is probably the most difficult part of my job since I want to make sure every single shoot is different. I’ve learned to really listen to what the client wants, even if they want me to repeat a shot that I’ve done in the past. The client is always telling you something more than they are actually speaking, you just have to listen.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’ve loved seeing Atlanta grow over the last 15 years. I’ve lived in the Highlands, in Emory, in O4W, in Midtown, and now in Marietta. Seeing the different neighborhoods grow has been incredible and there is so much to see and do!

If someone were coming in town for the week:

Monday: Get a late breakfast/brunch at Petit Chou in Grant park and then head over to walk around Oakland Cemetery and explore the history there.

Tuesday: Grab lunch at Joy Cafe in Midtown and then head over to the High museum for the current exhibit! For the evening we could catch a movie at the new iPic at Colony Square or grab food/drink in their new Food Hall.

Wednesday: Rent bikes from Skate Escape in midtown and bike around Piedmont Park and the Beltline. It’s Wednesday so most of the restaurants will have started to open for the week. My favorite casual spot is Nina and Rafi’s for some amazing Pizza! That evening we’d see if any concerts were in town at my favorite venues: Tabernacle, Terminal West, or The Eastern.

Thursday: Let’s get downtown!! The Georgia aquarium is a must-see, and it never gets old to me. For lunch we’d hit Park Bar, one of my favorite divey spots for great burgers and drinks. That afternoon we’d head over to Ponce for some shopping and then walk down to the Clermont Hotel to have drinks on the roof. Tiny Lou’s is a must for dinner… and I’d hopefully talk my guest into heading downstairs to the Clermont lounge.

Friday: Assuming we’re recovering from the Clermont lounge then breakfast at Waffle House is a must. For the day we’d head over to the West Side provisions district to walk around, shop, and eat. Since it’s Friday most little neighborhoods will have an art-walk depending on the week. We’d find out which art walks are available and then go sip wine and view what’s new in the galleries!

Saturday: Time to explore nature! We’d hike along the Palisades at the chattahoochee or head up to Kennesaw Mountain’s trails. We’ll grab a quick lunch at BaseCamp (a great breakfast/lunch spot at the base of Kennesaw Mountain) before getting changed for dinner. For our last dinner we’d have reservations for a tasting menu at Spring in Marietta. After dinner we’d check out the live music on Marietta square.

Sunday: Grant Park farmer’s market is a must before noon. After stocking up for the week we’d head over to Patria Cocina for lunch and margs!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I started my business back in 2009 when guerrilla marketing was having a huge moment given the growing popularity of social media. Groupon was my marketing avenue of choice and I owe them a HUGE credit in getting my name in front of thousands of people. I approached them in order to sell a portrait photography package and we quickly set up my ‘Deal of the Day’ to be delivered to all of metro Atlanta’s Groupon subscribers (thousands and thousands of people!). Once that deal went live I sold about 2000 portrait sessions in 4 hours and I haven’t looked back!

Website: www.ownboudoir.com

Instagram: instagram.com/ownboudoir

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