555: Rachelle Steele – From PTSD to fine art photographer and breaking into the photography art world

PhotoBizX The Ultimate Wedding and Portrait Photography Business Podcast

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Rachelle Steele of www.steelecapture.com is a US Navy veteran and has been an avid amateur photographer for most of her life. She lost her passion for photography in 2005 after the devastating Hurricane Katrina.

In this podcast episode, we dive into Rachelle's journey from Navy veteran to fine art photographer whose life was dramatically reshaped by Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. In this heartfelt interview, Rachelle opens up about the highs and lows of her military service, the profound impact of documenting historical moments during Katrina, and the complex battle with PTSD that followed her return to civilian life.

Discover how Rachelle's passion for photography became both a challenge and a healing process, leading her to pursue formal training at the Academy of Art University and strive for personal growth amidst the struggles of being a single mother. With a strong spirit, she shares her ambitions to create art while making a living from her photography. She aims to connect people through visual storytelling and cultural exchange during her upcoming expeditions to Peru, Nepal, Egypt, and Mongolia.

Rachelle also gives us a peek into her intricate world of photography, from capturing candid moments with discretion to the meticulous editing process and the strategic networking necessary to get her work recognised. Her dedication to giving back to the communities she photographs and her savvy approach to marketing and distributing her art reveal a multifaceted artist committed to her craft.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

• Photography PTSD and recovery after Katrina.
  • Rochelle Steele, US Navy veteran and fine art photographer, shares her story of rediscovering passion and earning top honours after Katrina.
• Navy service, Hurricane Katrina, and documenting historical moments.
  • Rachelle reflects on their time in the Navy, sharing memories of their experiences and the sea's lasting impact on their identity.
  • Rachelle recounts their experience documenting a historical moment in Mississippi during a hurricane, feeling like they “won the lottery” without realizing the impact on themselves.
• Navy photography experiences and copyright.
  • Rachelle was a naval officer and photographer, capturing images during shore duty with a film camera and a digital camera provided by a friend.
  • Rachelle no longer has access to the photos they captured, wishing they could look back on them now with their current experience and wisdom as a photographer.
• PTSD and its impact on photography after military service.
  • Rachell struggled with PTSD after returning from deployment and found that photography, which was once a source of joy, became emotionally painful to pursue.
  • Rachelle was gifted a camera in 2010 and began shooting again, but the experience was marked by intense emotional highs and lows, indicating the nature of PTSD.
  • Rachelle shares their experience with PTSD, which has manifested in their photography and daily life, making it difficult to cope with emotions and manage daily tasks.
  • Rachelle emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and addressing PTSD in the veteran community to prevent addiction, domestic issues, and suicide.
• Photography, creativity, and personal growth.
  • Rachelle fought through mental health struggles to pursue a photography degree and formal training.
  • Rachelle seeks formal training to reach her photography career goals.
• Photography and finances as a single mother.
  • Rachelle wants to focus on creating art rather than making money through commercial photography.
  • Rachelle aims to get an agent to help manage exhibitions and sales, allowing them to continue their passion for photography and funding their expeditions.
  • Rachelle is a single mother who has been pursuing her dreams in photography despite financial challenges, with the support of her circle.
  • Rachelle has had to make sacrifices, such as living without credit and having a cheaper car, to keep her rent and bills paid and continue to move forward in her career.
• Adventure, photography, and living passionately.
  • Rachelle plans to create 10-15 world-class images on an upcoming expedition to Peru to connect people through visual storytelling and cultural sharing.
  • Rachelle plans to travel extensively, including Peru, Nepal, Egypt, and Mongolia, prioritizing passion and adventure over stability.
• Photography, travel, and cultural connections.
  • The artist plans to return to India for a second residency, staying with a Zimbabwean diplomat for improved safety.
  • Rachelle discusses the importance of building local connections to access portraits in a foreign country rather than relying on tourist attractions.
  • Rachelle shares an example of how they formed a connection with a local guide in Nepal, leading to a meaningful and rewarding experience for both parties.
• Photography, cultural exchange, and giving back.
  • Rachelle prioritizes showing respect and kindness to the people they photograph, often by giving them small amounts of money or other gifts.
  • Rachelle believes that even small acts of kindness can make a big difference in someone's life and that giving back to the communities they visit is important.
  • Rachelle shares their go-to camera and lens for capturing moments on excursions.
  • Rachellekeeps camera gear discreet while travelling to avoid attention.
• Photography, editing, and marketing.
  • Rachelle avoids disclosing work intentions to customs officials, relying on a tourist visa.
  • Rachelle discusses their editing process, mentioning they do most of the editing themselves and are critical about it.
  • Rachelle is considering sending a Dropbox folder or Google Drive link to an editor from Vogue Italia for their work or sending a sneak peek via email.
• Photography industry networking and calls for entry.
  • Rachelle shares their strategy for getting their work in front of curators and editors, including creating visual portfolios and databases and submitting to calls for entry despite the cost.
  • Rachelle emphasises the importance of personal connections and networking within the photography industry and notes that rejection is a common experience for photographers.
  • Rachelle discusses the benefits of being part of a photography competition, including the potential for exposure and networking opportunities.
  • Rachelle shares an example of how they were able to leverage a personal connection to land a job for a Moroccan Knights fundraiser, highlighting the importance of building relationships in the industry.
• Photography, art, and publishing.
  • Rachelle shares their experience of travelling through Morocco on a $1-per-day budget, highlighting the challenges and rewards of the journey.
  • Rachelle shares their experience with Vogue Italia, revealing they don't like work that's already been widely shown.
• Art printing and distribution.
  • Rachelle creates limited edition prints, numbered and signed, with certificates for each piece.
  • Rachelle recommends using Hanamule or Museo paper for the highest-quality printing.
  • Rachelle uses a small Epson printer for printing photos on the go, and she trusts Hanson Digital for high-quality prints.
  • Rachelle keeps batteries and chargers close when travelling, ensuring she has enough power for her camera and other devices.
  • Rachelle handouts small, stunning prints to people she meets on her travels, allowing them to visualise her work on their walls or galleries.

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I want to live so fantastically and so passionately. I want to the act of living with passion and living hard, I guess you could say, I'm not going to hold back. I refuse to hold back my life, even for a second. That's kind of my driving force. – Rachelle Steele

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What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Rachelle shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

I'll have very small little prints made, even if they're just low quality. That way I can pull it right out of my pocket. And even if they don't understand English and we can't speak, we can speak visually. – Rachelle Steele

If you have any questions I missed or a specific question you’d like to ask Rachelle or if you want to say thanks for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

I'm only going to shoot when I can already see through my own visualization, in my own eye, trying to align my eye and my heart and my mind. I wish a lot of people would do that more too with their captures. You can feel and see. I can feel and see what I ultimately will want to exhibit. – Rachelle Steele

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google, and you can leave some honest feedback and a rating which will help both me and the show, and I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

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Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Rachelle Steele Website

Rachelle Steele on Instagram

Thank you!

Thanks again for listening, and to Rachelle for dropping her guard, opening up and sharing her story, ambitions and what it's been like to break into the photographic art world.

You're going to run into, a lot of rejection as a photographer and that's just part of the game. It might be 20 ‘No's' but sometimes it might just be that one ‘Yes' that could change your whole world. – Rachelle Steele

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon
Andrew

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