Susan Bradfield is an amazing photographer that I met through our children’s school in Zurich. She is a rare breed of photographer who does portraits, landscapes, and travel photography.

Hi! I’m so happy we got to see you before we left Zurich. What keeps you rooted there?

I arrived in Zurich Dec 2012 and left in June 2016. We are now back, living in Melbourne, but I try and return to ZH 1-2 times a year. I absolutely love shooting in Switzerland. It is so beautiful - there are endless locations to create beautiful images. The people there really seem to understand the importance of having memories created in this special place. And of course, coming to work in Zurich is a super excuse to catch up with the wonderful friends I made here and to spend time in this incredibly stunning country.

You have a very loyal Zurich following. For other photographers hesitating to start a business while transient, what advice do you have?

I am very fortunate to have a wonderful Zurich following and I am always so grateful for that! My advice is to go for it! I waited too long to get going because our posting was potentially always ending. I finally decided one day that I had to live my life to its fullest potential rather than waiting for ‘what if?’ to happen. And I now wish I’d got going earlier. Having said that, don't enter such a pathway blind to what is required. There is a lot more involved to running a photography business than just picking up a camera such as having IT skills, marketing, business, sales etc. So be prepared to learn a lot...quickly!

How did you get started in photography?

I trained as a physiotherapist, but have a creative side to me that wasn't really satisfied with physio. I’ve always been drawn to photography and I completed some photography courses just before having children, but didn’t reinforce what I learned. At that point I certainly didn’t ever dare to dream I could pursue photography as a career. Once relocated in Zurich, I completed a Diploma in Photography and I travelled a lot and learnt from a variety of travel photographers, but the turning point was a workshop with Russian child photographer Elena Shumilova which really inspired me. I was very lucky in that my photography took off in Zurich by word of mouth.

You have a fabulous eye for framing and styling a shot. How does your creative process work?

I would like to say a lot comes naturally! But it hasn’t. I have worked quite hard at honing my eye for detail, for composition, working with light and styling a shot and for being self-critical. Most of it comes from making mistakes and learning from them, experimenting and practice, practice, practice. I am a bit obsessed… as anyone who has travelled with me and my camera will testify….

What drives and inspires you?

I actually crave to take pictures and feel stifled if I don’t - at the risk of sounding cliche, I am passionate about what I do. My love of photography and to improve every time I pick up my camera drives me. I am always actively learning and striving to improve and develop my style. I am inspired by people, to capture their story and soul, I am inspired by locations, by beautiful light and I am even inspired by props. The other day I borrowed an antique book from my Dad that is Don Quixote published in 1897 and I can’t wait to use that in a studio shoot. When I can, I continue to take part in workshops with photographers that inspire me and that always pushes me more.

We’ve spoken about not sticking to one specialization or style in photography, and how that can make it difficult to become successful. You’ve built a great following and client list both in Australia and Switzerland. How have you gotten around that?

It is difficult not to be niche because people like to be able to label you, and it can be confusing if they can’t. In Switzerland I was both an outdoor family and portrait photographer and there was a clear separation between that and my travel photography. In Melbourne there is still that separation, however I have added studio portraits and newborn photography into the mix. I market and shoot and love all of it. I have just opened an on-line store for my travel prints which is exciting. Time will tell where I head.

Australia has an incredibly competitive photography scene. How do you stay fresh and how do you navigate the ebb and flow of the market?

I don’t have a problem staying fresh. There is so much to motivate and inspire me. I navigate the market by communicating with clients as I always discuss their expectations before a session. Luckily, I am quite diverse in my skills so I can adapt easily to changes demanded by the market.

For novice photographers like myself, what camera and lenses would you recommend?

Get a simple DSLR, do a workshop (ahem, Cara!!!) and reinforce what you've learnt over and over! Use your phone to practice composition and perspective etc.

Also, do you have a favorite editing software for newbies?

Stick with iPhoto or a basic program until you are ready to commit to something like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop. Complete a small course beforehand so you know what you are getting yourself into and you can navigate around it with some confidence.

It’s very risky to choose a creative career. What advice do you have for creative hopefuls?

Running a small business is always risky if that’s the pathway you choose for a creative career. It is complicated by having to spend a lot of time doing things that are not creatively focused but are necessary to running a business e.g. marketing, accounting, etc. I think believing in yourself and producing work you love is the key to success.

Lastly, you have two children. What advice do you have for them as they choose their career path?

I have always told my children to do something they love and be true to themselves. I completely believe this.

Thank you so much for doing this! I’m incredibly inspired by your creative spirit, drive, and sense of adventure. Your photos are amazing, and I absolutely love your IG feed!!

For those of you that are looking for a fab photographer, Susan will be in Zurich in April 2019. For prints, visit her etsy shop.

I met Michelle Dawson while living in Florence, Italy. She is the owner of Timbermark Designs. She customizes wood platters in Beaumont, Texas.

Hi Michelle! I’m so excited for your new venture. How are you finding living in America again, after living in Florence for 10 years?

It feels like home, and yet I don’t quite FIT the way I did before I left. It’s like the puzzle piece that ALMOST fits, but is a little uncomfortably tight. Everything is the same here in Texas, I’m different. Being away has given me fresh eyes on America and Americans (myself included!), for better or worse!

How was the transition from living in Europe to living back in Texas?

We very quickly made friends and found our people here. It is surprisingly easy to make friends when you don’t have a language or culture barrier! Quickly finding friendship helped us transition easily. If we ever move again, I’m going to be SO intentional about finding friends and being friendly! People make such a huge difference in the quality of your life!

We miss the beauty of Italy. Perhaps even more we miss the APPRECIATION of beauty. Italians have a fierce love of beauty, which seeps into how they interact with the world around them. Sometimes it can feel like we live in a concrete town with an endless supply of strip-shopping centers. And most towns in American probably have that same feel.

But as I told my mom when we moved here: If the town we live in is charmless, we’ll bring the charm with us! And that is our goal. Truthfully, you can find beauty basically anywhere if you have the right eyes to see it.

How do you think living in both places has affected you creatively? Were you creatively driven while you were in Florence, or did leaving awaken that creative spirit in you?

I have always had a creative soul. As a child I wanted to be an author, then I shifted to loving music, and then in college I shifted to loving God, and now I’m seeing how all of those things are connected. We can truly see and experience God in unique ways through the arts.

Florence woke up in me a love of visual arts – every street you wander down is filled with beautiful details. There is visual inspiration completely surrounding you there. I found myself inspired by drainage covers! Italians have taken care to infuse beauty into the tiniest places.

What inspired Timbermark Designs?

Selling these boards was an idea that has come along once my kids got old enough for me to dream a little more. I will create in some capacity no matter what stage of life I’m in, but having a little flexibility and independence sure helps.

The name Timbermark is was born basically of the idea that we are all like a piece of worn wood, marked uniquely and designed by the creator. Some of those marks are painful, but they create beauty and are what make us ourselves, even more beautiful in how we are different from one another.

How did you learn to do wood burning? It’s so beautiful! I love that you were inspired by the charcuterie platters in Italy. We collect olive wood platters in our travels, and I think what you’re creating is so original and special.

Thank you! Yes, charcuterie platters are our favorite! In Italy we often took dates at La Beppa Fioraia, this tiny little restaurant overlooking Florence’s city walls. We always ordered the charcuterie plate, which came on a slab of wood the size of the table itself.

Two years ago I decided to give charcuterie platters to all of our friends and family for Christmas. I wanted to personalize them somehow, which is how I discovered the art of wood burning. I played around for weeks on an old cutting board and began to love the slow process, smoky smell, and endless possibilities of it.

I’ve been selling locally here in my tiny Texas town for several months, but just opened an Etsy store in the past few weeks.

Will you please share some of the process in how you create your boards?

I design the customization first on the computer. Then I transfer the image to the board and use a wood-burning pen to hand burn it in.

When I first started, I tried using my husband’s old soldering iron I found in the garage! That was a mistake. Then I bought a cheap wood-burning pen from the craft store, which actually can do quite a lot! I upgraded to a professional pen this year, which makes the process much more enjoyable.

My very favorite part is seasoning the board. Once I’ve burned it, I use a blend of mineral oil and beeswax to condition the wood. There is something so strangely satisfying about rubbing that oil into the wood.

You have two young children. How do you find time to create your wood-burned platters?

Yes, my son Bennett is 7 and my daughter Elisabeth is almost 5. They are an endless fountain of creativity and laughter. I love spending time with them – and I know they won’t stay little for long!

Time is always a challenge. My kids go to a university model school in which they go to school only 2 days a week and stay home to do school here the other days. We love that this model gives us the gift of TIME with our kids and flexibility about how we do school on our home days. BUT, I do often think about how much MORE time I’d have if my kids went to public schools! It’s a trade off I’m willing to make for the joy of being present during these little years.

I work hard during the days they are at school, and sometimes I stay up late working on wood projects after they are in bed. I like that I control the pace of the work. I can turn it on or off when I need to.

Is each board custom made?

Yes! All the burning is done by me, by hand.

Do you ship internationally?

Since I’m just in the very initial days of selling on Etsy, I’m still figuring it out!

Lastly, do you have any advice for moms out there, trying to start their first business venture?

If you wait to be fully prepared and ready, you’ll never start. You need to take a leap just a bit before you are “ready,” because “ready” rarely comes. As cliché as it sounds, perfect can be the enemy of good and you are most certainly your worst critic.

You aren’t going to figure the whole thing out in a day. You will, however, get better as you go, and it feels really good to get better at something! New skills are awesome. We should always be cultivating fresh talents in ourselves!

My son was worried the other day about another boy who had more toys than he does. And so we talked about that old idea that comparison is the thief of joy. Of course, his 7-year-old brain immediately imagined a LITERAL thief, lurking around in black, waiting to break open your window when you aren’t home. The other night at dinner I started telling my husband about a friend’s new house, “It’s like a magazine….” When my son blurts out, “MOM – COMPARISON IS STEALING YOUR JOY RIGHT NOW!!” and then starts shooting imaginary bullets at comparison sneaking up on me. Busted.

For real though, be careful. Comparing ourselves to other women does little good and can lead to a world of real and imaginary problems.

Young mamas, give yourself loads of grace and patience. Babies be crazy. It gets easier and they don’t demand nearly as much as they grow! Love those kids like it’s the purpose of your life – and let the rest of the details fall into place.

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this! I’m so grateful to know inspiring women like you. I can’t wait to see what you create next!

Visit Timbermark Designs Etsy Shop:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TimbermarkDesign