Entrepreneur Spotlight: Helena V. de Vengoechea, Photographer and Art Director

From www.hvdphotography.com

Helena V. de Vengoechea is a Photographer and Art Director with a great eye and an impressive list of credentials, including Ralph Lauren, WMI, Simmons Jewelry Company, Travel + Leisure,and City. Born in Caracas, Venezuela,Helena came to New York by way of Connecticut and Colorado, where she received a major in creative advertising at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Helena also graduated with a degree in design from Parson's School of Design in New York City. Below, Helena explains her decision to enter the advertising world and shares her thoughts on making it as a photographer in New York.

Helena's work can be seen at http://www.hvdphotography.com/index.html. She also has a series of fine art prints, called Discreet Messages, available for purchase at http://www.discreetmessagesphotography.com/.

SD: On your website you say that you got into advertising because you realized how difficult it would be to make it as a full-time artist. I think this mirrors the experience of many entrepreneurs: you have a passion, but passion doesn't always pay the bills, so you build a business around your passion. How difficult was it for you to transition from working as an artist to working in the advertising world?

HVD: My decision to switch from an artist to a design professional has not been easy, but I believe that my transition from a photography student to a graphic design professional in the advertising world was a wise choice. Photoshop, a program used by many designers, is photography's modern darkroom today. I think I have an advantage over other photographers in the NYC metro area because I have that additional experience. I have been a designer for 10 years and I am incorporating photography services into my photo design business. My tagline is Integrated Design and Photography A La Carte. Do you want just photo services, just design services or both?

SD: There are a lot of extremely talented photographers out there. What have you done to make yourself stand out and get major clients like Ralph Lauren and Travel + Leisure Magazine to use your services?

HVD: The way I got major clients such as Polo Ralph Lauren and Travel + Leisure was through working with them as a graphic designer first. Colleagues recognized that I have photography experience as well, so they asked me to shoot jobs for them. This made me realize that I should offer both services to other companies out there to help them save time and money.

SD: What has been the most difficult part of building Helena V. de Vengoechea, Inc. into a viable and successful business?

HVD: The most difficult part about building my business is finding clients. There is so much competition in NYC. I almost feel like successful photographers have to be at the right place, at the right time. It is really not what you know, but who you know.

SD: And what excites you the most about what you do?

HVD: I had a 9-5 job for four years and I have been a freelance designer and photographer for six. What excites me most about what I do is creating colorful, meaningful photographs and incorporating those shots into design collateral.

SD: Finally, what advice would you give to other photographers who hope to build a successful career out of their passion for photography?

HVD: If you really want to pursue your passion as a photographer, I would suggest freelancing in another industry for a while to pay the bills. That way you can monitor your own schedule and split your time between building your business and making sure you still have good credit.

Thanks so much to Helena for her time and her advice! Here are a few take aways:

1) Network, make connections and put yourself out there!  You can have all the talent in the world, but if no one knows who you are, you may go undiscovered forever.

2) Be creative and flexible in thinking of ways to build your reputation, gain a name for yourself, get clients, grow your business, etc. Figure out how you can apply your talents or offer your services across different industries.

3) Don't give up!

Once again, please visit http://www.hvdphotography.com/index.html to learn more.