Maria Hedrick shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Maria , thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I have a 2 year old daughter, and she has started swim lessons this summer. I had no idea what to expect since it is the first time watching her in a more “formal instruction” setting. She has really enjoyed hanging out with her swim instructor, and she likes to make him laugh. She learned some water safety techniques today. Watching her confidence grow, even at 2 years old, has been a fun experience to witness. It has been nice to break up the work week with the swim lessons. We get to go outside and hang out in the pool.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Maria Hedrick of Maria Hedrick Photography. I am a Creative Director and Photographer based in Los Angeles, CA, working with brands in the beauty, skincare, and wellness industries. I have been in business for 15 years and have been working within this space for the past 7 years. I help brands bridge the gap between their current visuals, what is missing, and needed through a brand analysis strategy. I developed a systematic approach to align the creative direction with the results of the analysis to create a more well-rounded outcome.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
Being everything to everyone. I have taken some time in the past 12 to 18 months to explore what it takes to adjust to being a parent, running a business, and finding time for myself and my family. It has meant having a lot of honest talks with myself about the energy I have to dedicate to certain activities and tasks. Saying “no” more and being honest about my time while giving myself that permission to speak up has been scary and rewarding. I don’t find myself having very many late nights and manage my time better. It has not only helped me be more present in my personal life, but it has also built a better professional life.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Certainly! There have been 3 key moments in my 15+ years working for myself that I have wanted to give up and walk away from this whole thing. The most recent moment was last year, around February 2024. Things were shifting, but I couldn’t make sense of what was happening. My calendar was empty, I was experiencing a lot of self-doubt, and not to mention coming off a long period of “grinding” to only wonder if I would get any more clients in the door. The next few months were difficult, but it forced me to get creative. I started exploring other ways I can put myself out there. I also started branching out even more with my in-person networking. I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel around July, and I have been building on what I learned in that moment since. My business did experience a major shift, and I am looking forward to building a more well-rounded service offering, getting into educational content, and just re-exploring my photographic style.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
This question really hits close to home since I have been spending a lot of time in the past year or so working on those foundational shifts in my business and personal life. My “guide” through this point in time has just been asking simple questions if the decisions I make are truly going to honor my goals, honor the person I am now, and who I am trying to become. For instance, I can chase trends on social media to get the views, but really, I just want to focus on putting quality content for an audience that will really resonate with it. Bottom line, if it doesn’t feel aligned with who I am, I am not going to force it to fit. That wouldn’t be the foundational shift I am looking to nurture.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
Support, collaboration, and peace of mind. I see myself as not just the photographer but a true creative partner. I have systems, questionnaires, and a way to deduce what will work and what might not in the creative direction. However, when things change or there is an opportunity to explore an interesting direction, I am there with curiosity and an ear to listen. At the end of the day, my goal is to represent the brand in the strongest way possible through the visuals I create. Leaving room for unexpected moments to unfold has often helped clients see their products in a new light in ways they hadn’t considered before.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mariahedrick.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariahedrickphoto/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-hedrick-34455a32/
