Today we’d like to introduce you to Monique Dao.
Hi Monique, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m often asked how long I’ve been doing photography and how I got started. It’s kind of a funny story. I picked up a beginner Canon DSLR camera about 10 years ago and became obsessed with nature & wildlife photography. Being a nature lover at heart, I spent a lot of my free time going outdoors & traveling to national parks to photograph birds, wild animals, and glorious sunsets.
Before I knew it, I was upgrading to all-new & expensive gear, racking up my credit card bills. I freaked out & needed a way to pay them off, fast! I decided to switch gear to “people photography” to make some money in order to pay off the equipment. I did my first engagement session in early 2015, and first wedding later that year.
My wildlife photography experience actually helps me to be quick on my feet and catch important details. I unexpectedly fell in love with documenting life’s precious moments, making people look and feel beautiful. I just love being an integral part of someone’s journey, telling their stories through my imagery and creating photographs that last a lifetime.
I love it so much that on my birthday, July 2, 2019, I decided to quit my miserable corporate job of twelve years as a Sr. Web Project Manager to pursue wedding photography full-time, as a birthday gift to myself! It was the scariest yet most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I now only work in the field a few days a week (weddings and shoots) and get to work from home the rest of the time, which allows me to spend more time with my two pups. I am definitely blessed to be able to do what I love for a living, finally have something to call my own, and take control of my destiny.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Although quitting a stable income career to pursue my dream and freedom was the best decision I’ve ever made, it came with anxiety and fears of the unknown. Had many sleepless nights wondering how I would survive if nobody books me. And there is that stress of having to juggle everything myself because I am running the business on my own with no prior management experience. Everything has been trial and error and learning from mistakes, but I believe that’s just how we grow.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Professional Photographer with focus in wedding and portrait. I love being an integral part of someone’s journey, documenting all the special moments from engagement to wedding, to maternity, then family.
When people tell me that it’s not easy to be able to do what you love as a career, and how they wish they could be doing the same thing I am, it makes me feel proud of what I have accomplished thus far. This career gives me a lot of freedom to do what I want, without the stress of dealing with office politics.
I love this life I’ve created for myself and never want to stop going. That is why I pride myself in transparency working with clients. I truly believe honesty is the best way to create successful relationships, business or personal, and it’s something I feel sets me apart from others. All my clients know exactly what to expect because I lay everything out so there are no surprises. I’ve heard so many horror stories from clients about their photographers not delivering what’s promised. I’ll never put anyone through that, so I strive every day to grow and better my business with the best practices.
What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
“Patience is a virtue”. Lots of patience. In every aspect of the business, from building the business, to shooting, photographing children especially, to simply waiting to hear back from potential clients. Patience has never been my strong suit, so running my business has really challenged me in this aspect!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.moniquedao.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/moniquedaophotography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/moniquedaophotography
- Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/monique-dao-photography-anaheim-3
- Other: www.instagram.com/moniquedao.photography
