Entrepreneur of the Month: Taylor Baldwin

Some of you may know her as Taylor but most of you know her as Mama Photog. That's her street name haha

I first noticed her on my explore page, I think. It wasn't a picture of her though. It was one of the many blogger clients with an extremely cute outfit on. I clicked on the photo and came across her page.

As a blogger, I'm always looking for female photographers to work with who has an eye for detail and the perfect shoot locations.

I began stalking her work and loved every single photo. I was determined to re brand myself and posting clean, professional images was the first step. I noticed that she was located in Philly, which wasn't too far from me but I kept second guessing myself.

"Was a 2 hour drive really worth a good picture?". After going back and forth in my head, I knew it was worth it. It was a big step for me, but this year has taught me that being uncomfortable was all a part of the journey. I ended up taking the trip and taking some of the best photos I've ever taken!

Q: What sparked your interest in fashion photography?

T: I have always been obsessed with the photographs in all the fashion magazines. After photographing pretty everything under the sun I decided to strictly focus on lifestyle/street style. From that decision came creating content for women of color. Creating these visual stories where the stars are women of color. We aren’t represented enough and I wanted to change that.

Q: How did you come up with the name, “Mama Photog”?

T: It started off as just an Instagram handle but after working with a graphic designer we discussed re branding. The name is just a cute play on me being a mom and photographer. Being a mom is big part of everything I do so it was an easy incorporation.

Q: What is one of your biggest accomplishments thus far?

T: One of my biggest accomplishments would be working with some of my favorite bloggers and having Teen Vogue compliment me on my fashion week content.

Q: Who or what inspires you to keep going?

T: My daughter has inspired this journey every step of the way. I need her to see me smash my goals and give us the life of our dreams doing what I love. Aside from her representation is a huge part of what inspires me to keep going. I want girls and women of color to look at my work and feel empowered.

Q: What are some of your favorite photography apps to use?

T: Of course I love Photoshop but when editing photos on my phone I love to use VSCO! The filters are amazing for portraits and flat lays!

Q: When did you know it was time to quit your job and pursue your dream as a photographer full-time?

T: When I reached a really unhappy point of no return, it legit took everything out of me to walk into my 9-5 everyday. So many people have gone through life with regret because they never took the risk. It was a big risk but I knew I wanted to do what I love and be happy. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the support of my family.

Q: What is the one thing you can't live without?

T: I can’t live without my family, they really have allowed me to live my dreams and do what I love. Without them I don’t think I would have made it this far. It really does take a village to make all this magic.

Q: What do you spend most of your leisure time doing?

T: Listening to my daughters knock knock jokes mostly and brunch. I’m pretty boring and working a lot so not much leisure time. After I graduate in May I promised to make more time for me.

Q: If you were to pursue another dream of yours, what would it be?

T: I love home decor so I would either design furniture for homes or be an interior designer.

Q: What is something you wish you knew first starting out that you know now?

T: I wish I knew how to trust the process because I wouldn’t have been so hard on myself when I first started. I spent so much time being frustrated at my work not being the best when I could have been enjoying each moment. The process is beautiful when you don’t rush to see the finish line.

Photographer: Jasmine Williams (@ajasmineinbloom) Styled by: SophisticatedChic