Madalyn Droze grew up around photography, but at the young age of 19, she decided to take a massive leap of faith and start her very own photography business.
Although Droze never believed that she could make a business through just taking pictures, her love for photography made her put herself out there and take the risk.
“I have always done photography. I’ve always taken pictures when I was growing up. I was always the one in the family to take the pictures and I just had a lot of little digital cameras growing up. When I was at Snead State, I was looking for a way to make money and I was always interested in having a business, so I thought about what I am good at and what do I love. I never thought that taking pictures could turn into a business. I thought to myself to try it out and see if anyone wants any pictures. I started advertising it and learned more and more about editing. I just kind of blossomed from there. I just put myself out there and did something that I loved, but turned it into profit,” Droze said.
Droze had multiple role models in her life, as some of her family members influenced her love for photography.
“My aunt and my uncle actually are a photo and video team in Birmingham. All of my family have been big picture takers, but they really helped me tremendously with the business side. They would tell me ‘Hey this is how you edit this’ or just give me all of these extra tips. It took a lot of inspiration from them, and I also have a cousin who lives in Arkansas, and he was a photographer for the longest time. He took all of the school pictures and had his art framed, so my family has always been into the arts, music and photos. It is really something that was already in my life, but I just took it and did it like other people,” Droze said.
Droze’s best advice to younger women is to make connections in their career field, as the fulfillment to support and work with others will serve you in the end.
“I would say that connections are the biggest thing. You have to be open to meeting people and working with other vendors because you truly cannot do it on your own. I did that in the very beginning and there are no fun or bragging rights from saying that you did it on your own. It is so fulfilling when you work with other vendors, and you support each other. I just think connecting and working with others and being happy with working with others because it does serve you in the end,” Droze said.
Even at the young age of 19, Droze decided to start her business on her own without help from others.
“I started it on my own. I went from buying a camera set from Facebook marketplace and I do take pride in that everything from my business is what I have paid for. I haven’t taken any loans or taken money from others. That is one thing that I wanted to do on my own, knowing that I bought this stuff. There’s nothing wrong with it, as a lot of people do have help from their loved ones. My family would’ve helped, but at the end of the day, it makes you feel good when you pay for it instead of someone else paying for it,” Droze said.
Droze’s biggest future goal is to host destination weddings and go full time with her photography business.
“One of my big future goals is to do destination weddings. I am attempting to go full time with my photography right now, so that I can make this my main income and just making this what I do for work. I also have a degree, and I am still in college, but this is ultimately what I have a passion for and love to do. I love to travel, and I love ‘love’, which is why I am doing this. I just want to travel and do weddings. If I am lucky, I can do this for the rest of my life,” Droze said.
