So often, we block our own blessings because we're too afraid to be uncomfortable, but Taylor S. Hunter, freelance photographer to the stars wants you to know that the key to success may be waiting for you right outside of your comfort zone.
Just one year ago, Atlanta-based, Marksville,LA-born business owner, Taylor left both her job and her hometown to invest in her dream of becoming a visual artist and since taking that leap of faith, our good sis has been consistently booked and busy shooting some of the biggest celebrities in the game.
Securing gigs with ESSENCE and Black Girl In Om, as well as having her work featured in Vogue, Taylor has worked hard to design a career that allows her to do what she loves and collect her coin at the same damn time. The 26-year-old full-time freelance photographer told xoNecole although her journey hasn't always gone as planned, her vision has always been clear. "I always had this goal in mind to try living out of the state of Louisiana. I love home. I love my family. I'm an only child so it's really just me and them, you know? But I just had that goal in mind."
Little did she know, stepping outside of her comfort zone and following her inner calling to pursue photography as a career would trigger a series of events that'd help Taylor do exactly that...
Planting Her Seeds
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In 2018, Taylor attended her first ESSENCE Fest. The budding photographer brought her camera around to capture photos throughout the event for fun. While there, she saw a plethora of events being hosted and decided to start signing up to attend them. "I went to the Black Girl In Om brunch in New Orleans and it ended up being a very intimate bunch of maybe about 15 women. So as I was there, I just started networking," Taylor shared.
Although the visionary considers herself an introverted business owner, she learned early-on that closed mouths don't get fed, and shy freelancers rarely get booked. "The thing about being an introvert is that you can learn the right skill sets to help yourself move past that fear, you know? I think we live in a very extrovert-dominant world. And when you don't fit that part, you kind of feel like, where do I flow in all of this?"
Like many creatives, Taylor is a sister in the imposter syndrome struggle, but according to her, the secret to eliminating self-doubt is showing up for yourself… Every. Damn. Time. She continued, "I've learned to really feel confident in telling people what I [do]. I realized that the more confident that I am in my abilities, the more that attracts the right people. And it helps me find the people that I'm looking for."
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"The more confident that I am in my abilities, the more that attracts the right people. And it helps me find the people that I'm looking for."
"I started talking about my work," she shared. "I had just gone natural and cut my hair. It was just a really big time for me to just step out on faith and just to be really courageous in what I do. So, I mingled with some members of the [Black Girl In Om] team and you know, I just told them about my work as a photographer and kind of planted my seed honestly without realizing it."
For Taylor, networking is a practice rooted in genuine interest and intention. She seeks to establish true bonds and not relationships forged by opportunistic desires, and her time at ESSENCE Fest that summer was no different. Although Taylor and the team would part ways at that time, the stars would eventually align so that it wouldn't be their last encounter. "We followed each other on Instagram and throughout that, I would just continue to share the work and to be a fan, you know, and I just continued to support the whole brand itself."
Managing Her Growth
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Taylor's business journey started the way most millennial entrepreneurial success stories do: in the DMs.
One year later, Taylor was contacted by ESSENCE to be one of two photographers for their Fashion Editorial Department. She also reconnected with Lauren Ash of Black Girl In Om and photographed her during her weekend there. Talk about a full circle moment. Only a year before, Taylor was taking photographs and attending events for fun at ESSENCE and now she was working the event -- her dreams were literally coming to life. She told xoNecole, "Manifestation is real. When you tap into that magic, it's just really incredible. It's really about visualizing yourself manifesting that dream because as soon as you believe in yourself and believe that it can happen, it really can happen."
"Manifestation is real. When you tap into that magic, it's just really incredible. It's really about visualizing yourself manifesting that dream because as soon as you believe in yourself and believe that it can happen, it really can happen."
In 2019, Taylor ultimately made the decision to leave her job as a non-profit project manager and pursue her freelance career full-time in Atlanta, where she would later develop her brand and continue to link with industry giants like ESSENCE and even shoot the Tyler Perry Studios Red Carpet Premiere, but she didn't pull off this major act of manifestation without getting her business plan all the way in alignment.
Serendipity is real, sis, and Taylor wants you to stay ready so that when the right opportunity arises, you won't have to get ready. For up-and-coming photographers who want to turn their passion into a career, she suggested, "Shoot as much as you can and get as much quality work out there as possible. It's not about posting everything that you do, it's about posting the quality work and making it so that brands and customers see the value of working with you."
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Freelancing isn't for the faint of heart but for Taylor, an effective morning routine is one of the things that helps her keep her mental in tact. From a 4-5-minute weekday meditation to a devotional by Iyanla Vanzant, feeding her spirit daily is a powerful element in her life. According to Taylor, intention-setting is important for each and every month. When she sets a goal, creating systems that help build the goals into her life is important to her.
When it comes to productivity, Taylor believes time management is an entrepreneur's best friend. During our chat, Taylor also opened up about how having themed days of the week and automated client responses has kept her workload organized AF. Case in point, Money Mondays involve observing projected income for the week and accessing whether or not to look for more work in the week ahead, while Tuesday's theme is marketing and copy.
"I figure out what I'm going to write about on my website and my Instagram," she explained. "I've found that when you're consistent, you can definitely see the results. I used to post sporadically on Instagram, but now that I'm focusing in on a specific audience and reaching a specific group of women, it's been really important for me to take the time to devote to what I put on my Instagram. I'm trying to be a lot more intentional about what I put out."
She dedicates the last day of the workweek to photo design, editing, and learning because every entrepreneur should be a student. "Learning is self-care for me because personal development for me is, really important I feel like as humans we can tap into so much more potential just by learning more and more."
"Learning is self-care for me because personal development for me is, really important I feel like as humans we can tap into so much more potential just by learning more and more."
Reaping Her Coins
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Now that Taylor has an established career as a freelance photographer in Atlanta making a living strictly from the art, she can confirm that the leap of faith she took to leave her both her hometown and her job was definitely a step in the right direction.
Although Taylor's journey to entrepreneurial freedom hasn't been easy, it has certainly been worth it, and she had this advice for freelancers on the come-up, "One thing that's really important for me, and I feel like for any entrepreneurs, [is] to try to find ways to build more than one stream of income. That's what I'm working on right now is just figuring what other ways can I continue to make income."
Along with creating multiple streams of income, Taylor emphasized that leveling up your negotiation game can give you a major boost when it comes to securing a bag. She explained, "Learning different skill sets, like negotiating contracts, finding a lawyer, finding an accountant, all of that is extremely, extremely important. It's going to help when you do approach these brands and these companies that have all of these rules. It's going to help you understand that you can ask for something different than what they're telling you."
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"Learning different skillsets, like negotiating contracts, finding a lawyer, finding an accountant, all of that is extremely, extremely important. And then it's going to help when you do approach these brands and these companies that have all of these rules. It's going to help you understand that you can ask for something different than what they're telling you."
"I think when you freelance, you get so caught up in, OK, I'm just trying to grind and make the money that, anything you get, you're so grateful for, but then you look at a contract, and you're like, 'I don't know if this really benefits me.' All of that needs to be so thought-out," Taylor explained. "I think for a lot of creatives, it's hard to think that far—you're like, I just want to take pictures, I just love creating art. But what's really going to help you excel is when you know how to talk that talk on that business side."
For more Taylor, follow her on Instagram @GoldenTimeTay!
Taylor's Freelance Photography Arsenal:
Gear:
Favorite Camera: Canon 5D Mark III
Favorite Lens: 35mm
Essential Lenses: 30mm lens, 50mm lens (great for portraits and photographers starting out), 24-70mm lens (great for shooting events)
Just In Case: An External Flash
Admin:
Featured image by Terrence Porter.
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
___
Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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And so, since this is the time of year when catching a cold (and/or the flu) is common, let’s talk about the impact that sleep (and again, a lack thereof) has on your immune system. That way, you can remain as healthy as possible during the fall and winter seasons.
1. Less Sleep Means More Colds
GiphyLike I stated in the intro, I’m pretty sure you’ve heard somewhere that the fall and winter are the seasons when people are most susceptible to catching a cold or coming down with the flu. And that’s exactly why I thought I would start this all off by sharing the fact that some studies reveal that if you get less than six hours of sleep, on a consistent basis, you end up making yourself more vulnerable to coming down with both. In fact, some research says that only 18 percent of people who get six-plus hours of rest caught a cold while almost 40 percent who got less than that did.
The logic behind it all is sleep gives your body time to build up the proteins and cells (like cytokines and T-cells) that you need to fight off certain viruses. So, if nothing bothers you more than having a stuffy nose or stubborn cough when it’s cold outside, getting more sleep is one way to prevent that from happening to you.
2. Less Sleep Means More Allergy Symptoms
GiphyAt the end of the day, an allergy is basically what transpires whenever your immune system “overreacts” to something that other people’s systems do not. And since sleep is what helps to keep your immune system nice and strong — well, I’m sure you get how less allergy-related symptoms and more sleep go hand in hand. Also, since sleep helps to decrease bodily inflammation (more on that in a bit) and inflammation can also intensify allergy symptoms, that’s just one more reason to get as much shut-eye as possible.
3. Less Sleep Means Potential Diabetes and Heart Disease
GiphyDid you know that in 2024, Black women were diagnosed with diabetes 24 percent more than any other adult demographic. Also, it continues to be a reality that heart disease is the leading cause of death for Black women. These two sobering statistics alone should be enough of an incentive to do whatever you can to keep the risk of diabetes and heart disease way down.
One way to do that is by getting more sleep. Aside from the fact that sleep strengthens your immune system to where it is easier for you to fight off illness and diseases, sleep can keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy space; plus, when it comes to your heart, it gives it, along with your arteries and blood vessels a break.
4. Less Sleep Means Less Time for Your Body to Push “Reset”
GiphyIf you really stopped to consider all that your body goes through during the day (you can read some about that here), you definitely would respect it enough to do your best to thank it by giving it no less than six hours of sleep, each and every night. Sleep is what helps to slow your brain and body down so they are able to “refuel” for the next day. After all, how can your body prevent you from getting sick if your immune system is too worn out to fight ailments off? Exactly.
5. More Sleep Helps You to Fight Off Infections
GiphySpeaking of, in order for your body to fight off infections, there are certain cells and antibodies within you that need to be healthy and strong — one way that they get and stay that way is by you getting a good amount of sleep. For instance, remember when I touched on cytokines earlier? Well, the same way that they help to prevent colds, they also help to prevent infections too. And since sleep lowers your cortisol (stress) levels, rest gives your body the time and space to build up an army that can fight off free radicals and other health-related challenges while you are awake.
6. More Sleep Lowers Bodily Inflammation
GiphyWhenever a health-related issue is mentioned on this platform, inflammation is something that is mentioned quite a bit. Probably the easiest way to explain inflammation is it’s how your body responds/reacts whenever something is happening to your body that shouldn’t be, whether it’s an illness, an injury, a germ or something that you may be allergic to.
If you happen to have chronic inflammation, some symptoms that are associated with that include fatigue, stiff joints, skin rashes, weight gain and moodiness.
The interesting thing about all of this is if you aren’t getting enough rest, you could be triggering inflammation in your body. That’s because studies reveal that a lack of sleep can elevate molecules that are associated with inflammation. So, if you don’t want inflammation to increase within your system, you should definitely catch more zzz’s.
7. More Sleep Regulates Hormones
GiphyWhen it comes to hormones like serotonin, estrogen and cortisol, believe it or not, they play a role in how your immune system acts and overreacts. That’s because, if your hormones are out of balance, that can cause your immune system to work harder than it actually should and that can make you more vulnerable to sickness. One way to keep your hormones leveled out? SLEEP.
That’s because sleep gives your body the opportunity to rest, repair and restore your hormone levels. On the other hand, when you are sleep deprived, that can put/keep your hormones on the ultimate roller coaster ride. #notgood
8. More Sleep Strengthens Vaccines
flu shot GIF - Find & Share on GIPHYGiphyIf you’re someone who is good for getting some sort of vaccine around this time of the year, make sure that you rest up before and after getting your shots. Not only does adequate rest before a vaccination help your immune system to be better receptive to your shots but sleep also helps your body to build up enough antibodies to make your vaccinations effective after getting them. Because if you’re gonna get pricked, shouldn’t it be worth it? My thoughts exactly.
Get some freakin’ sleep! Your immune system depends on it.
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