Laura Dombrowski has a degree in statistics and a career in photography, thanks to the traces liberal arts found, within the general education system, at most American universities. Laura took her first photography class during her junior year of college, and spent an entire Semester at Sea traveling the world, taking pictures. She has not looked back since.

Currently a wedding photographer in Denver, Laura has found the balance for which so many self-employed people search. She constantly juggles her creative, marketing, and public relations role, allowing her to do what she loves most: tell stories through photography.

Laura started working freelance directly out of art school, and has therefore learned equally from success and failure. As a woman, in what she calls “an extremely technical industry,” her confidence is as vital, if not more so, than her talent. She advises that swallowing pride better allows rational decisions that will benefit the business; running for notoriety has a high price, and often an abstract reward.

By focusing on one field, weddings, Laura has been able to hone her skill while intensively studying her craft. The work has paid off. Her photographs have been published in various magazines, and her name is respected in the Museum Art District of downtown Denver. “Just maintain focus,” Laura urges, “And everything else will fall into place.”

Doug Irving, freelance producer, director and cinematographer extraordinaire, has been working in the world of video for the last decade. What advice has he gleaned from ten years?

“Live life and enjoy it,” Doug says, “But always be ready for the next chapter.”

And Doug knows something about turning a new chapter. After six years in a staff position, as director of photography for a Seattle television station, Doug left the security of biweekly paychecks, and struck out on his own. He has spent the last four years freelancing, and in the process has learned that when working alone, he is a business owner and a photographer simultaneously.

“Be in touch with your money,” says Doug, when asked for advice to help others hoping to get into a freelance job.

He notes that boring words, like 401(k), really do offer advantages if they are used efficiently. Married with two children, Doug happily accepts the challenges of his independent life, offering mentoring advice to others hoping to follow his path.

“Ask questions,” Doug says, “People love to give information, but you need to be willing to acknowledge what you don’t know.”

A Side Note: Doug was a cameraman during our appearance on Seattle’s hit TV Show, Northwest Afternoon. After the show, with our RV parked right under the Space Needle, we decided to do impromptu interviews. Doug had proclaimed his passion for the camera earlier, so we interviewed him for ten minutes in the RV. It was our first interview that we conducted without prescheduling something. The success of this interview prompted us to schedule whole days of on the spot interviews for the second leg of the tour.