#11: Behind the Scenes of Making Your Dream Life A Reality (with Luisa Apanui)
Episode Shownotes
Dear aspiring photographers, backpackers, digital nomads and creatives:
The life you’re dreaming of IS possible—and we’ll tell you how.
In this episode, I deep dive into building the life of your dreams with photographer, creative soul and inspirational friend, Luisa Apanui.
She travels the world with her soulmate and filmmaker, Apiata, creating modern and artful photography. Her photos have been featured in British Vogue and Tatler, and she receives inquiries from across Europe and New Zealand for her work.
However, it was only a few years ago when she was living in her car in New Zealand, backpacking and working in hospitality, feeling lost in her life’s direction.
Luisa shares how she built her dream life from the ground up and the reality of what it has taken to get there. From her upbringing in a tiny German village, where no one started their own business, to earning 6-figures as a photographer during COVID in New Zealand, Luisa shares the significance of creating a life by design.
We discuss overcoming the starving artist mentality, get frank about pricing strategies, income, and making a living doing what you love. Luisa shares the key moments and investments that enabled her to build this life and how anyone can apply this to their own aspirations.
Reaching your potential is always only a few decisions away.
”It's so worth it to actually, you know, fight for love and chase your dreams.”
Find Luisa at https://www.luisaapanui.com/
or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/luisaapanui/
Let’s continue the conversation at https://www.instagram.com/emilypeilan/
Meet fellow Freedom Nomads on a unique retreat experience, join here: https://www.freewildsouls.com/retreats
Create more freedom by learning how to attract more website traffic and ideal clients with my free Website & SEO checklists: https://www.arohavisuals.com/resources
Episode Transcript
Hello, my beautiful friends and welcome back to another guest episode; we have my friend Luisa Apanui on here today. And while we did briefly have an intro together while we were recording, I wanted to come in and do a little pre-intro to the episode.
This episode is really for any aspiring photographers or backpackers currently travelling and wondering how the hell can you make a living doing what you love? Whether that's photography or something else.
The main intention for this episode was really to inspire people to take that leap to show you that it's so possible and that in a really short amount of time you can really make your dream life happen. And by doing that, by sharing Louise's story, we're really sharing, you know, the behind-the-scenes of what it takes to make your dream life come to reality.
And there are definitely a lot of unglamorous moments, unglamorous sides of, and challenges of following your heart and your passion. Making those difficult decisions that other people might look at and say, Hey, you're crazy. You know, how could you think of doing that? But, you know, feeling the fear of feeling the criticism, and yet still, knowing what it is that you want and what your dream life is and doing whatever it takes to make that happen.
Luisa, she is such an inspiring person, for me, just the way she lives her life and the way she thinks and her entire story. I will give a proper introduction at the start of the episode, but I just wanted to pop in here and say that, enjoy, and I will see you on the other side.
Hello, hello! Super excited for today's podcast episode. We have Luisa afternoon here. She is a wedding and fashion photographer, who is currently based mainly in Wānaka, but she is also splitting her time between Europe and Germany. I've done a few shoots with her myself and it was so fun, she has such a bubbly personality.
On today's episode, we are going to dive into her story and how she got started into photography.
She's got a really fun, interesting story. And yeah, it's just so inspiring how she's created all of this for herself in such a short time, like three years.
Luisa, welcome to the Free Wild Souls podcast.
Thank you, Emily. Super excited to be here and to share a bit about my story. And yeah, just cat with you.
Hey, so Luisa, give us a picture of like, where you are now. You're currently in Europe. Do you have like hot seasons, like wedding seasons, and now you kind of got some downtime? So you're spending in Europe?
So pretty much at the moment, because I'm from Germany, originally, from the countryside in Germany, Southwest. So that's where my family still live. So every summer or every New Zealand winter, I got to try to see them.
Because I've been living in New Zealand for the last six years since 2016 it's so far away, especially after COVID I want to spend more time here in Europe. And yeah, so now I'm here with my partner, and we're travelling around seeing a lot of countries at the moment. It's European wedding season, but yeah, so basically, when I go back to New Zealand in September, then the whole new wedding season starts and it's going to be a super busy time, then the borders opening as well.
So yeah, it's gonna be really interesting to come back and it's just super exciting to be here and excited. And then in the future, like we've been talking, we also want to do more weddings in Europe as well and kind of just like come over here for a bit longer, like see family travel, but also do some weddings here.I want to do ideally six months here, six months in Wānaka. It will be really cool, I already have a few inquiries for next wedding season here in Italy, for example. Yeah, so they'll be really cool to travel and work at the same time.
And see some other places and countries because I've seen a lot of New Zealand now but I'm also super excited to see other countries now and to yeah, see my home or my continent, unexplored.
I love that. And so like one of the things I want to also touch on, like, when when it comes to photography and the creative side of, like creative jobs, I think we're so accustomed to hearing things like, you know, that starving artists mentality, like, you can't or you shouldn't make a living doing what you love. I know you hear that a lot. One, we both hear that a lot. People think we're crazy. Let's quit our full time jobs. And it is hard, especially if you go into it with that kind of like conditioning that like, limiting belief that you can't. And I think what I see a lot, especially when I started out freelancing as well, I was freelancing in photography. And I felt like, it should be a struggle, you know, like, you shouldn't make a lot and I was doing a lot of things for free or an exchange. And when I did charge, I charged like very little, and I did so much work for it. And I was like, Oh, this is just not sustainable. And then I kind of just lost my passion for interest in photography for the commercial, the kind of like the, you know, commercial side of photography. And then as I just want to keep it a passion, because it was so hard. Yeah, putting the pressure on your art to do that.
Did you kind of feel that as well, when you first started? How did you get out of that mentality and create this thriving business that you have today?
So I probably need to provide a bit more context here and go deeper into my story, how I got to photography and all of it. So pretty much I grew up in this small, tiny village in Germany, right, like countryside, there's like, they're not really artists making a living out of you know, anything.
It's most of the time just industrial places. Well, everyone works for somebody, pretty much. It's not a huge culture where I'm from where everyone starts the business, you know, and that just doesn't happen. Also, because security, like I feel like there's a huge want and desire to find a job that's stable, and freelancing is not stable. I just wanted to provide that.
In German, it's more like, Okay, you go to work, you get your money. So I wasn't really inspired to then start my business or something straightaway, you know, that wasn't even in my mind. I was like, okay, that's what I got to do. Because you don't have people around you who do anything else. Yeah, set that example for you. So after high school, everyone went either studying, which I didn't want to do. I wasn't natural at studying. I found it super boring. I just want to get my hands on things.
And other thing was an apprenticeship, I was like, Yeah, I'm doing an apprenticeship because I'm getting money and I know I go on holiday or something. So that made me more excited. And that's how I got stuck. I worked in a huge steel company. They're huge.
And in Europe, we are doing like machinery steel stuff, like I can't even tell you exactly, because it was so boring. I never identify myself with this company, you know, but I made quite good money and I had a good job. Everyone was like, you know, even family, Oh, you got a good job, it's awesome. But I was like, Yeah, but it's so boring. I felt so unfulfilled.
So it took me a while to figure it out. At 18 you don't know what you want yet, so that was kind of a good place to be it. But then when I was 22, or 21 I just felt a little bit lost with where I want to go. I would love to go overseas and make some new experiences. I hadn't find my way yet, and then I met a much older guy. And he told me that his son is doing work and travel in Canada.
And I was like, What's working travel? You know, because no one during the time my school class went overseas after school like just wasn't happening. It wasn't a trend or anything. And then I informed myself and literally, four weeks later, I booked my tickets to New Zealand. My flight tickets, which were then half a year ahead so I could make some more money and in the meantime, right?
But that was just my thing. Like the moment he said it and me the first time researching it on Google I was like, Oh my God, that's the answer I was looking for the whole time and it makes so much sense. It was so excited to like the whole time working for the company owners reached researching stuff and super excited about this new adventure ahead.
The most common backpacking countries for for German citizens are Canada, Australia or New Zealand. I'm quite an intuitive person so straight away I was like New Zealand because it's the furthest away. It's the smallest country. And you know, because the landscape is so diverse and back at the time I was actually doing landscape photography.
So before New Zealand I was actually also travelling to like Tenerife by myself and doing photography doing landscape photography, just as a hobby. So they've got me really excited about photography already, but landscape is the way to go, you know, and then looking at the New Zealand mountains on Google or whatever and like, oh my god, I can do so much cool photography. I wasn’t thinking work or weddings but more like passion stuff. That's pretty much how it started.
When you went to New Zealand, it wasn't like, I'm going to do freelance photography in New Zealand? You are kind of just going to New Zealand as like a pure holiday kind of pure backpacking working holiday.
Okay, and then so when you are in New Zealand, did you find random jobs to work? Or did you get into freelance photography?
Yeah, it wasn't thinking I can make money with my photography. So New Zealand was more like for me, it's time to get away from all of the stuff in in Europe or Germany, what I was used to, and just explore and see meet new people. It was all about travelling, connecting about maybe finding myself figuring out what I want to do.
And just seeing things like I was by myself, so I organised the whole thing by myself. I didn't want to go with any agencies or whatever and I'm quite an independent person. So yeah, and I went with two backpacks. One big one in the back, one of the small ones in the front. My parents dropped me off at the airport and ever since that little moment, I'm like, shit, what am I doing? You know, I actually like literally stopped my life Germany, you know, put a car on hold, quit my job.
You know, people told me oh my god, you never be able to work again. Because you know, as a woman, mid 20s you can get pregnant and then no one will hire you. That's actually what people told me back in the day, like my workmates. I'm like, Wow, that sounds terrible. That's not gonna happen. No. No joke. My work mate, se's a woman and told me then I'm like, Well, I'm not. I'm not believing it. But that's the mindset of the people sometimes, you know, like, they put it on you, but I was like, Nah, that's bullshit. Yeah, I do my thing. I just go forward. And you do exactly what it's so important to not be influenced by that, you know, to just stay in your lane and do what you love.
So yeah, and in New Zealand, I bought a car that I kind of like converted to a campervan. Little Honda CRV, that was older than me, I think was like from 1992 or something crazy. But yeah, I loved the slow life. The people that I met, they were also open minded and, and free spirits. And it was so about travelling. It was super interesting to see so many cultures coming together in New Zealand.
And when I started in Auckland, yeah, I was actually so excited to go to see more of the country and immerse myself in the culture and stuff. So photography wasn't a thing that I was like, pursuing back in the day, definitely as a hobby.
But yeah, then travelling around, and it's so many photos I posted a lot of people always like, oh my god, do you sell prints? Or do you, you know, have their like landscape photos? So kind of I got a good feedback from my photos back then already from the landscape stuff, which is really cool. And kind of kept me going.
And then how did you finance? I'm just out of curiosity, because I did the backpacking life as well. How did you finance your whole trip.
So I saved a lot doing my commercial job in Germany. Because I had a good salary and I was living at home back in the day, so I was able to save a lot. But it also had a cool lifestyle where I went a lot of holidays and stuff because all my friends were students, so I had the most money.
And then I decided, hey, no more to go on holiday, so I'll go on holiday by myself. You know what I was kind of like my little holidays. Yeah, I would say I practice a little bit before then doing the big stuff to New Zealand by myself to actually travel by myself and see how it works. Yeah. Which is something I totally recommend.
Oh, totally right. Oh, absolutely. Yeah, I remember when I was about to hop on my plane to Europe. And I was like, Whoa, I haven't actually done a lot of trips by myself. And so that's when I started, like, I just got a car.
And I did a three week road trip just by myself, like, can I survive? On my own? Do I have the wits about me? The intuition? Just like do all the things to look after myself? And I think travelling by yourself. So such a good test, as well. Yeah.
Because when you're with people, a huge part of your brain shuts down and allows the other person to, to, you know, play at their strengths know, exactly. I just want to be independent, like, I really just want to do what I want to do.
I also didn't want to travel with anybody. You know, that took like six months where I was like, Okay, I've seen a lot now. And my my sister and her husband came to visit me. So we travelled to South Island and did some really cool things and went bungee jumping together.
Then after a half a year, I'd say I was like, Oh, it would be nice to connect a bit more to stay at one place rather than rushing from A to B. I had a lot of friends that I made in New Zealand that were still in other parts in the country and we would catch up sometimes. But yeah, I was like, Oh, I'm ready to kind of like stay somewhere a little bit longer, even if it's just like a month.
I worked in Taupo before Wānaka, Taupo is in the middle of the North Island, so that's where I worked. I did a bit of work in a restaurant and did waitressing which is something I've never done before, so that was quite interesting.
Was that easy for somebody, just for those who are interested going to New Zealand to do work and travelling, to be a foreigner coming in and finding a job in a local place?
It's pretty easy because everyone needs backpackers. Like back in the day we were pre COVID. Like the whole kiwi picking industry, fruit picking in general, like it's pretty much all backpackers. So they definitely need people there to work so it's pretty easy getting those jobs, but I was like, Ah, I dont really want to be fruit picking and in the rain.I felt like I want to be with people more and have that connection with other people and be in one place.
Working at cafes or restaurants is super common for backpackers, or working in a hostel where you exchange work and clean and you could get your hostel bed. So that's also how I financed my trip, but I did have a lot saved so I didn't have to work a lot. But I wanted to because at some point you're like, Oh, well, I'm travelling so much I actually want to stay in one place and make a bit of money.
You're such a people person as well! It is an easy thing to find a job because when I was in Europe at the start before I was in between freelancing it was Cafe jobs all the way. It’s easy to just go in but also easy exit.
You know, there's no like, you're contracted for six months you just kind of go and then you're like, I'm done and go. They are used to it too. They're not expecting you to be there for a year and make a career out of it. You're backpacking, Okay, you'll be there for two months during the summer season. For example.
I started working on the 25th of December, Christmas. Yeah, and Taupo is crazy. It's like a it's like a tourist place. Right? And I like 0 skills in that field, pretty much. And then boom, full full restaurant, but it was really it wasn't easy.
So it is hard work, get ready to work long hours for minimum wage pretty much. But it was fun, literally in two months I had one day off. I had one day off, but also I want to work a lot because I was like, well I’m sleeping in my car? I didn't have a house to go to to to relax or whatever. I was literally living on the road at a public car park right next to public toilet. It was so far away from luxury. So unglamourous.
You see all the beautiful photos, you're like, oh my god, dream lifestyle, you know? And you're like, you know, behind the scenes real life you’re by a public toilet. And it’s closed at night. So the good thing is that New Zealand is not like a scary place to live. It's actually one of the safest countries in the world so I didn't feel scared or anything.
But you have to be aware of course, as a woman travelling by yourself, but I found it just so cool to be able to live on the road and just go and drive somewhere and sleep in. And of course, you have to watch out what the rules are, you comply with the local rules and don't just, you know, stay just anywhere. You learn so much from that; being on your own travelling solo, doing different jobs.
I'm guessing you learned so much that then prepared you for then starting your freelancing as wel? Skills, I'm guessing and then doing what it takes like you just got to do what it takes.
Yeah, you just got to do the Mahi! That means work in the native New Zealand language (Māori). But yeah, exactly, you have to be hard work at the same time. Like nothing just comes to you, you have to create everything for yourself. Even if it's just you have to chase that waitress job. You have to do this. Yeah. So much effort into it. Yeah.
And you are a really hard worker. Yeah, I just I know like, really I know her story. And she's, yeah, like nobody successful gets to where they are. So get to where they are, without having been quite relentless in their drive and determination to Get there.
So what was your like, kind of at that time? What was your goal? Your Why? I don't know, maybe had you had it yet, but like, kind of when did that come about? And then you started to be like, No, we'll work for this.
Yeah, so I probably do say a bit more about it. So back then, this was like 2017, I was still backpacking. I was thinking about what do I want to do, but it never really came to me, you know, because I was still on the road. I was like, Okay, we will see, I’ll figure it out, right?
Because I would have my corporate job to fall back on to if, you know, something were to happen or whatever. But going back to Germany also didn't really feel like a solution. So back in the day, I went to Wānaka, which is a little mountain town in the South Island. And I was just like, driving through and I really loved it. And then for my 23rd birthday, I booked myself a skydive and fell in love with my Tandem Master.
Shout out to Apiata!
So yeah, that's part of that story. I guess it all kind of started with where I am now. That was the crazy story. Just meeting him and being you know, soulmates, and making so many adventures together.
It was also not easy because I was about to go back to Germany he lives in New Zealand, and is from New Zealand Right? Like so many problems like that, you know, come to you as a fresh couple but we just made it work and it's so worth it to actually you know, fight for love and chase your dreams.
It's so funny how it all worked out. I feel like I was so meant to be in New Zealand back then. That was just my intuition was you know, pointing me that way which was so special.
So Apiata had been doing skydiving so I was also not in touch with the creative industry at all. While living in Wanaka for a while I just saw lots of photographers around me, so it's quite a big wedding hub and lots of small businesses start there. It's like a place where people grow and learn and and where there’s just good energy, also really spiritual energy that is really good and healthy and your clear mountains and lakes and wow, like it's so beautiful.
And so then I went back to Germany to see my family again after this big one year trip and so I was like, Okay, I'm going back to New Zealand without the plan really though. So because of the visa I started waitressing at a hotel. I did it for I think eight months and it’s like a beautiful little resort right on the lakefront. I met like friends that I still have today so it was definitely worth it for that. But I was just like, at a point I was like, I think 24 and I was just a bit annoyed about my lifestyle.
I had a job that was really unfulfilling. Sometimes I had to do the breakfast shift and I had to wake up at 530 and I'm not a morning person. So, so many things that I have to sacrifice and 'm like, Well, this is actually not worth it for me, slaving away for this, for this job. I get minimum wage, and I'm on my feed like 10 hours a day. It really made me unhappy at some point.
And maybe after half a year, I realised I really need to find my thing, because I'm getting unhappy. I think also with that unhappiness, that frustration, it's like, fuck, you know, you could do so much better, you know, you have so much more potential, and you're not reaching it. And that's where the frustration comes in. Like being creative, the creative person I had so many ideas and so much drive in areas, but then you're stuck at this job and it really felt like it's holding me back.
Back in the day, I felt like really a bit like, lost in where I want to go, you know, I am in this new country. Like totally different, like life shift to like two years before you know and I yeah, just had to navigate all of those changes. And then Api at the time was working as a skydiver making quite good money. And then he said to me, we both agreed on hey, I step back on my on my hospo job. I quitted hospo job and I did a bit of graphic design studies with a German online school.
I knew I think creatively and I wanted to go in that direction. Like I always knew I wanted to do something creative. Because like as a child, I spent hours crafting stuff I've always loved doing you know, doing something that way and yeah, then I said okay, I'll give it a go.
I signed up for this course and they have so many cool courses like they have also web design by the way. They have like different courses and I did graphic design, because I really like the logos and stuff like that. That was really interesting.
When we were designing your website, I was like, yeah, she knows what she wants.
So that's yeah, that really interested me. And so I started the school and but it was only like, part-time, right. So also, back in the day, I actually did a bit of waitressing for weddings for a catering catering company.
So I also saw the photographers, and, and sometimes I even asked them like, Hey, What can I do to get into the wedding industry? You know, asked questions and, and was really curious, you know, like, because I saw all these people around me doing their craft passions, you know.
Also at the hotel job, actually, I saw one videographer always coming in and doing his thing ad I find it really inspiring, like, Oh, this is kind of cool to come in and do their creative work. I was a waitress back then I was like, That's my goal. Like, I want to be the person that comes in here with cool gear.
And today, I actually am the main go to photographer for the hotel I work to. I'm part of their elopement packages. It's so crazy. Ivalue that relationship with them so much. Like I never said, I hate this job bye or anything I was always gonna be kind to everybody and we always had a good connection. I mean, even with management change.
Did you speak to the videographers? Because I know, when I was starting out, I would just like anyone who was an entrepreneur, or had their own business or freelance. I'd be like, Tell me your story.
How did you get into I have what how's it likely tips kind of like here in there, too. Did you like talk to the videographer guy who came in? Did you have people that you asked questions about?
Yeah, a little bit, but they were on their job so I couldn't really go in and hold them up, you know, but I did ask, hey, do you have any tips? Also, that did, I was asked that videographer as well.
But I was thinking of doing an internship at a local graphic design agency. It’s not even an agency, it's like a do the local newspaper, and also a few design things. So it's pretty low key but I wanted to ask them for a little internship, even just like two weeks if I can see what they're doing, and I wanted to ask a local photography agency.
So they had like four photographers, and it did many wedding photography. I remember that moment exactly. I was so shy, I was so afraid to actually walk in, because I never did anything like that before. Like I was standing in front of the place and I was like shivering, I was like, I don't know how to introduce myself. I have no skills in that, like I thought really, like confused and helpless. And I'm usually not a shy person.
But in those moments like where you have to kind of prove and sell yourself I'm like, oh my god, I can't do it. And I literally walk in, open the door and ran back out. No joke, no joke. But also four months later, they contacted me because they wanted me.
So you didn't actually go back?
I didn't I didn't go back in. Yeah, I sent them an email, I actually did send an email. And they were like, oh, no, sorry, we don't need anybody. And I did send an email to the graphic design place and they said, Oh, yeah, we can do that, yeah, come on stay with us for two weeks and we’ll show you what it's like.
That's also how I figured out okay, maybe graphic design...they didn't sell it to me as well, because it was like a bit boring. But it gave me a good insight because I realised that I don't want to be on the computer too much and it was too much like moving pixels. And I was like, Oh, I love to design, but I don't like to actually executing it on the computer and making things right.
Because you're a people person, you really need to be in contact with people.
Exactly, exactly. So yeah, I felt like I missed a bit of the touch that reminded me too much of my corporate job being in a smaller company. I knew it could also be different you can make your own business out of it, but I felt like a bit more drawn to the photography side back then.
And also during that time, I was like, okay, landscape is actually not paying the bills. Like if you if you want to make money with landscape photography, you have to be really good. There's so many landscape brokers out there. You have to like sell the prints, but they're like millions of people that sell prints like you.
It's harder actually in the landscape scene because the landscape is not buying your prints. If you take photos of people that people might actually buy your photos, you know what I mean? Yeah, it's easier getting clients. I was really uncomfortable taking photos of people though. Yeah.
And can I just go for this jump? With the landscape photography, people are buying perhaps the product, the final thing, right? But with portrait photography, couples, weddings, they’re buying an experience, and that is much more highly valuable than just a print.
Yes, absolutely. Experiences is everything in a way, isn't it?
Totally, totally different type of photography and type of service. I wanted to do more portrait but I wasn't right there yet. So I was like, Okay, what's what's the easiest way I don't need models, okay, product photography.
So I bought like these random big paper sheets, and watched all the YouTube videos about product and food photography. And back in the day, I just had my own Instagram called Wānaka food photography.
Okay, I'm going to do something different, you know, and also easier to take photos of restaurant food. So I kind of used that for some of my entrance ticket. But also my partner during the time helped me actually pay my first the proper DSLR camera. I had the Canon 700 D for like four years while I was travelling in New Zealand and stuff.
And it was just not good enough for my next evolution. Because I didn't work much during the time when I was studying he helped me buy my first proper camera which was a Sony A7 III and the lens. I'm so grateful that he did it because he said, Oh, yeah, I totally believe in you. You're gonna make it back 10 times very soon.
So I had that full trust, or he had a full trust in me. And it was like, yeah, definitely do your thing. You know, I help us financially for a while. It’s so important that you have people around you that support you. Because there are so many people out there that put down your dreams, you know, you actually, you have to believe in yourself. He could see it, he could see my determination as well to the craft.
That adds to your that confidence in yourself, like having other people really believe in you.
It's so beautiful when you have people around you like that. And because my family was so far away, you know, of course, they knew I was creative, but you know, they, they are not entrepreneurs in that sense themselves. You know, they're like, oh, yeah, you, you do your thing, you know, we believe in you. But, you know, having him there physically, you know, saying go for this and thats so beautiful.
I also think with family, it's like, they might believe in your skills, they might believe in your creativity and your determination and your hard-working but I think in the end, a lot of the times family or group really close friends, they persuade you out of out of fear for you like they're scared that you might, I don't know, burn yourself out.
They're scared that you're going to try this and then fail and then feel really, I don't know, like you're a failure or something that they’re scared for you. You might not be able to make a living out of it. They want you to be safe and secure.
A secure income. Exactly. And so sometimes it's like people beside you also from a place of love. So I can't fault them. But I know you need people who believe in you, that you can make it and that also from a place of abundance that are like, I believe that you can do it. And just trust.
That gave me also a bit more freedom. I had the cameras and bit more trust in myself because I had pro gear. So what I did is basically setting up this little Wānaka food photography page. So cute. This logo, oh my god, you would you would laugh at it. But it's like you have to know you can't be perfect. I just did so many things during that time.
I initially took like random shots of like coffee and pouring milk in and whatever and posting them on Instagram, you know, like really random things but actually didn't look that good looking back at it, it's not like shit work. Of course it looks a bit immature, but I was actually trying, you know, and, and then approached cafes. I said I could just come in for free and take some photos and you can post it on your socials and stuff, you know. That's how I got my content up a little bit.
And then after a month or something, I got an email from my first client, and it was actually sports photography. I still don't know how they found me that was really random. But they said basically photograph the whole day on a speedboat. And it was like they were like swimming in wet suits and stuff.
So it was like a whole, you know, like 50 people doing this whole race the whole day and I was on a speedboat and earning like, I think $1100 for that one day. Of course you have to edit afterwards, but that was like the first bill that I wrote in my business.
‘Oh my god, this is so exciting. What did you get to do? Just be on the back of the boat and take photos?
It was so cool. Yeah. And it's like, oh, this this was a glimpse into my new life. It was really cool. Like, I make that much money. I would have worked two weeks hospo for that, and then that blows your mind. Like someone's paying me to have fun.
But actually, for the sports shop. I remember I only had the lens. I think 1635 which is a wide angle lens. And you really can't take sports photography with a 1635, you only see the landscape. Api helped me buy a 7200 G Master lens, which was like 4k. I still have that lens. I barely use it, but I love it.
That boy, bless him.
I'm like, Oh, these are worth it. Because I'm making what I'm making already 20% back, you know, from their job. So it's like, that's so cool, you know, and it's like more to follow. And so I bought myself also another 50 millimetre lens like I bought myself a few more lenses during the time.
And then you started investing in your gear and investing because you have to have good gear to start with, like kind of come with a serious camera and try things. At some point you need to invest if you believe in your dreams. I get some good gear and then you feel more comfortable and then you can create better images and you have to like really learn your camera and your gear you have to really know every little detail.
The lens does make a difference. The lenses is kind of everything. I'm really passionate about good gear that just makes a difference and then also knowing how to use it of course, because you can actually can see the pictures on a great camera.
So it's both combined. It was really cool. We just made it happen. You know, that job was pretty big for me during the time, I couldn't believe I was making that much. And we bought that lens you know, there was a big investment towards the future as well. And then I set up for the next financial year which starts on the first of April, I set up my business and was like Louise Apanui photography.
That was also an interesting story because I chose Api’s surname even though we’re not married, but of course his surname is my business name because I felt so deeply connected to the New Zealand culture. And my origin name is Luisa Bath, and I was like in English it also doesn't sound as nice and beautiful. Apanui is beautiful and it means great spirit in Maori language, and really connected me to him to the land.
It fits your brand so well and it looks beautiful written and on brand.
I love it so much, and Germans can pronounce it too. It’s the same, so I really love that about it. That's basically when I started my business in 2019 around April. I had to set up and I had like, a few jobs doing food photography, product photography, like smaller jobs and also way undersold myself. But you know, I just thought you just got to make it work, right. You learn from it.
And then I did a workshop, actually did two workshops. I invested in two workshops, one in Germany, because I knew I was going to travel for summer and one in Auckland, New Zealand. So I did two wedding photography workshops, because I saw all the wedding photographers around me as Okay, that's good. Like, you can make money out of this. But also, I was really interested in portrait photography.
So I took photos of my friends just getting used to having people in front of the camera. I talked to the backpacker groups if there are any cool people that want to be photographed for free. So it was a lot of hustling time because I didn't have a portfolio to show because people hire you based on your work. If you don't have work, okay, what do you, you know, nothing just comes to you. Looking back at the photos now I'm like, Oh my God, I would definitely do differently. Of course we do, because we learn so much.
It's fascinating how fast we can grow when we just keep going, when we start something and just make it work. We're travelling to Europe, I just had a workshop there and then I got an email. I remember that we were in Switzerland, somewhere in the mountain, I got an email from the company.
Remember, I was running out of that photography place crying because I couldn't introduce myself? Yeah, I had an email from them saying they saw one of the weddings I've shot for free like a month before or two months before in New Zealand and they say, Hey, we're looking for someone to join us in our photography team for next season. And we really like your work. We started chatting and I signed a contract to be able to help them as I had my business at the same time.
So I signed a contract to help them casually, but professionally with this professional wedding photography company. I think I shot 50 or something weddings in that season. That was right before COVID. like literally from 2019 to 20, those summer months in New Zealand from I think it was September now from November, till March. I shot like 50 or 60 weddings for them, and that was and at the same time, I was having my own jobs too. I started posting a lot on Instagram. I had no website back then so all my reach was from Instagram.
I'd only posted there and tagged, and back in the day New Zealand was really busy with tourists, pre COVID. So I had so many inquiries for like, couple sessions. It wasn't just for weddings, but I was so impressed. I was like, wow, really quickly if you put out good work and I really had a good word of mouth. Yeah. In our town. referral. referral rate.
Yeah, yeah. So that was really cool Instagram to like, so many Instagram inquiries. Then COVID hit, I was like, whoa. But I also couldn't use the photos for my own kind of like brand that I shot for the company so I kind of had to get my own clients to be able to show them for my portfolio.
Yeah. But again, I gained so much confidence shooting so many weddings in a professional way. And then, yeah, of course COVID hid and I had to, I did some more commercial photography, because you know, we weren't locked down and, and there were no weddings happening because you couldn't have any gatherings, pretty much. So I was constantly adjusting to the climate a little bit. I did a lot of real estate photography, which was fun, too. I was constantly trying new things.
But yeah, we made it out of it. And we actually made quite good money during the time. And Api was converting from skydiving to videography. So now we have this photo video business and we are now officially a company since I have half and Api has half of the company. We’re a Limited Company.
Yeah, that's amazing. And with the mindset side of things, because obviously I think the biggest the biggest struggle for so many freelancers when you first start out is the pricing. You know, and as photographers that is especially difficult, how did you navigate that, from you starting out doing things for free, then you are hired by this company? So you've got this idea of like, hourly, how much you're worth, but then now to valuing your work in a different way.
Weddings versus couples versus branding photography, you know, like, how was that mindset shift? For you? Yeah, how do you like the price?
It's a tricky one. I feel like you you actually have to constantly involve. It always changes, inflation or whatever, you constantly have to work on your pricing and packages and marketing. But at the start, it was more of a, okay, I'm taking this money from people and I knew my products are good, but I was totally undervaluing it, but also because I didn't have the confidence to charge a lot yet.
You feel like a bit unsure of what can you charge and you look left and right. And of course, you can't charge as much as the established photographer. So you're pricing yourself lower, you know, but at some point, I was like, actually, my work is pretty good and then you get more confidence.
I was able to charge more and I was even at some point putting a price that was like, Oh, that's a bit higher than I'm comfortable with sending but then people get back to you like, Okay, sweet.
But I also had some mistakes where I didn't have a contract in place and the photos got a bit misused or used in ways that wasn't agreed, like out of social media or something. So also people kind of use us at the start, so you do have to protect yourself. I did have a contract as soon as possible, you have to really protect your work. I wasn't confident in my work during that time so I didn't have the systems in place.
Even just the way I started speaking to the clients, and often we're like, Okay, what's your budget? You know, like, it’s now like look at these, these are my packages, we'll move on. I can be like, Okay, that's what it costs. You know, I have so much experience in it now. So it's just something you grow with?
And what what do you think was like, there are kind of two parts of this question. One is, what do you think helped you grow the most? And it could be, you know, something within you, it could be externally? And then kind of trailing from that. What were some of the best investments you made in yourself in your business? To help it grow?
So I think first of all, is the belief in myself, I think I'm always quiet. Yeah, I always believed in that I can do it and I never had any doubt that I would be fail at it. I was like, Oh, who gives a shit? Like, I knew I had the skills.
So I felt like, yeah, being confident in your own and believing in yourself was definitely one thing I always had. And then other thing is being quite a good people person. I was speaking with people, connecting with people always came quite naturally to me. I think it was a big part of my success, too. You have to be nice to people, because people don't hire idiots. Do you know what I mean? Like, especially in small towns, you get a bad reputation.
I think I’m a nice person. Yeah. Being nice.
Yeah, totally. But I also think you can be fake nice, and people still don't want to hire you. So it's kind of like, how can you be likeable people, people want to work with people that they like, yeah.
And that actually care about them. I always cared about their needs, and was really interested in what they do and why they want us images, like basically digging deeper. And I'm still friends with some of those clients back in the day, it's actually like a genuine connection because it is so intimate having somebody with a camera in your face and capturing your moment.
And you want somebody who is genuine about it to capture genuine moments and not a fake, nice person.
Exactly. Who says all the right things, but it's empty.
You have to make them feel seen, feel heard, understood. You also need to be quite flexible in that sense, because the people specially for weddings, it is so different. Like you get those crazy introverts, like it's on me to warm them up and make them feel comfortable. It's a skill, I also had to learn that too. I'm getting now really good at it and I can just read the people straight away, and I see what they like and which poses definitely don't work. So yeah, it's just doing it over and over again.
And it's not just photography, which is the art that you mastered. It's not just the editing, it is people skills, which is such a big part of doing well, the type of photography that you're doing, maybe product shoots different.
But yeah, and then like, following on that question, like, what were some of the best investments you made in your business? Good gear to start with?
Yeah, definitely. This year, I invested quite a lot of money into personal development in a coach in a coaching container for a few months. So that's definitely changed my way of thinking and operating completely is as it was a really good investment, I highly recommend you getting yourself a mentor or coach.
But of course, when you start off, you might not have 10k laying around so, you know, it often takes a little while to build up a bit of financial freedom to be able to do that. I would say that was the that was the best thing and definitely like workshops, education; I love growing my skills and mindsets. I’ve invested in a lot of workshops, and even online workshops as well.
So kind of like there's so much out there now. You can easily just go on YouTube, like actually just you know, get some more input on your skills and do wedding photography workshops, and some other ones in fashion photography, one studio photography, so many workshops. We just want to grow and expand my skills. Yeah, so it's like education. Yeah, really investing in your education? I totally agree with that. It’s massive, super exciting too, because you're learning so many things.
And also the industry is constantly evolving. So if you're standing still you actually need to grow also for your client. You can also learn things DIY, like YouTube videos and things like that. But there is something to be said about actually investing money in a workshop course mentor, coach, like, who are where you want to be? We've been through all of that. It’s in your mindset.
And you believe and there's also something to be said, like you exchanging your money. And it's kind of like, the more you pay, I mean, it's not always the case, but the more you pay, the more you pay attention in a way sometimes, the more you feel like okay, I'm going to not only like, take this wisdom, this information, but you're gonna then integrate it into your business. You feel like you have to give it justice and actually act upon and not just look at it, watch a video and be like, cool. Done next, my next one?
Yeah, actively take some action. Yeah, in those courses. And also, as in when you own a business, of course, it's like a business expense to you know, when you invest in it, now, you're going to make it back, like 10 times 20 times, it just gives you so much. You can't even put a number on it. Like what is it actually worth? Or what? What does it cost you not doing the course love it? And really see it as an investment and not a cost. It is an investment that gives you return.
So yeah, education is amazing. I learned so much every time you know, the whole industry changes that trends change, like just have to adapt to it. And yeah, and grow and educate yourself and keep going. Now we're at a phase in our business where we are quite successful. This year, I hit one of my goals, I got featured in Vogue magazine, British Vogue magazine, so exciting. I never expected so soon.
But I was like, wow, I just had this go, I manifested and like two months later, I found this email in my inbox. I was like, Holy shit, like, I was like, not just manifestation but also like, action, you know, like, also believing that is possible, like so many things. Like such a moment as like, oh my god, this is so cool. All the work, you know, just looking back at those years of hustling? Oh, my God, just actually paid off already. You know, beautiful. Yeah. And energy is everything in business.
And another just a massive thing as well. I wanted to say, I hope you don't mind me sharing, but like, you guys hit 120K, you know, New Zealand Dollars together? Yeah. Just passed COVID.
During yeah, during COVID.
And so I feel like just something I wanted to touch on is this idea of like, when you are a photographer or in the creative industry, people feel like, okay, if you're just scraping by, you know, you're already doing pretty good. But you don't have to just scrape by you can be making six figures. In a corporate job, you'd be what making like, 40k you know, half that a third of that. But you get to do what you love working with your partner, just being in your zone of genius and then also like thriving.
What would you say to people who are like, okay, that's unfeasible for me making 12 K Yeah, doing what I love?
I believe that it's possible. Like, price yourself accordingly of course when you have a super low prices, I'm also pricing myself a little bit over average sometimes like depending for example in the wedding industry, you know, like if you're having a super low prices, you actually need to work more but if you're actually attracting the higher end clients and also have higher end work in or specify yourself in for example, with more fashion a bit more editorial wedding photography, you actually can charge more in.
Api does a lot of commercial videography, you know, he he makes really good money doing videography. He never learned that so it's kind of like a both talents combined and in different areas too.
It's really interesting like how much you could actually make and that's not even that much like there was doing COVID Battle New Zealand borders were closed for tourists. That was pretty much just New Zealand locals.
So I'm really excited about what's out there next year. I'm excited enough and and we have new business ideas. We want to expand our team. We want to work with more associate photographers? We realised being a solopreneur is also really unhealthy. You can sustain it for a few years, but maybe you're like, Okay, wait, I can't just do everything myself I need to outsource. Ideally, grow a team where you can then thrive and have a bit more free time.
Definitely becoming more of a business owner, rather than a solopreneur is our next step. It’s our new phase of growth.
I'm super excited for you. The last thing I want to touch on is that growth mindset. I'm like quite passionate about like, also sharing numbers sometimes as well being more comfortable sharing. And when people ask, if you have that transparency then you can see like, this is possible.
And if everybody's like, super secretive about what they made, then then you never know what's possible in your industry. Do you know what I mean? I feel like a lot of people are quite like sh sh sh about their prices. And I'm like, well, actually, it's harming the entire industry, like, Let's share our prices, so that we can lift up the average, so that, you know, those early budding photographers aren't under charging themselves that they can actually then sustain their living, and then turn it into a career because it's so sad that someone feels like they couldn't sustain their art, but they're really talented.
And they end up going for, I don't know, a nine to five job because there wasn't enough openness in the industry for them to know what to charge. You know, just a little things like that, I think, but I think it's changing. It's definitely changing. Because, I feel like the older generation, often they just don't talk about money. They’re like, No, we're not talking about prices or money. Yeah, it's kind of secret.
You know, they want to keep it that way, too. Like, I definitely had a few insights into the industry. But like the younger ones, you actually see people sharing it or, or just being more open with it. I think there's also our generation that just doesn't want to do things that way we're told by my parents or whatever, or, people or when you're working a corporate industry that never talks about their salary and is not allowed to or whatever, you know, that's just crazy. Like, we should just openly talk about it. Everyone knows where we're at. Yeah, why is it a secret?
Yeah, yeah. I mean, I know for me when I was growing, like what really inspired me, and made me believe that it was possible. I was surrounding myself with creative entrepreneurs, aand that people were making 10k, 25k a month. And it came to them easily. They weren't hustling their asses off and burning out. They were like, 25k a month. Like they were making millions, it was just not a big thing.
For me I was like, Oh, my God, six figures would have been like, way out. I was always like, never within my realm of possibility, and then suddenly surrounding myself with people who were like, so far ahead. I was like, Oh, this seems way more possible. Right. Yeah. And when that's possible, you start to believe that you can do it. And then and then you do.
I also listen to a lot of entrepreneurial podcasts and, for example, my coach Briony from untapped in New Zealand, as well, they they just open up all these thins and give you some access to, even bigger entrepreneurs. They also have their people who they look up to. I feel like you have to have someone that you look up to you and it's financially mindset wise that you can adapt. You know, you're like, Wow, there's so much out there. I'm not for example, okay. Okay, now, I'm happy. I got 120k, now, that's it. I don't want to make you know, that's what I want to make next five years, you know. '
I actually want to just grow and ask, what else can I create and keep challenging yourself? I think having a growth mindset actually, as well is was massively as a key to your success. And I think you need to have that growth mindset in order to actually grow because there are people who are like, Ah, cool, I'm sitting out like I've got five projects a month that that they can just want to keep doing that. I mean, like, success is your definition, freedom is your definition. Maybe that is somebody else's definition of success, right? But for us, it's kind of like we want to keep doing different things keep mastering different areas of business as well and keep being creative and to think if I would just do the same thing over and over again, because it works.
I would create get creatively so bored because I feel like my brain is so wired to new experiences, new input, that are also filled. For example. I do wedding photography, I'm good at it. What else is out there? You know, so that's at the moment. I'm thinking, okay, cool. Like, yeah, my brain is always looking for, you know, more, or otherwise I feel like stuck a little bit. Yeah.
And then again, that frustration because you're not reaching your full potential, you could be doing more. I feel like that when I start getting frustrated with myself, I'm like, Oh, I'm too comfortable. That's when I'm like, Okay, let's find something else to master.. It keeps life exciting, too. It might be too much for you know, for for some people, but if you're, yeah, in a similar mindset, and if that excites you? We value growth. Freedom. That's why you work remotely, right?
Yeah. from Portugal where we are right now. I love that. We're recording this from my bedroom actually.
I love that. I love that you've also created a life for you where you can be so creative, creative and work so remotely, where I feel like sometimes even with like, wedding dates, it's quite a bit locked in, you know, you get locked in like in advance. So that's something you need to consider.
But at the same time, I'm getting inquiries from like, Italy and are really excited. We do go to other places, and, and we're happy travel together before and video projects together around the world. So there's so much out there. 'm not limiting myself to just one version of our business and it just constantly evolving. It's so beautiful.
Yeah, I mean, pros and cons of everything. For me I'm fully fully fully remote. However, I miss the people contacts that you have, you know, and so for that reason, I'm like, oh, I want to create retreats. Yes, and so I have Free Wild Souls and it's a passion project of mine, where I get to run more retreats or kind of weekend workshops or getaways, where I get to be with people.’
I would love to join will be New Zealand for your next one. Hopefully next year, we can create something together.
Yeah, we might even consider creating a photography retreat for creatives. That'd be really cool to be awesome. Mediterranean area, Portugal.
Last question, before we round off, and I asked this to all my guests is, what does it mean to you will feel like well look like for you to live a life that is free, wild and soulfully aligned?
For me, I think it's going with the flow, I really feel like I don't want to box into things. So flow was quite important to me, and then going with my intuition, with my gut feeling being like, Okay, I want to do this now what it does, I want to have the freedom to decide, and to create the life that I want to create. So, so constantly redesigning my life, and then checking back on my values. I think that's, that's something that I'm also working on, and also learning how to make it all happen. Designing your life, not living it by default.
Oh, I love that this idea of redesigning your life and coming back to it because we have different phases, right? And, yeah, we do have to reflect and be like, okay, something needs to change now. And you can redesign it at every phase I love.
Exactly. You can just recreate yourself. Yeah, often we are one version. But actually, there's so much more in us that we can, you know, recreate. I think a lot of us also are afraid to change, we kind of want to stay this person or stay how we used to be all the way through before other people want other people. Yes, yes. And inside, we might be wanting to change, you know, our lifestyle or something. But we feel like we've locked ourselves in to be this version of us.
But actually, that's all in your mind. You don't have to do that. You give yourself permission to change. You next evolution you can be the person you want to be, as to you don't need to ask for permission for anybody. You can just do it. And even if we think about, I'm becoming now that person that's already first step. Do it for yourself. Otherwise, it's not worth a life of frustration and regret, and also resentment towards the people that you're staying you for. This is your life.
That one life like make the most of it totally. If you're unhappy with your job, quit your job. If you want to travel, go make it work—you don't need a million dollars to travel. It's like there are so many opportunities out there, especially in our day and age with the internet and everything and all the tutorials online.
It would be a pity, I think, not to take that opportunity and capitalise on the opportunity for yourself to live. I heard lots of you saying oh, I'm not ready for this and I want to give up my car or whatever. It's like, if you want to create that life of design, you actually need to let go of a lot of things. You need to let go of parts of you, you need to let go of the people that no longer serve you and limiting beliefs. So many items in your life that you think you need. They actually don't.
You know what I learned from backpacking? Like you actually don't need much, as long as you have your mindset, you know, you can make anything happen. I just want to see more people out there living their dream and doing what they love. I'd love that for our generation to just looking back in your 20s and be like, Fuck, yeah, I did exactly what I wanted to do. Like, I am so proud of what you've achieved and what you've experienced. I want that for so many people as well. I'm not saying I'm done yet. I feel like it's constantly looking to work.
But we're also constantly there at the same time. It's not like an end goal, but you always have this angle that you're striving towards. At the same time, I think where we both of us are constantly living this life that we've consciously intentionally designed for ourselves, and it just feels so rewarding. Yes, to be struggling in that, but it's like a struggle that is worth it that we chose. We chose it to be our own boss to have the freedom to do that. And to travel to places safely. So it’s a problem you want to have.
Thank you for having me. Such an extensive conversation. So yeah, really inspiring.
I love chatting with you here from your bedroom in beautiful, Lisbon.
Any last things like anything you wanted to share about what you're, you know, like your offerings or where people can find you.
Yeah, you can find me on Luisaapanui.com or on Instagram or on Facebook. If you're getting married next year in Europe, or you have your own brand. I also do lots of branding photography for female entrepreneurs, too. I’d love to create some beautiful imagery for your brand or if you're getting married, I'd love to be considered. Check out my work and see if this resonates with you, and if you like my style or Api's video style, we would love to chat. Get in touch and thank you for listening.
Oh, amazing. Yeah, she does amazing work. It's always such a pleasure to shoot with her, have been both the model and assisted on a few shoots. So fun. Super fun. I love watching you and your zone of genius. Same here. I love seeing you and your business grow. It's so inspiring to be part of it. Yay, love. All right.
Thank you so much for listening. Guys. Have a beautiful day.
