Interview: Roses & Scars Photography
It’s a sunny fall day in Saskatoon. I walk down a shaded sidewalk lined with tall raspberry plants to the residence’s front door. Sunlight dapples the leaves, and the ripe fruit shines like rubies. Pam opens the door at my knock and greets me like an old friend. Her dog barks a friendly hello, and a black cat scoots outside with some exploring to do. I soon find myself sitting in her cozy home and studio, ready to chat about her art and business.
Pam Brace has always had a creative spirit. From an early age, she was creating art with pencils, brushes, and pastels—always busy with her hands and continually developing her artistic eye. She felt drawn to photography but didn’t get into it until adulthood. She loved the precision of the craft and the exhilaration of taking photos that others were excited about. “It was like a dopamine fix!” she says with excitement. When she upgraded from a point-and-shoot camera to a DSLR, there was no going back.
Pam owns and operates Roses & Scars Photography, a business she started in 2018 when a friend hired her for her first gig—a relative’s wedding. “It was scary at first—people think I’m good enough for this?” As word of her quality, speed, and enthusiasm spread, her confidence grew.
Thanks to her creative and adventurous spirit, Pam has experience with a range of photographic styles and subjects: from weddings, family photos and maternity/newborn shoots to sports photography for the Saskatoon Roller Derby League. Today, Roses and Scars Photography is a thriving business that focuses primarily on capturing graduations and boudoir. She recalls feeling an instant connection with these two styles: “Holy shit! I love this!”
The name of her business tells a story about her intent and approach to photography. To Pam, “Roses & Scars” means that both happy occasions and painful moments are beautiful and worthy subjects for art; they are a natural part of someone’s life story.
I ask a question I’m not quite sure how to frame. As a camera-shy person myself, I wonder whether it’s possible to work at all with people like me so that the right moment is captured. It turns out this is one of many “magical superpowers” that are just part of Pam’s nature: she puts people at ease because she is open to feedback and her excitement is infectious. I get excited just listening to the passion in her voice as she recalls past projects.
Pam is often inspired by her own creativity and her ability to learn and adapt. She came into craft of photography in adulthood and successfully navigated learning all kinds of skills, from F-stops to writing marketing copy. She says she stays inspired in a few different ways: making her business low-pressure and learning about new techniques.
Roses & Scars Photography stays low-pressure for Pam because it isn’t her only form of work: by day, Pam is a skilled respiratory therapist. Balancing the two occupations can be tricky, but to her it ultimately means greater freedom.
Pam keeps learning and growing by following photographers she admires on social media. She is particularly attracted to inventive work that makes creative use of light and color. Studi0 2:22 is a present favourite.
Pam supports her business with the following technologies:
Website and blog (Wordpress)
Content scheduling (Meta Business Suite)
Invoicing (Google Docs)
Long-term photo storage (physical hard-drives)
Photo sharing (Google Drive, thumb drives)
Pam uses ChatGPT to help her with copy for blog posts and social media captions, as well as to help visualize artistic ideas.
She used to use Shootproof, an online tool that photographers can use to create branded photo galleries for each client, but found it ultimately limiting. It is difficult for clients to use and pricey.
Price and ease of use are important considerations when selecting technologies to support a business. Pam began by managing and evaluating every tool, including building her own website from scratch. She feels this learning curve is essential even if you end up contracting out the work to someone else eventually, as she did with her website. It’s absolutely vital for a business owner to know their tools.
Pam has the following advice for creatives:
”Continue growing and don’t give up!”
When starting out in business and selecting tools, Pam knows from experience that the process can be overwhelming. She recommends approaching the problems that come up with a simple mantra: pick a small piece, learn more about it, execute on the learning, and repeat.
Pam is also extraordinarily resilient in her personal life. She shares that she experienced mental and emotional hardship after the birth of her son a few years ago. She learned a lot about herself, coming away from that time with an ADHD diagnosis and greater understanding of and support for her needs. She laughs: her fun escape these days is indulging in phone games. The Ants: Underground Kingdom presently has her hooked.
Thank you so much, Pam, for sharing a bit about your business and creative journey with me! To learn more about Roses & Scars Photography, check out the website and follow the business on Facebook and Instagram.
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