Meet Rachel Dowd | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rachel Dowd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The freedom of being in charge of your life was very appealing. Being able to provide for my family, and feed my creative mind at the same time felt like a win-win. I was working in an office at the time that was draining on my mental health, I was fortunate enough to sell my house and was able to Jumpstart my business that way.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
So photography for me goes back a ways. Further back than I initially thought. I loved taking photos and editing them (not in photoshop, think early windows photo editing) but that changed to working for Yearbook and on the school paper. I was into video for a little while and even took 3rd place at a competition for my school. I graduated high school and entered the military at 18. I sustained a stress fracture to my hip and was sent home. From there I moved to Brea, CA and got a job working for Picture People. Once again. I fell in love with photography. My boyfriend at the time’s mother was getting married but didn’t really want to pay the premium price of so cal photographers, so I threw out the idea that if she bought me a camera, I’d photograph her (extravagant) wedding. She obliged and Life By The Lens Photography was born. I spent that summer learning the ins and outs of my camera system, and preparing myself for her wedding. Looking back I would NEVER have done that. This was a wedding that costed about $85k and it was incredible. The photos were great, but honestly, it was pure luck. Don’t get me wrong, I’m talented and I have an eye for things BUT the idea of taking that on as my FIRST wedding and alone. Heck no! I did a couple weddings after that and some portraits but ultimately kept it casual and didn’t pursue much. Eventually I got married and we moved to Apache Junction AZ to start a family. I had my daughter in February 2020 and began my divorce process in October 2020 – which led to the sale of our home in 2021. This sale of the house funded my business, I was able to purchase new gear and use it as start up money for my business. It also helped keep my family afloat while trying to pick up gigs.

In 2022, I had the opportunity of a lifetime- photograph amazing couples in ICELAND with some amazing other creatives from around the country and the world. (Elopement Photographer Experiece!)

One thing I pride my business on is to always keep learning, connecting and keep the human element alive. Life By The Lens Photography is about showing life as it is, and celebrating the moments in your life you want to keep forever. I become friends with nearly all of my clients. Love is greater than just about anything else.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ok so Grand Canyon is a MUST. It’s my favorite place to be (in Arizona). The stunning views, and the magnitude of it is astounding. But on the way up we HAVE to stop by the Grand Canyon Deer Farm. So much fun to get mauled by deer!

We’d also visit The Queen Creek Olive Mill for some Pizza, live music, and beer! I’m a foodie and LOVE visiting the Mill.

After that, we’d find a concert to go to, maybe at the Van Buren? Love that concert venue.

Lastly, we’d go to the Ghost Town out in AJ and then head towards Canyon Lake and do some Kayaking.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There’s a small group of people in my circle that help me in so many ways and have pushed me to keep going. Kaycee Nienhuis, my girlfriend who encouraged me from the very beginning, her family (Lynn & Kurt), our kids who without them life would lose meaning (Denver & Jordan), and of course Kaylee & Jerry who are always down to model for me. Sam for always listening and helping me when life gets hard. This is my village of supporters and they are nothing short of amazing.

Website: Lbtlphoto.com

Instagram: Lbtlphoto.com

Facebook: Lifebythelens

Other: Elopement website: lifebythelensphoto.com