Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Biggs.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My path has definitely not been a straight line. I’ve always had a creative side. I took piano lessons as a child, sang in choir and played in band in high school. I’ve always loved music and the arts and I’ve always been drawn to beautiful things, whether that’s nature, architecture or animals. Looking back, the creative person I am now was always there, I just didn’t necessarily know how to turn that part of myself into a career.
When I went to college, I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do or what I wanted to major in. I eventually chose Communication Studies and while I was in college I completed an internship with the Office of the Governor here in Austin, working in the Human Resources Division. After college, I ended up finding jobs in Human Resources and Administrative work. At the time, it seemed like a practical career path and I thought it was something I could make a good living doing. I eventually realized that it didn’t really align with who I was.
My interest in photography really started after my son was born in 2012. I wanted to be able to take beautiful photographs of him, so we got a Nikon DSLR. At that point, photography was still very much a personal interest. Over the next several years, it grew into much more of a passion. I started taking pictures when I traveled, especially nature and landscapes and I realized how much I loved it. In 2019, I invested in a professional Canon DSLR and that really opened the door for me to take photography more seriously.
One of the experiences that had a particularly big impact on me was a photography based mission trip to El Salvador. We photographed low income families who had never had professional family portraits taken and we also took portraits of children at a local school there. I remember feeling like I was part of something really special. It made me realize that photography can be about so much more than creating a beautiful image. A photograph can become something very meaningful to people.
I’ve always been fascinated by the way a photograph can capture the feeling or the heart of something. Sometimes you look at a photograph and it can communicate an entire emotion or tell a story without saying a word. That could be a person, a family, an event, a landscape or even a house. I love finding the beauty in things, but I think it’s more than simply liking pretty pictures. I’m drawn to what an image can make you feel. Nature has always been especially important to me. I love hiking and walking on trails, seeing animals in nature, visiting state parks and being outside. That’s where I feel most in tune with myself. It’s grounding for me, especially when life gets stressful. Photography gives me a way to slow down and really notice things.
Real estate photography actually came into my life somewhat unexpectedly. A friend of my brother’s does architectural and luxury home photography and seeing that side of photography opened my eyes to the possibility of various types of photography that I could actually build a career around. Eventually I had the opportunity to work with a real estate photography company based out of Colorado and be trained as a real estate photographer, even though I had no prior experience. That was really the beginning of my professional journey in this industry.
Obviously, I love beautiful houses and architecture but there’s something really satisfying about walking into a space and figuring out how to photograph it in a way that captures what makes it special. But I also think there’s something deeper about real estate photography. A house is rarely just a house. People are often selling because they’re moving to another city, starting a new chapter, moving into a different stage of their life, or leaving a home where they’ve created years of memories. So when I’m photographing a home, I’m sometimes photographing a pretty significant transition in someone’s life. I like knowing that I’m helping them present something that’s meaningful to them and hopefully helping them move forward into whatever comes next.
Once photography became my profession, I wanted to keep developing the creative side of it, too. I’ve taken a landscape photography workshop in Death Valley and an astrophotography workshop at Mount Rainier. Those experiences are very different from photographing real estate, but I think they keep me connected to the part of photography that made me fall in love with it in the first place. There’s always something new to learn about light, composition and perspective.
That’s actually one of the reasons photography has been such a good fit for my life. When my son was younger, it was really important to me to be available for him as much as possible. Photography gave me the flexibility to build a career while still being present as a mother. I think that’s something that’s important to a lot of parents. You want to have a career and something that’s yours, but you also don’t want to miss the important parts of your children’s lives. I’ve been fortunate that photography has allowed me to have both. Outside of work, I enjoy exploring Austin, hiking and walking trails, paddle boarding, going to concerts and visiting state parks. I also love animals and have fostered dogs through Austin Pets Alive from time to time. My son and I are also involved with Young Men’s Service League, where we’ve volunteered with organizations including Keep Austin Fed, Honor Flight and Pease Park Conservancy. Volunteering has always been something I’ve enjoyed. I’ve also participated in disaster relief work, including helping after Hurricane Harvey in Houston and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t have everything figured out from the beginning. My journey involved trying different things, discovering what I enjoyed, and being willing to take a chance on something new. Photography has allowed me to bring together my creative interests and my professional life in a way that feels much more like me
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Over the years, I’ve learned that the way you navigate work and life can be shaped by challenges that other people may not always see. I’ve struggled with anxiety and staying focused at times and those things have influenced how I’ve approached school, work and figuring out what works best for me. One of the things I’ve come to appreciate about photography is the flexibility it offers. Working in a more independent, creative field gives me more control over my schedule and space to manage those challenges while continuing to grow professionally. I’ve learned that there’s no single formula for building a career or finding your place in the world. Sometimes it’s about understanding yourself better, recognizing what you need to thrive and finding a way to work that plays to your strengths. I’m still learning, but that understanding has become an important part of my journey.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m an Austin based real estate and architectural photographer and my work combines my love of photography, design and finding the details that make a space special. I photograph a wide variety of properties, including homes and condos for sale, vacant lots, rental properties, vacation rentals and commercial buildings and businesses. I also offer aerial photography, which provides another perspective for showcasing a property and its surroundings. One of the things I enjoy most about this work is that no two properties are exactly alike. Each space presents a different creative challenge, whether it’s finding the best natural light, highlighting architectural details or capturing the layout. I enjoy figuring out how to best showcase each property and capturing the details that give it its own character. It’s sometimes difficult to point to one specific thing I’m most proud of, but the feedback I’ve received over the years has been really meaningful to me. Receiving referrals and having clients return to work with me again reassures me that people appreciate my work and trust me to do a good job. I’m proud of the experience I’ve gained and the relationships I’ve built along the way. I think every photographer brings their own perspective to their work, and I try to approach each property with fresh eyes and an appreciation for what makes it unique. I’m always learning and looking for ways to improve and I enjoy that there’s room to keep growing creatively in this field.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My biggest piece of advice would be to give yourself permission to learn as you go. You don’t have to have everything figured out at the beginning and you don’t need to know exactly where something will lead before you give it a try.
When I started getting into photography, I was learning as I went and figuring things out through experience. Looking back, I think it’s important to be willing to try new things, make mistakes and keep learning rather than feeling like you need to be an expert right away. There will always be things you don’t know, even as you gain more experience.
I also think it’s important not to compare your path to someone else’s. Everyone starts from a different place and careers don’t always develop in a straight line. Sometimes the opportunities that end up being the right fit are the ones you never would have planned for yourself. Be open to those possibilities, be patient with yourself and don’t be afraid to start before you feel completely ready.
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