Today we’d like to introduce you to Stella.
Hi Stella, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
In June of 2020, I was at home with my two young daughters during the beginning of the pandemic, with very little to do in terms of entertainment. I had been following architecture instas from around the world for months at that point and absolutely loved learning about the design and history, as well as just admiring the beauty of the homes. I quickly realized that Austin didn’t have a similar account, so I decided to make one. My daily activity was walking my girls in their double jogger stroller so I just took the show on the road – from my East Austin neighborhood to the various historic areas throughout the city. It was so much fun to google these homes and learn their histories, which also helped me to learn a lot about the history of our city. I was surprised when the account took off and began to gain followers. It was such a great respite during the beginning of the pandemic when everything felt so shrouded in fear and anxiety – CharmingAustinTexas became my little escape, and I think it became that for others too.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve always looked at it as great fun and since I never sat out for it to be my primary source of income (or any source of income for that matter), it’s never felt pressured or forced. That’s really been the beauty of it for me – it’s been FUN! When you have a passion for something and love to share it, it’s the best feeling when others share in that passion with you. With that being said, it hasn’t been completely smooth sailing. I was apprehensive when I started the account that it would be seen as weird that I was taking photos of people’s homes – that they might come outside and start yelling at me to stop photographing. Ha! However, it’s been quite the contrary (minus one message I received to take a photo down, which I of course conferred), I’ve actually found that people are incredibly flattered to have their home featured on the account. I love that! Oftentimes they will message me privately, tell me a little about the reasons they love the home, it’s history, how they raised their children there, and at times, even invite me to tour the home! I’ve also had to figure out how to navigate the comment section. I want to be respectful of followers’ opinions but I do delete comments that are blatantly rude to the homeowner (i.e. “Why would anyone ever paint a house that color? It’s hideous!” type comments). I know a lot of the homeowners follow the account and I want it to be a positive experience when they are featured.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Interestingly enough, I’m a counselor by day! When I started this account, I was a Stay At Home Mom, hence all the daytime strolls through these beautiful neighborhoods. I recently went back to work full time and am enjoying seeing clients again. However, I still make time for my intense love of history and architecture. I am a forever fan of the book “A Field Guide to American Houses” (it’s the absolute go-to architecture book) and will quickly and willingly go down an internet rabbit-hole of researching when it comes to a historic home that I’m curious about. I enjoy the photography/creative/artistic aspect of this little project, as well. Quality work matters to me and I’d definitely say my style has evolved as I’ve curated this account. In the beginning, I just wanted to share the homes and gave less regard to the quality of the photo. As the account has grown, I believe I’ve grown as a photographer, as well, taking much more care to photograph quality over quantity.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
As cliche as it sounds, if you love what you’re doing, it feels a lot less like work. Capturing architecture photos and learning the history of the homes is really a dream for me – an escape in the best way. As far as growing an Instagram following, my advice is to engage with accounts that are similar to your own. Usually, folks with similar interests are more than happy to share your posts and their followers are very apt to follow your account as well – if they know about it. Post quality work and post consistently. The world of social media is strange and it gets a bad rep for many valid reasons, but overall, it’s been a great place to share my passion and meet like-minded friends with similar interests.
Pricing:
- $50 per real estate/rental/airbnb post
Contact Info:
- Email: charmingaustintexas@gmail.com
- Instagram: @charmingaustintexas
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/charmingaustintexas/_saved/
Image Credits
Photo of Me: (Amy Wilborn Photography) All other Photos: (Charming Austin Texas)
