Meet Sara Ascencio | Photographer & Business Owner

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

Hi Sara, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
For a really long time growing up I knew that I wanted to be a business owner. I never fully knew in what field or how to go about it, but that was definitely what was always in my heart. At 18 years old, I landed my first full time job as an administrative assistant. I was able to work closely with the owners of that business and learned the ins and outs of many business aspects. That is when I truly knew I wanted a business of my own. It’s funny to think about how we started our photo and video business because when we started it, we didn’t really plan for it to become what it has now become. We invested in equipment and just thought, hey let’s do this. Without much thought and strategy, we just began to work. We always had the thought that we wanted to be business owners, but never knew in what specific field… it kind of came all together organically.
 
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I can definitely say it has not been easy to get to where I am today professionally. When I speak of “where I am today” I am talking less in regards to success, money, and accomplishments and more in regards to personal growth, mindset, and overall happiness and fulfillment in my business and creative work.

There were a lot of challenges, particularly of the mind, that I had to overcome to get to where I am today at a personal and professional level. I’ve never been a competitive person, so it has always come natural to me to support those that are in the same field I am. I have, however, always compared myself. I’ve always felt insecure in certain areas and have dealt with the struggle of thinking I am not good enough, and worrying too much about the opinion of others.

The truth is.. the creative arts are subjective, and I truly believe there is no true “right” or “wrong” way to express yourself creatively. There is work I am incredibly proud of that other people may not like at all. Through the years, that is something that I have learned and something that has helped me get to the point where I am now. That is also what I am most proud of: having found my voice and being confident in what I bring to the table by just being myself. I am at a point where I have so much passion for what I do, but I am not fulfilled by anything other than being able to look at my work and feel something from it, and be proud of it. My measure of success is not my follower count, or external validation from those around me.. but simply being able to be truly proud of how I approached that session and the images that were a result of it.

My goal when I walk into any sort of session is that the end result be work that makes me, and those that view it, feel something. I am an emotional person and I feel things deeply, and although there was a season of my life where I didn’t view that as a strength, that is something that I now embrace and carry through my work. That is also precisely what I would want the world to know about me, my brand, and my story. That my goal in my business and through my images isn’t for anything more than to create work that causes those that come across it to feel something.
 
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?
If my best friend was visiting the area we would probably do nothing other than go from restaurant to restaurant and eat, haha! Houston truly is so diverse and has a little bit of everything for everyone.

But aside from just eating, here are some of my favorite activities I have recently enjoyed in the city:

Sunset on the rooftop at The Post – Going to The post is a must when you come to Houston, and there is no better time than during sunset. Music is playing, you can see the iconic Houston skyline, and you you could be snacking on a sweet treat from one of the many restaurants located in their food hall, while you sit and enjoy the ambience with your friends.

Pedal Party through Midtown – I am personally a HUGE FAN of pedal parties, it’s just always so much fun! This is where you and and some friends pedal your way through Houston with your music and drinks of choice! You are practically guaranteed to have the time of your life each time.

Bike Rides through Buffalo Bayou Park – One of the best views of Houston’s downtown can be seen right at Buffalo Bayou Park. My husband and I enjoy going on bike rides here from time and time and always take our friends there when they visit! You can either bring your own bike or rent one from different stations at the park. While biking you can see the bayou, downtown, and ride through any of the florals that are in season! It is definitely an experience

Picnic at Memorial Park’s Eastern glades: Memorial park seems to be growing and renovating more each year! I’ve been coming here since I was a little girl, but have recently enjoyed a lot of time in the Eastern Glades. You can go on a walk, have a picnic in their picnic area, or rent a tennis court. Wether you go by yourself, with a friend, or with little ones, you can do a variety of things at this park!

Aside from all of that, I often take my friends to some of my favorite places such as Bludorn, Roka Akor, Fresco Cafe, Tiny Boxwoods, Pappasitos, and Alice Blue.
 
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband and family definitely get most of the credit in my story. I got married when I was 20 years old, I was very young and knew nothing about life. If it wasn’t for my husbands support along the way, I don’t even know where I would be. He is my literal backbone. He consistently brings new ideas to my attention, helps me manage everything, keeps me on track, has vision for the future of our business, and so much more. My parents, brother, and sister in law have poured all of their support towards every single little thing that I have ever done and they have really encouraged and propelled me to move forward. If it wasn’t for them, I literally would’t have anything.

Website: www.sarascencio.com

Instagram: instagram.com/sarascencio

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saraascencio

Twitter: twitter.com/saraasce

Youtube: www.youtube.com/saraascencio

Image Credits
Picture of me with a microphone: Jason Haas Picture of me taking a picture: Matthew Menendez Cover portrait of just me: Estefani Mendoza