Rebecca Yale is an amazing, internationally acclaimed destination wedding photographer based in L. A. (with her adorable rescue dog Margo!).

She has been named one of the top wedding photographers in the world by Harper’s Bazaar, BRIDES and Destination Weddings Magazine (and been featured everywhere!).

As if all that wasn’t enough, Rebecca does beautiful work photographing for human and animal rights organizations in her offseason, and regularly works in Rwanda and Mexico.

I asked Rebecca how it feels to have ‘made it’, and she has some wonderful insights and wisdom for us, no matter what level we’re at! She also has brilliant thoughts on how comparison can be toxic and how self-validation is so important.