Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Hawkes.
Emily, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started photography when I was in high school up in Vermont. I knew right away it was something I wanted to make a career out of so I saved up for my first camera and started photographing senior sessions! I did fairly well back then considering my age at the time and lack of business skills. Fast forward to what really sealed the deal and solidified my passions which was going to school at Hallmark Institute of Photography. The school is no longer around but I really enjoyed my time there and I learned so much and made some amazing life long friends while attending. When I graduated in 2014, I moved to Boston and began my journey on making my mark in the industry. I had some really awesome mentors in Boston when I first move there and got to work on some pretty awesome projects but I still felt like I hadn’t found my voice in the industry quite yet. I went to networking events, fashion shows and assisted with some great people and eventually, I started to find my passions in the industry. While all of that was happening, I also found my husband who assists with me on all of my shoots and second shoots weddings with me! Now, I have finally found my style, group of clients that I love and feel like I have found myself in the industry photographing fun and unique weddings and portraits of alternative individuals and musicians. This has actually been my busiest year to date and I am able to do this full time!!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It hasn’t been an easy road for sure. For the longest time, I had a lot of flaky clients and kept getting approached by potential clients that would ghost me the second I gave them my rates and had a lot last second cancelations. It got to a point where I wouldn’t tell my significant other that I had a booking until the day of because I was afraid I would jinx it! I also dealt a lot with clients and other photographers not taking me seriously because of my age. Despite the frustrations though, I kept going and didn’t give up even though that meant choosing between eating or paying a model so that I could improve my portfolio and make sure people saw that I was continuously moving forward and getting better. Thankfully, it finally paid off!
Please tell us about Emily Bryn Photography.
So! My business is portrait and wedding focused but I aim my services towards the alternative scene. That means I try to specifically book tattoo collectors, alternative businesses looking to get photos done for social media, musicians, and couples who don’t fit the traditional wedding market. What sets me apart is definitely the way I handle customer service and how I treat my clients. I am not just another vendor! I am a friend to my clients. I am really big on creating lasting industry relationships and a fun and relaxing environment. My clients mean the world to me and I try my best to show it!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
The only thing I would have done differently is getting into the alternative scene sooner! Other than that, I wouldn’t change a thing because if I did things differently I might not have met all of the amazing people and clients that have made me who I am today as a person and a photographer/business owner!
Contact Info:
- Email: emily.bryn@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.bryn.photography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilybrynphotography
Image Credit:
Photographer: Me, Models: Tara Leary, Bill & Kelly Quindley, Rachelle Araujo, Araina Nicole, Lexie Lynne, Mackenzie Baker & the band “Misgiver”
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