Conversations with Kelly Erwin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Erwin.

Hi Kelly, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have always had a passion for and seen the value in a photograph. About a year after my daughter was born, I started getting more serious about documenting memories for others and started a little business out of it. As I grew in my art and in my business, I really honed in on my style and what I wanted to do after losing both of my parents, suddenly within eight months of each other, and realizing how few photos and videos I had of them and my daughter, and even with them myself as an adult, I wanted to shout from the rooftops how important it is. I began to learn to shoot family films and the rest is history. Creating family films for families brings me more joy than I could imagine. Creating something that they can leave behind, so their grandchildren and great-grandchildren and even further down can hear their voice and see the way they laughed. So their children can remember the way it felt when they hugged them. So that memories can be reignited just by watching an old three minute family film. That is mine why.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it’s been smooth, but honestly, I wouldn’t say it’s been “hard” either. Doing what I love, what brings me joy, really isn’t hard. If anything has been rough, it’s been figuring out and learning the business side of things. For someone who wants to create, it’s hard to sit down and work on budgets and the cost of doing business, taxes, etc.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m different from most photographers in that I take a very journalistic, documentary, storytelling approach. I am more of a fly on the wall during my sessions, and I don’t do much, if any, directing or posing. I also specialize in Family Films, which are relatively new and uncommon, but I’ve noticed they are quickly becoming popular as so many are seeing the value in films – they bring the photograph to life. What sets me apart from others is that I don’t look for the perfect photo. I don’t only shoot at certain times, I truly embrace all types of light, and I don’t expect my clients to be best dressed. My goal in every session is to capture my clients as they are, in their most comfortable, truest element, and to capture raw emotions over forced “cheese” smiles. This is also what I am most proud of because it has taken me years to develop this style and to be comfortable being different and out of the box.

What are your plans for the future?
This year I am focusing on marketing, mostly films, and growing my business globally. I would love to be able to travel for family sessions and to truly showcase the value and beauty of the family film.

Pricing:

• Sessions start at $600

Contact Info:

• Email: kelly@kellyerwinfilmandphoto.com
• Website: www.kellyerwinfilmandphoto.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/kellyerwinfilmandphoto
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellyerwinfilmandphoto
• Other: https://vimeo.com/user44426230