Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Collins.
Hi Erika, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Ever since I was a little child, I remember always having a fascination with pictures. I was always the go-to friend who took pictures everywhere we went. In Middle school, I was taking in a new disposable camera each week to the CVS to be developed and made copies for all of my friends. I finally got my first digital camera during the Myspace era. I remember thinking that 5 megapixels in a camera was just incredible resolution and I first began tinkering with some pretty horribly edited photos, haha. I never considered a profession in photography since I grew up thinking I needed a fancy college degree in something practical like nursing or teaching. I finished my degree in exercise science and physical education and ultimately did nothing with it so I went into a really neat job in traveling sales. This opened my eyes up to so many different beautiful backdrops that were screaming to be photographed. I had one long work trip that took me all over the country starting in San Fransisco, then to Arizona at the Grand Canyon, then to historic Phillidelphia and ending in Florida. I just knew I would want to document it so of course, I dished out money for an entry-level DSLR camera. I think I shot on ‘auto’ the entire trip because I had absolutely no idea how to properly expose a photo at the time, but those are still some of my favorite photos… After that trip, my camera ended up sitting on a shelf for a while until I had my first son and was spending hours in a recliner with him all day as a newborn.
While nursing and playing with him, I would watch as many youtube videos as I could on photography so I could get some use out of my camera. I would take my son out to the park and be wearing him in a baby wrap so I could practice taking photos, then would rush home to edit them and practice using lightroom! At this point, I still had no intention of pursuing photography as a career, mostly because I felt so intimidated with what people would think. I was friends with a few amazing photographers, some of whom even went to college for the profession. I had it in my mind that if I said I wanted to be a photographer, that I would be judged and I felt like I wasn’t good enough. But my love for it became an obsession and I was constantly a student of my craft. Three kids down the road and I was finally looking to go back to work after being a stay-at-home-mom for two years. I knew I needed something that would be flexible so I could be there for the big moments that I cherished so much. Photography just made sense. I loved everything about it and I could finally admit that I was good at it. I started in October of 2021 with a styled advertisement for a Fall mini session and since then, I have been booked every weekend. I found my passion in family, maternity, and newborn photography- I think because that was what I was so engrossed in for the past few years. I absolutely loved catching the wonderment in a child’s eyes and saving those ‘in-between’ moments that parents could cherish forever. I really tried hard not to shoot weddings because it just wasn’t the stage of life that I was in, but of course living in North Georgia, I kind of got thrown into it and absolutely fell in love with it! So here I am, shooting every stage of family life and having a ball.
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 think getting to the point of finally diving into photography full-time was harder than the actual work. I am such an all-or-nothing kind of person so if I am going to commit to something, I have a full business plan and big dreams that come along with it. It seemed like once I made that commitment and put it in the universe, that everything else fell into place. One of the biggest obstacles since starting my business has been family life. I have a two-and-a-half year old son and One year old twin boys as well, so I have my hands full on a daily basis at home. My husband also owns his own business so it’s been a learning curve working around each other’s schedules in order to get work done. We have come up with a good flow of switching off parental roles when he gets home so I can edit and market, etc but the next step is definitely child-care so I can tackle this without getting attacked by three toddlers and so my husband can also have somewhat of a break. I am having to get used to my time being shared away from my family, but I also think it is so crucial that I be able to set an example for my children. I want them to see that you can make a living doing something you love and they don’t have to fit into a box to do so!
Another struggle was feeling the pressure to ‘niche-down’. I feel like when you see a successful photographer, they specialize in just one genre. I felt such pressure to just do newborn photography or just do weddings, when in reality- I love doing it all. I love getting weird requests and being able to get creative with it! It is so fun to see how my style is different in each realm of photography too. I am a lot more bold and light with wedding photography, whereas my family or maternity might be considered a little bit of warm & moody.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a photographer that specializes in weddings and families. I am most known for my bold and warm style with a little borderline moodiness. I love photographing children and you can find me at a wedding getting shots of the cute kids on the dance floor. I just love capturing the magic and innocence in their eyes. I also am super proud that I am down for anything. If you want to wake up at 4:30 am and hike to the top of a mountain to do a sunrise maternity session, I’m your gal. There is no challenge too big for me. I am always eager to learn more and go on a new adventure.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think one of the big shifts in our industry that has already begun is the move from DSLR cameras to the new Mirrorless cameras. Companies are already putting their efforts in those types of cameras so I am totally ready and onboard. A shift I see happening with client experience is a more all-inclusive approach with your session and more candid lifestyle feels. Clients want someone who if going to make their experience feel fun and easy and truly capture special little moments rather than the overly posed shots. If you are wanting someone to shoot your exact family dynamic and see true feelings in your memories, then I am the photographer for you.
Pricing:
- Family sessions $260+
- Elopements $800+
- Newborn $325+
- Weddings $1100+
Contact Info:
- Email: erika@lanecollinsphotography.com
- Website: www.lanecollinsphotography.com
- Instagram: lanecollinsphotography & dahlonegaweddingphotography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/erikacollinsphotography
Image Credits
All images taken and edited by me: @lanecollinsphotography & @dahlonegaweddingphotography
