Daily Inspiration: Meet Emilie Iggiotti

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emilie Iggiotti.

Hi Emilie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am Emilie (pronounced “Emy-Lee”) and I am a portrait and branding photographer from a tiny French island in the Indian Ocean called Reunion Island. I now live in Edmonton, AB. I moved to Canada in 2010 with my now ex-husband. We lived in Montreal for 6 years and then moved to Edmonton. While I originally studied literature and law, the legal industry lacked the creativity and connection that photography affords me. I found myself in photography, and I also found my vision, my voice, my passion, and my purpose. I became a wedding photographer in 2009 after quitting my law career. I switched to portrait photography in 2016 after moving to Edmonton.

My work as a portrait and branding photographer allows me to shape the way my clients see themselves. I now help entrepreneurs, individuals, and small business owners claim the right to be seen by capturing the essence of their brand so they can create soulful connections with their audience.

In 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, I opened my first photography studio in Edmonton where I welcome my clients for their sessions. I offer different services, from headshots to personal branding and full branding photoshoots.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Oh no, it has not been a smooth road to be where I am now. Haha! But I feel like every bump in the road took me exactly where I was supposed to be. One of the first struggles I encountered was establishing myself as a portrait photographer. Many people told me that I would not be able to have a sustainable business if I was only photographing women and doing portraits. But I had the nudge in 2016, way before the influencers’ trend took over social media and way before everyone had a personal brand. Now, everyone is an influencer (no matter if you have 200 followers or 2 million), and we live in a visual world. Everyone needs images for their communication, whether it is for their personal social media channels or their business. I guess I was a visionary, haha. I knew portraits and personal branding were going to be the next best thing. I had to keep following my intuition while people told me I needed to photograph newborns or families to make money. Now, 80% of my clients are small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in portraits and branding photography. I do headshots, portraits, and branding photography for individuals, small business owners, other creatives, entrepreneurs, companies, etc. I am known for capturing people’s true essence and delivering portraits that really showcase a person’s character or personality. I take great pride in photographing people authentically and I spend at least one hour with each client to get these genuine and beautiful portraits. I always say that a photo shoot is a conversation and I make sure to get to know my client throughout the photoshoot. I love hearing my clients’ stories and journeys. Everyone is unique and your photos should represent your true self. I think we have entered the era of the authentic portrait. No more stiff and generic headshots!

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Let me tap into my visionary mind! Haha! I think we are going more and more toward authenticity and also shared values. We want to connect with people who share common values with us. I think we are also going to take a step back from oversharing and putting everything online. We are going to see more curated images chosen very deliberately, we are going to choose what story we share and what story we keep for ourselves. I see a resurgence of privacy. With social media betting on vulnerability and over-sharing, I think we are going to see more mindfulness in the things we put out there. Which is not a bad thing. Because personal branding is now so mainstream, we need to be intentional in the stories we tell and the images we create. It’s not about hiding, it’s about the intention of sharing our stories. What is our goal? What is our purpose? If this is just for profit, it might not be the right answer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emilieiggiotti.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilieiggiotti/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Emilie.Iggiotti.Photos
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@emilieiggiotti 

Image Credits
Photo of me by Lindsay Mills Photos of my clients: Credit: Emilie Iggiotti