Today we’d like to introduce you to Candice Emerson.
Candice, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up with the camera constantly in my face. My Pa was the designated photographer of the family, then it passed down to my Mom. She was always taking videos and pictures of me and my siblings, even to the point of it being annoying at times, to be honest. But because of that, we now have countless “home videos” and priceless pictures of our childhood taped to homemade scrapbooks and I absolutely love looking at them. I was probably about 12 years old when I got my first point and shoot camera, and I said right then that I was going to be a photographer one day. Following my Pa’s and Mom’s footsteps, I brought my camera everywhere and took pictures of everything. I would go in my backyard and take crooked pictures of flowers, raindrops hitting water puddles, and countless sunsets. People would say “you really have an eye for photography!” so my passion to become a professional only grew stronger. I’ve come a long way from those crooked flower pictures, so I’m very thankful for the people who saw potential in me and called it out!
When I was 14, I took all the money in my savings along with what my family had given me as an early Christmas present and stayed up all night in Best Buy’s parking lot on Black Friday so I could buy my first DSLR camera. I felt way more official so I started photographing people instead of flowers and sunsets and fell in love with lifestyle photography. When I was 16, I photographed my first wedding, and afterward decided it was my niche. I had always adored going to weddings, and being the giddy romantic that I am, it seemed perfect to start specializing in shooting weddings in my new growing business.
When I was 21, I was about to get married and had been dreaming of being able to go full time in photography for a while, but I didn’t think I could sustain everything enough to make the jump. After leaving my job to find another one, I applied and applied, hoping to land something so I could help pay the bills after the wedding, but nothing worked out. I tried not to have a panic attack, and day by day, more inquiries started pouring in. It was the busiest year yet in my business, and I really believe it was God’s grace that I didn’t get another job because He saw my heart’s desire to go full time and knew I wouldn’t do it had I been in another “secure” job. I’m so grateful for that season of trusting and seeing my dreams of becoming a professional wedding photographer all unfold!
After my first year of going full time in my business, I attended Imaging USA, which is a photography convention put on by PPA (Professional Photographers of America) every year, and it was so good for me! I walked away with a notebook full of new ideas and goals that I couldn’t wait to start implementing. There were so many classes about the power of printing photographs and serving people well by offering tangible printed products and not just digital files. I had always loved how photography could freeze moments in time and how printing photographs help you relive your memories every day, not to mention how they are priceless heirlooms to be passed down to generations to come. Printed photographs were already so etched into who I was that it only made sense for me to offer tangible prints as a part of my business structure.
I truly believe printing photographs lets you relive your memories, helps create a legacy and preserves history. I find it so liberating when a bride and groom flip through their heirloom wedding album and see their faces light up as they turn each page and relive their favorite day all over again. I personally adore watching my own daughter flip through mine and my husband’s wedding album, as she points to a picture of me and says “mommy dress pretty” (all the feels!). That’s what it’s all about for me. I remember how much I loved looking at all the photos taken before I was even born, and it fills me with so much joy to provide that for my kids, my clients, their children, and for many generations to come.
Has it been a smooth road?
Definitely not. There’s been slow seasons, good seasons, busy seasons, and everything in between. They have all had their own obstacles to hurdle over, but I have learned so much from them. One thing I would say is to not be afraid to ask for help. I thought I could figure out everything on my own because I didn’t want others to know where I really was, or how much I really didn’t know. Invest in education, ask to learn from those who are willing to teach, and don’t try to make it on your own. The community of photographers is such a great one, and I wish I had reached out earlier on in my business for more help. It literally would have saved me years of doing things wrong and striving to make ends meet.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I’m a hybrid photographer, which means I shoot both digital and film and I specialize in weddings and lifestyle photography. I love the thrill of shooting film because you can’t see the photos on the back of the camera like you can digital, so it’s always like Christmas morning when I get my scans back and see how they turned out. I am always pleased with the romantic feel that film gives and love everything about it.
As I mentioned before, tangible printed products are a huge part of my business structure. After most sessions, I meet back with the clients for them to view their images for the first time in person, and there they can pick out their favorites as wall art, albums, or prints. It’s been so rewarding doing my business this way because they are able to show off the photos they have invested in by hanging wall art or ordering an heirloom album, versus only posting a few online, soon to be at the bottom of the newsfeed. It’s definitely not popular to run my business this way, but it’s so rewarding!
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
As a work from home Mom, it’s definitely harder for me to succeed and reach my goals, especially in the timeline I would like to reach them, but I’ve been blessed with tremendous support from my husband and I’m so thankful for it. As for female leadership in general, we have definitely come a long way, but I can still see the stigma of women in the workplace as an issue for some.
Pricing:
- Wedding coverage starts at $3200
- Lifestyle and family sessions range from $500-$700
Contact Info:
- Website: Chopephotography.com
- Phone: 478-414-6298
- Email: Hello@chopephotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/c_hope_photography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chopephotos
Image Credit:
Headshot by: Sidney Middlebrooks Photography
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