Rising Stars: Meet Emma Vurdien

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Vurdien.

Hi Emma, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always had a love for digital art and music. It seemed almost natural that for most of my life up to now, I’ve developed hobbies combining the two interests. Seeing where I have arrived now with my work, I feel it’s most definitely important to highlight where it actually started.

When I was in my sophomore year of high school, I became highly interested in the world of Korean pop music or kpop, as it’s widely known as. During this time, social media sites were becoming quite prevalent amongst my generation. I began using online platforms like Vine and YouTube to create various video content in the kpop fan community, which garnered millions in views over the years. Throughout this experience, I came to realize I love creating and sharing content of singers that other people would find enjoyable.

When I started attending concerts in my college years, I was absolutely in awe of the environment and production quality of these events. I became obsessed with capturing and creating memories of my time spent at concerts. These were experiences that I wanted to share with many people. In the beginning, I focused heavily on phone photography because it was the easiest way for me to freeze in time what I was seeing through my own eyes. Friends and online folks often commented on my photos mentioning how my content made them feel they were at the concert themselves. This took me back to why I initially shared this kind of content. I’ve always truly wanted people to feel happy by how I capture their favorite people in positive and memorable moments.

It wasn’t until I stumbled upon the works of Deanie Chen and Elaine Tantra that I discovered what “music photography” was. As I began to attend more concerts, I started bringing along a small Canon point-and-shoot to better capture what I wanted to share with others. I did this again and again at various concerts- venues ranging from small clubs to stadiums. Each time, I understood music and concert photography differently than how I had before. As I shared my photos online, I became acquainted with other photographers who kindly shared their wisdom and invited me into their circles. These connections have luckily landed me opportunities shooting both up-and-coming indie groups and well-established kpop artists.

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?
The road definitely has its bumps and rough patches. I think a huge thing I find myself dealing with at times is imposter syndrome and general doubt in my creative abilities.

For the longest time, I couldn’t understand that I am just as worthy of being a music photographer as anyone else. I often thought to myself, “Why should I be in this space when there are others far more qualified?” It’s easy to believe there’s no point to your craft when the field is so heavily saturated with incredible talent. This couldn’t be further from the truth. There is always a reason for why you’re doing what you’re doing and it definitely matters. I think as artists and creatives, we all have different perspectives and interpretations to share. I’ve come to the conclusion that my work needs to be shared because I am the only one responsible for painting my vision for others to understand. There will always be someone who is grateful you shared your work.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I work in the concert photography space. The main genre that I cover is kpop. Alongside kpop, I shoot indie artists as well. I believe my history in content creation and in the online fan community gives me a unique perspective when I approach concert photography. My goal is always to create photos that fans will love and cherish. Before I attend any show or event, I take time to learn the artists and fan base. It’s important for me to capture each singer’s essence accurately and positively in a way that will evoke happiness and bring fans back to the moment.

Also, I feel being photographed can be a very sensitive act in general, so I always want to be respectful to the artists that allow me in their space. It’s crucial that I create work that is in line with their image and shows them in a beautiful light.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
It’s difficult to pick out a favorite childhood memory because my mind has trouble landing on just one! One that comes to mind is when I was given my first iPod as a Christmas gift in middle school. iPods are obsolete nowadays due to the excessive amount of devices that can stream music now as well as perform other tasks. Back then, I felt having that iPod was instrumental in developing my love and appreciation for music. I often emailed back and forth with my cousin in the UK about different rock and alternative bands. He would often send me songs to download to my iPod. I found it quite enjoyable to collect songs from my family and friends because it allowed me a look into their taste and interests.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emmafayev.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/emmafayev
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evurdien

Image Credits
Emma Vurdien (Emma Faye V)