Rising Stars: Meet Emily Merrill

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Merrill.

Hi Emily, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was introduced to photography as a teenager while attending art school. Back then in the 90s, darkroom processing and printing shaped my experience with magical moments. I waited and watched the figures of friends and landscapes develop onto paper. Each new print revised my opinion of how much I had learned and how much farther I had to go. Everything has to be so precise, measured and timed perfectly. I immediately fell in love with the entire process, especially the printing of black and white images. I did whatever I could to keep myself in a darkroom even when I didn’t have direct access to one through school.

Learning techniques in the collaborative space of the classroom intensified the pleasures and pains of experimentation and criticism, a real challenge for young artists. I couldn’t yet brush up my skills on youtube (it didn’t exist at that time) in the privacy of my bedroom before sharing my work. I wasn’t living in an environment full of working creatives, so I had to search for the instructors, people, and places to study photography. Acquiring help and information coveted by already accomplished photographers proved to be difficult but not impossible. I soon realized that understanding concepts, composition, and basic lighting is not enough —I needed technical training to succeed as a professional photographer. So I packed up my car and drove to California, landing at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, where I cultivated my craft and connected with other aspiring photographers.

After graduating, I worked in LA before moving to San Francisco to start my photography business, where for the next 16 years I built my own clientele as an independent commercial and portrait photographer, and finally opened my beautiful studio in Sausalito in the midst of Covid. Unfortunately, I had to shut down that dreamy brick and mortar program and switch things up rather quickly. I kept working throughout the crisis and relocated to Santa Barbara without leaving my San Francisco area clientele behind.

That’s how it all began, and that’s how I landed here, within easy striking distance of Los Angeles and San Franciso. By working continuously as an advertising, portrait and lifestyle photographer since 2008, with clients including Amazon, Abbott Pharmaceuticals, Nest Labs (the smart thermostat people), Orbital, Annie’s Organics, and Parent’s Magazine, I’ve managed to grow professionally and artistically while learning the business and seeing the industry continuously change in challenging but exciting ways!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a business, especially one that is rooted in the visual arts, is never an easy path. I launched my business during the “Great Recession” and it was difficult to see so many photographers leaving the industry or listening to the incessant complaints while trying to stay positive and build my own brand. Constantly changing technology and a saturated market were hurdles. You can be an incredible photographer and no one will care if you don’t learn how to market yourself. I’m still learning how to effectively stay on top of marketing and shoot work that is meaningful to me.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My passion is portraiture. The genre is important to me because a well-done portrait has a far-reaching impact that touches all facets of a person’s life. I offer business headshots, lifestyle, and personal portraiture for those who need photographs that truly convey their personality. I love the collaborative, creative, and wonderfully challenging process of photographing people. I split my time between LA and San Francisco. I have a small studio space in downtown Santa Barbara that is perfect for taking headshots and I frequently shoot on location for a variety of clients.

You can find my lifestyle and advertising work at www.emilymerrill.com and I have a website specifically for people who are interested in headshots at www.emilymerrillheadshots.com.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Healthy professional and personal relationships are vital when any crisis hits. It’s interesting to see how those relationships shift when crisis occurs. I had to embrace and befriend many changes. Those changes embody the life I live now which I have come to appreciate and love.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.emilymerrill.com and www.emilymerrillheadshots.com
• Instagram: @emilymerrillphoto and @emheadshots
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilymerrill/

Image Credits
All images taken by Emily Merrill