Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Wright.
Elizabeth, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
“How did I get here,” is often a question I ask myself. I think, for me, it was the culmination of spontaneity, a lot of perseverance, and chance. There was never an “a-ha!” moment for me. I bought an entry level camera on a Black Friday sale back in college. I had been working three jobs to put myself through school, and it was probably money I should have spent on food that wasn’t ramen, or textbooks, but I felt like I needed to buy that camera, and now I’m glad I did.
When I was finishing up my last semester of undergrad, I was getting these acceptance letters to grad school. The plan was to get my masters and then go to law school. Things kind of fell apart with the guy I had been dating; naturally with it, our plans to ditch The Mitten and study in some new place dissolved with it, and I suddenly felt a release. I knew it was maybe the only opportunity I would have to pursue my real dream and use my creative energy. If it didn’t work out, I could always go back and get my master’s degree, so I took a leap against the urgent pleas, or rather, demands, of my friends and family. There were very few people in my life that encouraged me or even entertained the idea of believing in me. And I don’t know that I really believed in myself either, but I knew that I didn’t like being told what to do, and I didn’t like the idea of aging away my life at a nine to five. I packed up my belongings, shipped out to Los Angeles, and moved in with someone I hardly knew, and had just started seeing.
Fast forward a few years, and my son was born. I was battling postpartum depression pretty heavily, and I needed an outlet, something for myself. That’s when my husband (yeah, that stranger I moved in with) encouraged me to dust off the ol’ DSLR. There was no pressure, I was just having fun documenting the growth of this new life that MY life suddenly revolved around, taking pictures of him in these pricey handmade baby clothes that we really couldn’t afford. It caught the attention of some shop owners who then invited me to create ad photos for them – in the world of baby fashion, we call it brand repping. Shortly after, I volunteered to photograph a family member’s wedding for $150, and it was such a rush! I thought, “hey, I could make a living off’a this photo thing,” and so, I did.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I keep thinking the pavement is gonna roll flat one of these days, but I guess all of my heavy driving is creating these beautiful potholes. I figure it’s just part of the process. If it’s easy, you’re probably not pushing yourself, and I don’t want to be comfortable. When things get too quiet, that’s when I start to worry. If I could count the number of times my car has been towed in the same week my water has been shut off, or I’ve gotten some surprise bill that just tosses any ease out the window, man, I would be here all day.
One noteworthy occurrence was really making the leap from my career in law. I was always told that I should have a stable career that was profitable, so of course, I went to college, and I moved out to Los Angeles to practice law. But I hated sitting in a tiny office filing paperwork all day – I wanted to be around people and be able to at least look out a window. I became so sick, like physically sick. My stress and anxiety began to physically manifest and I couldn’t handle it anymore. I ended up going to an outpatient facility for mental health, and it was the best thing I could have done for myself. I truly believe I wouldn’t be alive if I hadn’t left the law firm and pursued anything else.
Ellie V Design – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I create visual stories for families. I love working with kids, and I think that really shows in my work. I get the occasional maternity or birth gig, but I could just shoot kids all day and I’m totally in my element. Los Angeles is a big place. I mean, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting ten photographers. I think what sets me apart from them is that I really have a heart for it, and I’m not just gonna see you one time and hand you a pile of digital. I’m going to sit down with you and get to know your family, and I really want to know who you are. It helps me create that story. If that means I have half as many clients as the next photographer, then I’m cool with that, because I think the experience is what keeps clients coming back, and it’s what feeds my soul as a creative. Without that, you’re just another Joe with a camera.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Oh man, I don’t even know. I’m really that person who struggles to be proud of themselves. I am my own toughest critic for sure. If you’ve got something bad to say about me, I’ve probably already said it to myself, and that can sometimes hold me back, but I think it also keeps me humble. I guess maybe looking forward to my son being proud of me one day for never giving up is something that I cherish. Or being able to follow through on something, despite even most of my family not believing in me, telling me to stay in Michigan and get a real job. And I know that’s not a proud moment of my career per se, but that’s what I’ve got.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ellievdesign.com
- Phone: 424-345-5412
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ellievdesign
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ellievdesign
Image Credit:
Ellie V Design
Chloe Darling Portrait
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