Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Paris
Hi Erin, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Seeking joy and wonder has made me the photographer I am today. Being born and raised in Hawaii was as beautiful as you can imagine, but it had its difficulties. A number of issues led me on a path of healing and seeking and for me, that meant finding beauty within and learning how to see and create reality. I’ve come to see photography as a unique art form that allows you to do all of that. Through photography, I get to reassess and question things like experience, documentation, beauty, tradition, representation, and even reality itself, which is exciting and beautiful because there’s so much to consider.
In 2008, my daughter was born, which was what first led me to pick up photography. I wanted to document her life. My father is a photographer and award-winning producer in Hawaii, and my mom is a senior wayfinding designer, so a technically creative skill felt natural for me. I took a class at the Rhode Island School of Design in digital photography the summer my daughter was born and got hooked. There was something there that seemed to resonate with my spiritual seeking. When she turned one, I decided to try my hand at weddings; the rest has been history. At first, I shot as a “signature photographer,” but realized that I had some skill gaps in running a business, so I decided to work for other, larger photography companies. Getting married in Hawaii is a big thing for people in Japan, so I found myself working for a few Japanese wedding photography companies and, over the years, shooting over 2,000 weddings.
Questioning reality alongside all of that experience brought me to rethink the process of weddings on a deep level, and I ended up coming up with ideas about non-traditional weddings that I wanted to pursue as a business. Lacking the skills I needed, I came to the mainland to get a degree. Graduating with a 4.0 and getting my degree in design management this past May has been one of the biggest achievements of my life. I developed and refined my non-traditional wedding business ideas during school and am working on a business plan to present to investors.
Despite my success in school, I was questioning my ability as a photographer, bringing me to my other major project: Inner Aperture, a photography mindset platform for people who want to grow through photography. While working through school, I started photographing families and, for a number of reasons, found that I was unhappy with my work. It was a deep dissatisfaction that I needed to overcome. My first thought was to create an affirmation soundtrack for myself to listen to before shoots, but when I realized that something like that could help other photographers, I realized I had to try. No one else seems to be specifically addressing the mental challenges artists like photographers go through. Helping photographers grow through their creative practice has been an exciting new branch of work.
Photography is a gateway to infinite different perspectives in life, and it continues to be a source of wonder for me. I moved to LA because it’s the perfect place to connect with others who feel the same. I’m working on so many things, from pursuing personal photography projects to offering family and commercial photography to developing my non-traditional wedding ideas to Inner Aperture, and I finally feel like I’m somewhere those projects can take off.
Alright, 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?
Overcoming a severe depression was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. My depression started in my late teens and caused me to fail at a lot of things. It impacted my business and it almost cost me my life. However, my soul-searching, therapy sessions, and creative practive have brought me a lot of peace, understanding, and meaning. Sometimes, I look back in awe at how far I’ve come from my darkest days.
Facing the challenges of creating a life I passionately want to live has given me the skills I need to do just that. Learning is growing and growing requires challenge. I hope to inspire others to live lives they are excited to live through my work in photography as well.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Helping people see and feel wonder for their reality is at the core of my work.
Inner Aperture is a photography mindset platform (podcast, workbooks, coaching, and community) that helps photographers connect to their unique vision through positive introspection and connections. Every month we cover a new topic that relates to being a photographer. You can experience each month’s affirmations, questions, and visualizations either through the monthly workbooks, listening to the podcast, or on our community platform (coming soon). Eventually, Inner Aperture will also offer 1 on 1 sessions, group feedback sessions, in-person meet-ups, and more. I’ve learned that engaging with introspective ideas and connecting with other photographers can not only make you a better photographer, but it can also help you find more meaning and joy in life. In my own engagement with the content, it has really helped me and I’ve gotten a lot of great feedback from other photographers as well.
In my non-traditional wedding service, I combine photography with wedding planning by helping couples create a beautiful day that prioritizes their mindset and the artistry of the moment. My goal is to create experiences that evoke a sense of wonder both in the moment and in the images. The traditional wedding process wasn’t designed to be photographed or be awe-inspiring. This causes a lot of stress for couples who want to get great pictures and for photographers who have to struggle with design flaws in the plan. By being a part of the planning process and offering innovative solutions, I can ensure they are in the right frame of mind, the environment will be picturesque, and as a photographer, I have everything I need to make the photos epic. Weddings with me are unique, beautiful, true to the couple, and meaningful.
In my portraiture work, I create lighthearted, natural-light images while prioritizing subjects’ experiences. I mainly work with families and children but am working on expanding to commercial work as well. My current project is painting on prints of my family portraiture in a way that tells their unique story. It’s been fun applying what I’ve been exploring in Inner Aperture to my portraits.
How do you think about happiness?
Doing yoga and studying philosophy has probably been one of the most satisfying and inspiring parts of my journey. It reminds me that there’s always something new to learn and explore both within myself and in the world. I love finding beauty in nature, especially a sunset in a picturesque location. Contemporary art is another fascination of mine. I love how art can represent philosophical ideas. I am also an avid reader and have quite the library! My business really brings me a lot of happiness and most of everything I do somehow ties back in with the services I provide.
Contact Info:
- Website: inneraperture.com / erinparisphoto.com
- Instagram: inneraperture / erinparis.photo / erinparis.hi
Image Credits
All photos by Erin Paris
