Today we’d like to introduce you to Hillary Warren.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up in the mountains in Colorado will always have a special place in my heart. In high school, the only thing I really loved was art. I had no idea the route I wanted to go for college so my photography teacher, Andrew Beckham, who is absolutely incredible and I thank him for his push, said that I should apply for a photography school. I ended up attending college at Brooks Institute of photography where I was formally trained. I knew I wanted to focus my business on photographing people, but eventually decided that photographing families was what made my heart happiest! I started growing my business in Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles, and eventually made my way back to Colorado. The mountains will always have my heart! I would say about 90% of my business is focused on mountain sessions. I really like to photograph families or intimate elopements in places that I have found from my own exploring. I love photographing at places you can’t always identify by the eye. Of course, some places you can like the stunning maroon bells in aspen. Easily hands down one of the most stunning places to have photos taken. The mountains make my heart sing and I don’t think I will ever get tired of enjoying an amazing sunset in the quiet mountains photographing amazing, down to earth people. I truly love what I do so so much.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Definitely not a smooth road whatsoever. After getting out of college, you are just thrown out in the world and have to figure out what to do with all that you’ve learned in a creative field which anyone in a creative field will tell you, is anything but easy. and how to be successful, how to make a living at doing your art is so so difficult. Growing my client base, I think has been the hardest to get to where I have been today. Working for less than what I would like to back in the day to gain clients and produce work that I was proud of has definitely gotten me to where I am today. Countless hours of finding my style in editing as well as providing a unique photography experience for my clients.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I mainly market towards photographing clients in the mountains! I love photographing soon to be families, families, elopements, intimate weddings. I would say that is what I specialize in; mountain sessions for adventurous people. I’d say that’s also what I am known for. Clients hire me to shoot them in picturesque places. I am most proud of being a small business. I am most proud of being an LGBTQ woman-owned business. What sets me apart from other photographers in the area is the experience I strive to give my clients during their session. I want to make them love on each other, play, run, and do crazy things like climb up the side of a rocky hill to get that shot I am envisioning in my mind. I like to make clients leave sessions and think “that was crazy, but so fun.” I don’t want clients leaving my sessions feeling like they were just there and smiled and looked at the camera. I want to make them feel something during their sessions and I make it more about the experience vs. just having your photos taken.
What were you like growing up?
I wish I knew myself when I was younger. Ha! I feel like we would have been best friends. When I was younger, I loved to be dirty. I loved running around with no shoes. I loved traveling with my family, exploring new places, and being with family. Everyone says I was crazy when I was little. A lot of the pictures of myself, I am dressed up in funny outfits making a silly face or doing something weird. And I have to say, that’s pretty much how I am today still! I am absolutely an extrovert and get energy from being around and connecting with other people. I remember always being that way as far back as I can remember.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.hillarykayephotography.com
- Phone: 7207468347
- Email: hillarykayephotography@yahoo.com
- Instagram: Www.instagram.com/hillarykayephotography
- Facebook: Www.facebook.com/hillarykayephotography
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