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Conversations with the Inspiring Cristin Spielman

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Cristin Spielman.

Cristin, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started photography in 2011 as a new mom looking for a creative outlet while I worked a rather technical job in community mental health. I had no background in photography but just loved making an image that evoked feeling and chased that experience with all I had. I was fortunate to intern under an amazing photographer for a couple of years starting in 2012, and I learned a ton from her! I’m grateful for the many resources out there that helped me learn— the internet is full of classes and tutorials, and the community of photographers in the area is so kind and willing to share their knowledge and experience.

From the get-go, I was deeply inspired by the work of Jose Villa and Elizabeth Messina and their books, Fine Art Wedding Photography and The Luminous Portrait. From a very early point, I found myself drawn to film photography. Digital is incredibly safe and functional, but there are qualities in film that can’t be recreated easily in digital format. There is more art in shooting film for me, and so it’s something I do to supplement my digital work. I made the decision to begin working in the industry full-time in 2014.

When I went full-time, it was a scary leap. There’s something about having a predictable income, benefits, and paid vacation/sick time that is really enjoyable. I don’t regret the move for a minute, though! I started by taking any job I could find and have tried product photography, headshots, studio photography, and posed newborn photos, as well as what I currently offer (weddings, portraits, and lifestyle newborn photos), but very early on, weddings stood out as my favorite. I love the romance, the flowers, the promises, and the sincerity of the occasion! Marketing towards weddings proved difficult at first, but I’ve found that if I put my head down and give it my all, a happy, satisfied customer is the best marketing I could ever have.

It’s an intense, competitive, and ever-changing industry. I’ve had to learn how to find my style and make something consistent while still being relevant and on top of the current trends. One of my goals is to make timeless images that don’t feel overly trendy. I’ve seen so many older wedding photos throughout my career and have noticed what feels timeless and what feels outdated, and my goal is to create memories that feel as beautiful in fifty years as they do today.

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?
My road into photography wasn’t terribly smooth, but that might be because I took it so slowly. It took me years to go full time and years to realize that just because something is popular doesn’t mean that I need to emulate it in my work. After all, gaucho pants were popular at one point, but that doesn’t mean they ever looked good on me!
I found my greatest struggles came from not being as willing to communicate at the outset with clients and vendors and from not understanding how to run a business. There is much more on the business side of things than there is on the art side of things in photography which I hadn’t realized at first. It’s more than paying income tax and having an LLC, it’s having insurance, permits, paying quarterly sales tax, marketing, advertising, building relationships with other vendors, running social media, and responding to emails while learning to advocate for yourself and your business. When a person tells me that they’re interested in being a photographer, my first piece of advice is to get a solid business background. You can learn art on your own, but the business piece is much harder to learn without support.

What should we know about Cristin Spielman Photography? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a wedding photographer! My trademark is bright, cheerful photos that resemble film photography. I am known for capturing emotive images that strike a cheerful chord for my clients. A lot of fine art photography is incredibly elegant, but doesn’t typically involve a lot of bright, happy colors, or clearly shown emotions, and I try to change that in my images. I don’t want to lose the elegant, timeless aspects of fine artwork, but I want to make people smile, giggle, and have fun with the cheery nature of what I create.

I’ve actually structured bringing joy to my clients to be part of my brand and I made the decision early on that I would be extravagantly kind to the people who trust me with their photos. My clients aren’t just customers, but I regard them as my friends. Their well-being sincerely matters to me, and I strive to be there for them as much as I can, to encourage them, and to lift them up! There is so much that is hard and heavy in life, and my goal is to bring a little sunshine, cheer, and smiles to people with my work.

Do you have a lesson or advice you’d like to share with young women just starting out?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it! Admitting when you don’t know something isn’t a weakness, but an opportunity to learn something. That choice will serve to help you become much more knowledgeable as your career progresses.

I’d also say that it’s completely worth it to invest not just time, but also money into learning from someone whom you admire. Business coaching sessions have been huge for me, and the time and money I’ve spent on them has been worth every penny.

When I was starting my career in photography, I found a group of women who were involved in photography and I acknowledged openly that I didn’t know what I was doing. It gave a lot of wonderful women the chance to mentor me and teach me. Every new thing I’ve learned has made me better at what I do.

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Image Credit:
Natalie Johnson, Elise Taylor, Rachel Lewis

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