Conversations with the Inspiring Ellen Layne Davis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellen Layne Davis.

Ellen Layne, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started using a DSLR camera before I was 12. My family has always been big on traveling and outdoor sports, so that was what the camera was intended for. I was the only one who learned how to use it so I became the designated family photographer. By the time I entered college, I was taking portraits as a side gig to working at a restaurant full time. A month into my sophomore year of college, I was injured in the Route 91 Festival shooting and had to leave my restaurant job. Less than two weeks after the shooting, I started working as an assistant photographer at weddings. The first wedding I shot was that of a family friend, and it was really healing to be in that kind of loving environment after surviving America’s deadliest mass shooting. So, I kept working at weddings until I was good enough to venture out on my own. During my first year of business, I worked in pretty much every niche of photography: family, maternity, event, pets, editorial, grads, boudoir, plus weddings. Towards the end of my first year as a full-time wedding photographer, I started picking up destination and elopement work. I really enjoyed getting to travel and work for diverse clients, even though it can be extremely difficult to maintain a travel-intensive lifestyle. After a year in business, I have formed some really cool relationships with both my clients and other wedding-industry creatives. Now, my business is geared towards planning and photographing destination weddings and elopements. Down the line, I would like to open wedding venues and shared workspaces for creatives.

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?
Learning to set personal and professional boundaries was difficult. Since 80% of my job entails working on my computer at home, it is really easy to work for 10-12 hours a day, every day that I’m not obligated to be somewhere. I would put off running errands or going to the grocery store because I wanted to stay home and get as much work done as possible. As a small business owner, you have a lot of different responsibilities. I don’t just take photos and post them on Instagram; I have to edit entire galleries, build and maintain my website, do all of the accounting, pay bills, market to new clients, scout locations, create itineraries, the list goes on. There is so much back end work that you don’t see because it isn’t glamorous. It wasn’t until the end of my first year of business that I found out about outsourcing. Outsourcing work is essential to the success of any business, so I began hiring people to do certain tasks so that I could have more personal time and focus on the parts of the business that I really have a passion for, which is planning, scouting locations, photographing, and editing.

My advice for young women entrepreneurs would be to have clear business goals, but set boundaries from the start. If you try to do it all, you are going to get burnt out.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I specialize in documentary-style wedding and elopement photography. I have photographed more than 100 couples in six countries and counting. I am known for providing my couples with an unforgettable, stress-free experience. I work with couples who are down to do crazy things for their photos, like jump in the ocean in their wedding attire or bring zoo animals to their wedding reception. I am really proud to work with a diverse range of people from different backgrounds and countries, who value their memories so much that they choose to invest in my art.

Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
Social media is truly an amazing tool if used correctly. I’ve found support groups, educational courses, mentors, associates, vendors, and tons of amazing clients on Instagram and Facebook. I attended several styled shoots before planning my own, which resulted in dozens of vendor connections. The best way to make connections in the wedding industry is to attend events and always trade info with the vendors you admire. Attend styled shoots or workshops that are hosted by photographers or artists that inspire you.

Pricing:

• My photography packages start at $2,200
• My photography + planning packages start at $2,900
• My international packages start at $4,000
• My photo sessions start at $350

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shotbyellen.com/
• Phone: 9512359233
• Email: contact@shotbyellen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shotbyellen/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shotbyellen/

Image Credit:
Ellen Davis, Shot by Ellen Photography

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