Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emily Wiitanen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Emily, thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.
My parents! They have taught me everything that I have ever needed to know & I’ve witnessed them always lending a helping hand, being team players & helping out in any way possible. It’s inspired me to do the best & the most that I can for others.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m Emily! I am a couples & wedding photographer based in Marquette, Michigan. It’s taken me a long time to really niche down to what I truly enjoy documenting but couples & weddings are where I flourish I feel! I love documenting the love between two people.
My tag line is “using personal experiences & connections to recognize the milestone moments while also prioritizing the mundane” which really resonates with me because I strive for a relationship with my couples & I want to document all of their milestones but I also want them to remember the day-to-day memories that they can flip through a photo album.
I’m also currently booking for 2024 weddings so I’m really stoked about that!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1. Confidence – it takes a long time to gain confidence in your art but what really helped me was knowing that no one offers the same client experience as me! That’s your super power – no one offers the same experience as you!
2. Perseverance – there were so many times that I wanted to quit when I first started because I compared myself constantly to other artist but what’s important to keep in mind is that we are all growing, we all started somewhere & we can’t grow further into our art if we quit!
3. Community – I believe that it’s important to surround yourself with individuals that have an interest in the same craft as you because it creates a sense of community. When I first started in photography, I didn’t have anyone to ask questions to & so I felt very alone & I do not want that for others. I try to be open to all photography creatives & to be there for them to ask questions too because I know how it feels to not have anyone to ask.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
My ideal client is a couple who enjoys going to a small town coffee shop or a local brewery or winery for a date & is not afraid to shout their love for each other from the rooftops! A couple that is sentimental, confident, & loves to adventure & try new things.
Contact Info:
- Website: emilydianephotography.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/emilydiane.photo
