We were lucky to catch up with Elena Stanton recently and have shared our conversation below.
Elena, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
Keeping creativity alive and consistent through my life has been a journey. I’ve found a way to put less pressure on myself to constantly be creative in big ways and instead, focusing on the small every day moments you see throughout the day. Noticing the way the light hits a branch on a tree, how the water crashes into rocks, how people talk with their hands. All of these small moments are accessible to me every single day and they keep me feeling creative and inspired by the world around me. I used to think I had to be planning big photoshoots or coming up with wild ideas to inspire me. The small quiet moments have so much in them.
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?
The beautiful thing about photographing weddings is the fast paced nature of the day and getting to slow it down with the moments I capture. The moments between the chaos and the busyness. Moments of someone’s grandmother sitting down and smiling at what’s going around her. Kids dancing everywhere. The laughs and joyful tears that only I notice. I consider myself a wedding photographer but that’s only a part of what I do. I love shooting landscapes and portraits and anything abstract from textures to colors I photograph weddings the same way I photograph anything else. I’m thankful for this gift I’ve been given to see the world in the way that I do.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Really sinking into your surroundings is important. I learned to be present in whatever space I was in. We see sunsets every day but remembering how special every single sunset we get to see is. Notice the colors and how the light interacts with the clouds. Some advice I’d give someone who is early in their journey is to go out every day and just notice things you find beautiful or ugly or special. Even if you don’t have your camera on you. You’ll start seeing the world in a new and important way and that will carry over into your work for the better.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal client is someone who trusts me and is coming to me because they love what I do specifically and how I see the world. It’s a total collaboration between me and the client. If they don’t feel comfortable then it can show in the images. I try to make everyone I work with feel comfortable and not like they have to perform in front of the camera. I capture the candid and natural moments and all of the in between.
Contact Info:
- Website: elenastanton.com
- Instagram: elenastantonn
