Story & Lesson Highlights with Autumn Mahoney of Tulsa

Autumn Mahoney shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Autumn, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A “normal” day in my life rarely looks the same; that is something that really excites me. My workday looks like me juggling photography, photo editing, and illustration. I love that I get to wear different creative hats. The variety of projects is one of my favorite parts of my job. Because my days lack structure, I enjoy grounding myself in my morning and evening routine. I tend to wake up a couple of hours before I dive into creative work. My favorite way to do this is to enjoy a morning cup of coffee, journal to clear my mind, and take my time getting ready. My usual work day starts with admin: responding to emails, organizing my schedule, and planning upcoming projects. I then move into photoshoots if I have them booked for the day, or I edit my own work or clients’ work. Some days I spend it just editing, and some days I do a mix of photoshoots, editing, and illustration work. On occasion, I pose as a model for photographers. Although it is rare, I have dabbled in it more this year and hope to do so more. In the evenings, my favorite way to wind down is with a good film, a bubble bath, or getting lost in a creative project like painting or crocheting. If I am lucky, I get to spend the evening with someone that I love, either catching up or watching a movie together.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello! My name is Autumn Mahoney, and I am a twenty-eight-year-old freelancer based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. My work revolves around portrait and lifestyle photography, blending editorial and candid styles. Along with photography, I offer photo editing services to other photographers who are juggling a large number of clients and could use extra time to focus on their clients and plan future work. I am also an illustrator who specializes in children’s book illustrations and custom commissions for clients. The thing that makes my work feel special is the connection it brings to my clients in different forms. With photoshoots, my goal is to make my clients feel comfortable as though we are hanging out. It helps me to capture the beauty that I genuinely see in them. My editing work is something that I love because it challenges me to adapt to a variety of different styles. My illustration work is the one part of my job that really allows me to get lost in a whole new world. I love getting to use my imagination to practice with both character and background design. Some side projects I am working on are building a website to showcase my portfolio and a Patreon page to help other artists improve their photography and illustration skills. I have about 10 years of experience in both areas, and it excites me to help other artists who are just starting.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
Most of the work that I do is self-taught. When I was a kid, my mom and I would wind down by drawing together, and that’s where my love for art began. The first YouTube videos I watched were of people creating speed paintings. Over time, while watching these videos, I started painting landscapes in Microsoft Paint, then Gimp, then Photoshop, and now Procreate. I was fascinated by how you can bring an idea to life just through your computer screen. For photography, I did take a class in school, but it was mostly trial and error when learning to shoot manually. It helped that the class would critique each other’s work, but I learned more about composition in my class than about how a camera works. Understanding camera settings and lighting took a lot of experimenting and patience. Photo editing skills actually came through illustrating. By illustrating, I learned to select colors that matched my clients’ characters, making them feel more realistic. This same skill is applied to mimicking a photographer’s editing style so their work is cohesive with what their clients expect of me. I have also learned a lot from my friend Emily Steward, a wedding photographer here in Tulsa. She has given me fantastic advice over the years on time management and communicating confidently. Thanks to her, I have improved at handling emails and managing my workflow. Although I will admit time management is still a work in progress (hehe).

Is there something you miss that no one else knows about?
Something that I really miss that people don’t really know about is dance. I started dancing at the age of five and continued until my sophomore year in high school. I took a variety of classes, but I started with the classic dance package of ballet, tap, and jazz. Over the years, my favorite class I took was contemporary. I loved how free-flowing and expressive I felt. Unfortunately, I got into a car accident in 7th grade, which led me to skip a year of dance due to a back injury, followed by a spinal injury that took place at the beginning of my junior year, which really solidified the end of my dance career. Losing this part of my life was really heartbreaking. Even now, I often think about going and signing up for a class. It has been years since my injury, and I do believe it is possible I can do it again; I haven’t yet. Writing this to you may make me feel more accountable to put myself back out there.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The biggest lie that I have noticed in the creative industry is that you have to have a pre-built style or the best equipment before you can share your art online. Your style will naturally evolve the more you make art with what you already have. In the beginning, it is entirely normal to draw inspiration from other artists that you admire. But getting too caught up in creating a feed that looks “perfect” feeds into your imposter syndrome. I believe that your style should grow with you. Art reflects what is going on with you and your journey, and to me, that is what draws in your dream clients and audience. If you want something that looks more cohesive and polished, I recommend putting that energy into building your portfolio on your website.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I am consistently showing up for myself and my goals. I often joke with my therapist that I am like an overbearing parent striving to push myself to be better. It is a blessing and a curse. It is such a wonderful feeling to complete a to-do list and end the evening with a movie or a show while I crochet or paint. Or sharing the evening with friend(s) over a bottle of wine and some yummy dinner. Those moments really help me to feel recharged and excited to wake up and do it all over again.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: autumnleafsss

Image Credits
For the black and white portrait of me the photographer that photographed it is Emily Steward