Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Chappell.
Emily, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The funny thing is that if you would have told me six years ago I’d be a full-time wedding photographer, I would have thought you were nuts! As a matter of fact, years ago my husband suggested to me that I pick up photography as a creative outlet. He (correctly) imagined that I’d be quite good at it, but I shot that down pretty fast! I guess you could say I was “comfortable” in the field I was in at the time as I was making decent money in a stable 9-5 job.
When I gave birth to our first child (Austyn, who is now five), I learned how to operate a camera while on maternity leave. Like many other mom photographers, I wanted to capture memories of my baby girl as she began growing faster than I could keep up! I found that I had an eye for composition and color and was quickly able to learn how the various settings on a DSLR work together. Needless to say, I fell in love!
Months later, my daughter was in the care of a well-loved nanny and I was back at work. I was still taking photos on the side and falling more in love with photography. I dreamed of one day being able to make photography a full-time pursuit and longed for the ability to be home with my daughter. Less than a year later, our little family moved to another state for my husband’s job transfer. After much discussion, we decided that I would stay home with our infant daughter and, in the meantime, try to make a career out of photography! It was terrifying and thrilling all at once. Truly sink or swim – and boy, did I swim!
The leap of faith proved incredibly fruitful, and I began booking portraits almost immediately. Within months I was shooting my first wedding and soon thereafter I decided to specialize in couples and weddings. Five years, 100+ weddings, and yet another move later, I am shooting 25+ weddings a year and cannot imagine doing anything else!
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?
I would say that the success I found early on is definitely not typical. However, there were definitely some obstacles along the way that helped shape me and my business.
Before I opted to specialize in weddings, I did a brief stint in IPS portraits (in-person sales). I know a ton of photographers who make great money selling tangible product instead of sharing digital downloads. I was burned by a client who failed to read her contract correctly – it was horrible! However, it taught me to not take business too personally and to stick to your guns. It also doesn’t exactly fit my model of business, so I doubt I will ever return to that.
The biggest obstacle was probably moving from South Carolina to Texas in 2015. Although Texas is home for both me and my husband, and it was a huge blessing to be near family again, it was a struggle to have to rebuild everything from the ground up! I was pregnant with our son and still had eight weddings that I had to finish in South Carolina. Managing the travel while 6+ months pregnant was physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging on a whole new level, but we did it!
My maternity leave was timed perfectly in a slower season which allowed me to ramp up my marketing. The toughest part was having to build a reputation in the Dallas area through online and print advertising and SEO. Imagine going from ranking on Page One on Google to not ranking at all! Lots of hustle went into getting my name out there, but I’m so happy to be where I am now!
Please tell us about Emily Chappell Photography.
I am a Dallas-based wedding photographer specializing in light, airy, and joyful wedding photography. Although I am based in the DFW Metroplex and spend most of my time with couples in this area, I travel wherever a good love story might take me!
Couples who work with me love my down-to-earth and relatable style. I am gifted with the ability to make others feel comfortable, valued, and loved while also remaining professional. This is crucial, because weddings (AND the planning that comes with it!) are emotional, high-stress events. Having a wedding photographer who is able to bring a level of light-hearted warmth, calm, and expertise is of huge value! This is where I come in, and nothing fulfills me more than to know that I have created an unforgettable experience for my couples.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Anything involving exploring the trails, fields, and creeks behind the house where I grew up! We used to get so filthy wandering around and playing make-believe, and we didn’t care one bit!
Contact Info:
- Address: 633 West Davis Street #302 Dallas, Texas 75208
- Website: https://www.emilychappellphotography.com
- Phone: 254-733-1069
- Email: emily@emilychappellphotography.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/emilychappellphoto
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/emilychappellphoto
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