Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Montante.
Erin, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was formally trained in architecture and business, but I knew shortly after finishing college in Italy that I did not want to return to the states and work as an architect. I moved to Dallas and started working for a private art dealer in Uptown. That job turned into much more than I had anticipated.
After a few years, I became the director of the gallery and traveled the states – and a bit of Europe – assisting clients in acquiring major works of art. We worked in the secondary market, so we dealt in everything from Picasso to Warhol. It was incredible. I learned so much about the art world and met some very inspiring people along the way. Most importantly, I learned about running a business.
One of the artists we worked with was acclaimed photographer Laura Wilson (mom to actors Luke, Owen & Andrew). Watching her at work on a magazine shoot one day really got me thinking about studying photography. I knew I wanted to have my own business one day, but I did not want the travel schedule of an art dealer. I also wanted to work with children.
After meeting and falling in love with my husband soon after, he encouraged me to follow my dream. I began taking courses and opened my first studio within one year. Here we are a decade later!
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?
For the most part, it has been really great. I genuinely love working with little ones, and creating artwork for my clients’ homes is very gratifying to me. The hardest part has been setting limits for myself and finding that ever elusive work-life balance, especially now that I am a mom to two incredible, little boys…
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Erin Montante Photography – what should we know?
We specialize in fine art portrait photography of children and families. We take the memories captured in session and translate them into beautiful works of art for our clients’ homes.
What sets us apart from many photographers is the way we customize each client’s experience from beginning to end. Before we shoot, we discuss everything from clothing and interests to home decor, and we gather images of our client’s home. This allows us to shoot with those particular spaces in mind. My background in art and architecture has been a great asset in this regard. We show our clients scaled mock-ups of their favorite images hanging in their home before they commit to anything. Once the order is finalized, we oversee each and every step, even down to custom framing and installation.
While I am very proud of the artwork we produce, I am proudest of the client relationships we have cultivated over the last ten years. We are now onto some of our very first families’ third and fourth children. It is a blessing and honor to watch them grow!
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Genuine kindness. We have built our business on referrals only. Our relationships with our families mean the world to us!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.erinmontante.com
- Phone: 214.922.7544
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erinmontantephotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinmontantephotography/
Image Credit:
Paul Johnson Photography
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