featured: emily corey
next, we'd like to introduce you to emily corey of durham, north carolina. one thing that we've so noticed with emily, since the spring retreat, is her growth in confidence. emily came to us a bit timid and unsure about her photography and she left a different person -- confident that she could and would be a successful portrait and wedding photographer. we can't wait to see where emily's photography journey continues to take her. please take a few minutes to read what emily has to say below and explore her portfolio and blog. she is just so full of heart and soul.
Name: Emily Corey
Business Name: Emily Corey Photography
Location: Durham, NC
Website: www.emilycoreyphoto.com
Blog: www.emilycoreyphoto.com/blog
How many years have you been a photographer?
i have had a camera in my hand for as long as i can remember. i fell in love with photography in the darkroom in college. but my real pursuit began a few years ago when i was given a nikon d80 for my 30th birthday. at the same time, i inherited an old mac computer with a dinosaur version of photoshop...that was when it all really started.
How would you describe your style?
my dad and i once had a conversation about 'the fragility of the moment'. that one conversation impacted me on so many levels. life is so incredibly fragile and delicate.
my goal is to take images that show those moments and how fleeting they can be.
Can you share why you chose to attend the wallflower friends retreat this past spring?
my friend, jess, and i had been on a workshop hunt for quite awhile but nothing felt right. then i saw deb's post about the wallflower retreat. jess and i had long admired both deb and leah's work, so we signed up within two days of the posting. it was meant to be!!
What was your favorite part of the retreat?
it is impossible to pick one part of the workshop because it really was how all of it came together -- the location, deb and leah, their openness, their teaching -- all of it.
but i did *extra* love the first evening. the way deb and leah had us come together that evening shaped the workshop.
Have you (as a photographer) or has your business grown or changed since returning from the retreat? If so, in what ways?
everything has changed...down to the name of my business. i think i would have remained stagnant if it were not for the workshop. the wallflower friends retreat propelled me forward. things started shifting from the second i got back home, all as a result of the workshop. the amazing thing is that my photography and business are STILL being shaped because of the retreat.
What type of photographer do you feel would most benefit from the wallflower friends retreat?
someone who is hoping to fine-tune their business and photography skills. or simply someone who is looking for a creative spark. you should enter the retreat willing to look deeper into yourself and your photographs.
Where do you see your photography going in the next couple years? Did the retreat help shape that vision?
i see myself moving a bit more towards weddings. i also see myself taking my art more seriously. deb and leah helped me step back and appreciate what i am doing a bit more. i left the wallflower retreat with so much more confidence and belief in myself.
Is wallflower friends retreat the best workshop in the universe?
yes. (ok, i made up this question. but still, the answer is yes.)
If you feel you've grown in some specific way because of the retreat, can you please share?
something that has changed a lot since the retreat is that i pay way more attention to detail. i find myself really looking at a scene before i snap.
What inspires you, in general?
relationships -- a child holding her mothers hand, a look between a bride and groom, the connection between people.
i am also greatly inspired by the quirks of childhood. my daughter is my muse and i am inspired everyday by her imagination.
What photographers most inspire you?
i am hugely inspired by polaroid photographers, jen altman, and andrea of hula seventy. i am also inspired by my mother's film work. i have the most incredible collection of childhood photos.
Saturday, August 14, 2010 at 11:14AM
Reader Comments (5)
beautiful interview, beautiful work...beautiful emily! xoxo
it is such a beautiful interview!! great shots...and i love your extra little questions you threw in :) xxoo!
in the whole*wide*universe is right! love you emily!
i love this interview series. what beautiful work here. She is really in touch with what matters to her in photography. The picture with the dog is incredible.
oh this is such a sweet, heartfelt interview.
i love it.. so genuine and lovely