Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Donner.
Erin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I discovered my love for photography in graduate school after taking a couple of classes and learning how to use my camera and edit in Photoshop. I was doing mostly video projects at that time, but I knew I wanted to get better at photography. Close to graduation, I met my now-husband Nick and was blown away by the beautiful images he captured of my band at one of our recording sessions.
I made it a mission to learn everything I could from him and quickly became a steady second shooter for Nicholas Donner Photography. We started out attempting to do a skill trade – he would teach me photography and I would teach him violin. Fortunately for me, he was the better teacher and also my soulmate. We went on to get married and run Donner Photos together for the past 10 years. We have traveled the globe and captured irreplaceable memories for hundreds of families and couples.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have always been grateful that Ispend my time working with great clients and my spouse. That said, Nick and I have walked through some challenging seasons doing this work as a couple. Photographing 12+ hour days every weekend and working six to seven days a week became second nature, but it was difficult to balance business, artistry, and our personal lives.
The perception from the outside is that we do relatively glamorous, flexible work. And certainly, on the days when you’re photographing a wedding in Santorini or a sunset family session on the beach, it beats sitting in a cubicle! But the hard part is it all falls on your shoulders. When the pandemic hit and there were no events or weddings or gatherings anymore, we felt that hard. Thankfully we made it through, but it was an incredibly difficult couple of years that really tested our grit.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in portraiture, mostly of families and creatives. My favorite sessions are more like collaborations with clients who have a knack for fashion and want to look like they belong on the cover of a magazine. I love capturing expression and emotion. What sets me apart is my ability to direct my clients well so they feel comfortable and my technical knowhow to get the best lighting and posing.
I still make myself model every so often to stay humble and remind myself how it feels to be on the other side. There’s a lot of trust involved.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Learning directly from a great lead photographer was the fastest way I’ve grown in skill and business acumen, so pursuing an internship or second shooting/assisting position is a great way to grow. Group meetups are great if you can find them. We really enjoyed participating in Creative Mornings and Tuesdays Together for a time as they value community over competition. I have also found a lot of artistic inspiration doing personal projects with friends and taking courses from other great photographers online.
My advice is to keep learning even when you’ve built a good business, and teach at least one other person what you know. Both will keep you inspired over the long run.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.donnerphotos.com
- Instagram: @donnerphotos
