Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Bienek.
Emily, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I have been in a place where art wasn’t a priority of life, where weddings were more about the family and the expectations of the social group rather than the unique expression of the individual. In crafting and shaping both my personal journey in the world and the place of my business in the wedding industry, I’ve really had the chance to cater to the needs of people who are looking to encapsulate their journey, to capture their unique and subtle emotional connections through a visual telling of their story. Coming into the wedding industry from such a non-standard angle meant having a rough time starting out. However, no amount of hardship could have made me give up the dream of working with awesome, in love people to put their love into visual form!
Also, I REALLY love being my own boss!
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I am a photographer who does fine art wedding photography, adventure engagements and elopements, boudoir, and portraits. All of my photography is documentary style, looking for raw, real, uncensored emotion. I’m not about those perfectly posed moments, I’m looking for the images that evoke emotions out of the viewer: those moments that cause us to laugh, to smile, to say “aww” or even to get goosebumps. That is what photography is all about to me, particularly any photography including couples and relationships. I am a perpetual norm-challenger, so with my photography, I also challenge various ideas. Like the idea that boudoir photography has to include too much airbrushing and that it’s done with the goal of satisfying the sexual needs of a partner. Why can a person not do boudoir photography to gain back some confidence for themselves? To reclaim their body after abuse or violations to it? To learn to love themselves again after a major change? Also, in the wedding arena, I work with couples and incentives them to have plastic-free weddings, to find alternatives that aren’t going to cause greater environmental and social harms (like fashion).
What do you know now that you wished you had learned earlier?
Definitely technology changes and a change in social attitudes. For photographers, in particular, there’s a big problem with being de-valued because everyone has a camera of some sort. There’s always someone willing to threaten that they’ll “just have their cousin do the photos” failing to recognize that the value of the artist isn’t in the ability to push the buttons on a camera but in the creating and crafting of the final album, which includes innumerable creative decisions throughout the process. There’s also a market problem where individuals attempt to do photography as a side job, basically selling themselves out for free, and setting expectations at a level that isn’t sustainable for any business.
I think there are many photographers who have the vision, talent and ability to set their own course and to be recognizable, and renowned for their work – the kind of work that a client chooses because of its distinctiveness – but outside of those artists, many fall into the category of offering a service that is always giving the client exactly what they want without any of their own artistic vision or contribution. That is also dangerous for photography in general.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
You can support the work by sharing it and engaging in the conversations around more environmentally friendly ways to have weddings and to live in a greener way. You can also come to me with any ideas or concepts, I love turning social issues into stories, but I need the help of others to make these things happen!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.elusive.photography
- Phone: 5139651264
- Email: emily@elusive.photography
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/elusive_photo
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/elusivephoto
Image Credit:
Emily Bienek, Elusive Photography
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