Life & Work with Rachel Evelyn

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Evelyn.

Hi Rachel, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Rachel, and I am the owner and photographer behind Rachel Evelyn Photography. While I’ve been in business now for 13 years, my love and passion for photography started at a young age. Whether we were on a family vacation, celebrating a milestone, or just spending a Saturday at home, my dad always had a camera out, documenting our memories.

While I might not have truly appreciated the scope of what he was providing us with until later in life, I attribute a lot of my desire to freeze a moment in time to him doing the same. When I got a camera of my own, an entire world opened up for me. I have always struggled with fully expressing myself with words, and photography not only helped improve those skills, but it became my translator – allowing me to capture the feeling of a moment and share it with others, so they could better understand me as well.

I became driven to become a National Geographic photographer, enthralled by the idea that my pictures could someday provide others with the same excitement and inspiration that I found when flipping through their magazine. After taking a class in high school and learning how to shoot manually and develop film in a dark room, all I knew was that I wanted to learn as much as I could.

I received my degree in Art and Photography in 2011 and started what is now known as Rachel Evelyn Photography.  For the next 12 years, I would work full-time jobs in customer service, taking pictures on weeknights and weekends, editing on lunch breaks, and slowly building my brand while fine-tuning my skills.

My amazing clients come from all walks of life, but have one major thing in common with me – they want the “frameables” as I like to call them, but they really come to me for their in-between moments, those that are full of real and raw emotion. Whoever they might be and wherever they are in their story, my hope is and always has been that they might see themselves through my lens, because I see them as unique, powerful, beautiful, and exactly who this world needs them to be.

My boyfriend, Aron, constantly reminds me of the same. He reminds me that I have a gift and that he loves being able to see the world through my eyes. What I’m able to capture in a fraction of a second while my shutter is open provides people with a tangible opportunity to see the best in themselves.

It doesn’t take away from the hurdles and struggles they’ve been through in their life but allows them to see their strength and resilience from fighting those battles and coming out better on the other side. I’m so grateful to be seen by him in this way and I sincerely hope that every single person I photograph feels seen as well.

In May of 2023, Aron and I quit our safe corporate jobs and embarked on the journey of going full-time with Rachel Evelyn Photography. For so long, I was only able to put what little energy I had left after working a full-time job into my company.

Now, once again, I’ve had an entire world open up for me. I’m able to live my entire life as a photographer now, and, while I might not be a National Geographic photographer, I am exactly who and where I’m supposed to be, and I like to think that the younger version of me would be proud. It’s been a long road getting here, but I’m so grateful for the clients who have supported me in this journey, and for those who continue to trust me to capture their milestones and memories.

Alright, 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 overall it has been a smooth road, as I feel truly blessed to have a natural gift. I have had the opportunity to pursue an education in what I’m passionate about and learn from those who paved the way before me. The road has not been without challenges and hard work – over a decade of working two full-time jobs definitely took a toll and challenged me in many different ways.

However, the biggest hurdle I have and always will have to overcome is myself. I am my biggest critic, and set a very high standard for myself – something I am proud of, but it can be counterproductive and self-destructive at times. I’m learning to find the balance in between so I can be the best version of myself and inspire others to do the same.

I’m so grateful to have Aron by my side – he encourages me on a daily basis in ways I have never experienced before. He pushes me to believe in myself and reminds me that what I have to offer the world is powerful and unique. He makes me feel seen and inspires me to provide my clients with the feeling of being seen through my photographs.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Rachel Evelyn Photography has something to offer everyone! Family pictures, senior portraits, engagements, weddings, anniversaries, pets and more. We also love working with small businesses, bringing their vision to life through branding sessions, as well as showcasing products and clothing items for use online.

I would describe my style as a mix between tradition and lifestyle, one that combines the posed “frameable” with candid “in-between” shots full of raw emotion. My photos are vibrant and artistic with matte undertones.

Wherever someone is in their story, it is my absolute pleasure to get to know them and provide them with images that showcase their personality and true emotions, something that they can cherish forever. I know I will forever cherish the intimate moments they were willing to share with me, and it means so much to me to be a part of their story.

What were you like growing up?
I grew up riding four-wheelers, fishing, making “magic potions” with things found in the woods behind our house, and spending time with friends and family around bonfires… Being tall all my life (I’m 6’2″), I played a lot of sports and really grew to love the satisfaction of seeing results after putting in a lot of hard work, even if things didn’t always go the way I wanted them to.

I loved being active and being a part of a team of people who were like-minded and working towards the same goal. I have always been very stubborn and have always learned best by experiencing things for myself, which usually meant learning things the hard way. Sarcasm is a second language and I’m always up for a good dad-joke!

Pricing:

• Sessions: $200+
• Weddings: $2000-$3000
• Small Businesses: $200+

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rachelevelynphotography.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelevelynphotography
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/rachelevelyn.photo
• TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@.rough.around.the.hedges

Image Credits
Brianna Miling Photography