Story & Lesson Highlights with Delaney Mott of Detroit

We recently had the chance to connect with Delaney Mott and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Delaney , thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
1000% when I’m photographing a session and expressing myself creatively. In college, I juggled so many classes and projects and just the typical stresses in life, but as soon as I stepped into the studio everything else fell away and I was left with pure fulfillment and happiness doing what I am most passionate about. I remember when I was photographing for my undergrad thesis project, I had the best time with my models listening to music, experimenting with clothing, props, and lighting to the point where hours would pass and it felt like the blink of an eye. In those moments, I have never doubted my life’s purpose of creating and making others’ feel loved and confident.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Delaney and I am a photographer. I graduated from Kendall College of Art and Design in 2023 with a BFA in Photography and received the 2023 Excellence Award in Photography. Since then, I lived in Chicago where I worked for a year as an Associate Photographer for a wonderful business and in the last year, I have been living in Michigan working as a virtual marketing consultant and doing freelance photography on the side as well as hosting my Capturing Creativity Podcast. Although photography and creating in general is not my full time job right now, it is my true passion.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I believe that what truly breaks the bond between people is not only hatred, but also a lack of empathy. Likewise, what restores our humanity is not just love, but the ability to empathize. Until we can take the time to genuinely empathize with one another, even when we don’t fully understand, we will remain divided and far from true peace. I try to live by this: do all things with love. Love alone may not fully heal what’s broken, but it reminds us that we are all human and worthy of compassion and the chance to experience this life as fully as possible.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Of course there was, I am only human 🙂

When I was a freshman in college, I had decided to leave the first college I attended after one semester. I knew it was not the place for me to grow creatively in the ways I needed to, so as scary as it was to leave, I decided to get my Associate of Arts degree online while living at home and find the college right for me. I had the goal of attending my dream school after being accepted – School of the Art Institute of Chicago, but even after obtaining college credits and saving money, I still could not afford it. From there, I almost gave up on finishing out my Bachelor’s degree completely even though I was so passionate about going to art school, it did not seem possible for me, mainly due to financial difficulties. However, with the love and support of those around me and the fire in my heart, I decided to make it happen and I attended Kendall College of Art and Design for about my last 2 years of college. This was the best decision I could’ve ever made and even though I had to work insanely hard to not only get to that point, but to also graduate in 4 years, it felt like I was finally where I was meant to be. That was a defining moment in my life where I realized no matter what, I can always make the seemingly impossible, possible.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My friends would say what truly matters to me is connection, love, and creativity. My favorite moments in life are the ones where I am doing one of those things or a combination of them. My biggest joy in life is connecting with people and building relationships, and my creative passions are the catalyst for that. I think that is why I am focused on the wedding industry right now and second shooting experiences, because it is a day for capturing the most love you can imagine in a room and that is the best feeling being able to capture those moments that will be looked back on fondly forever.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What will you regret not doing? 
I’ll regret not fully experiencing life—both the highs and the lows. It’s through overcoming difficulties, like breakups or career setbacks, that I’ve grown the most and thus gained the most. I want to embrace all that life offers, because those experiences are what help me become the best version of myself and truly feel whole. With that being said, I will also regret not exploring all of my passions in life even if they don’t always end in true success, I want to experience it all.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://delaneyelizabethphoto.myportfolio.com/?fbclid=PAZnRzaANQ60dleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp6nVb7_6xFZjE9F9GkBa0_UxHAKzOwQdheATNTULSggqKCmrZrkBEbFtdLEl_aem_FmHGwtTYGy8AICU3kjhlSQ
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delaneyelizabethphotography?igsh=MWhnODRscmtyMHJ4YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Image Credits
Kourtney Paige Photo