Rising Stars: Meet Olivia Feldman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Olivia Feldman.  

Hi Olivia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started taking photos, funny enough, at a middle school sleepover. My friend’s dad had this amazing canon camera and I literally shot with it the entire night (very trusting of him to let a 7th grader use his professional camera I might add). I asked all my friends to pose in their pajamas and I was hooked. I had always loved art and was a creative child, but I became frustrated when I couldn’t portray exactly what was in my head, so the first time I used that camera I knew this was something I wanted to keep doing. 

Now, my parents definitely didn’t believe me when I said I wanted to pursue photography in middle school, but after enough nagging, they got me my first camera at 16. I think all of my friends were a model for me at one point or another in high school! I adored shooting portraits and rarely ventured into photographing any other subject. I was truly doing it for fun, but then people started asking me to take photos for them and that’s when Olivia Feldman Photography LLC was established. For the last few years of high school, I was photographing mainly seniors and that’s still one of my favorite types of clients to photograph. 

College was right around the corner and although I loved photography, I never considered it as a major or as a career. I had a passion for the sciences (specifical meteorology) and thought that was the route I would take, however, that didn’t last long because I applied to art school 6 months into my freshman year at Western Michigan University. After being accepted into the Gwen Frostic School of Art, I chose to receive my BFA in photography. My four years there were filled with the study of fine art and it threw me out of my comfort zone, to say the least. Honestly, practicing and learning about fine art photography was arduous because I approached my art from an aesthetic perspective. I was only concerned about my photos looking beautiful, not a deeper meaning, but after graduating with my BFA in photography, I am so grateful for the fine art experience I did get while in school because it has aided me in creating work that goes beyond the eye. I have been able to cultivate a deeper connection with my clients and their vision. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Of course, challenges arise every day, but I think that’s what makes being an artist or creative worth it. I would say the biggest challenge I endure is trusting my vision and my ideas while executing them for myself and my clients. Imposter syndrome comes with the creative territory, but pushing through that feeling and being satisfied is something that I constantly am working on. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Along with photography, I am a social media content designer for an advertising agency. That has been an amazing new perspective when it comes to my photo work. Focusing on graphic design has elevated my composition skills and shown me new ways to create an idea that’s in my head. 

Within my LLC, I am a portrait photographer and that is what I am known for. My senior photo season is my busiest and it is also my absolute favorite. 

What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is why I am creating something. I analyze who, what, and why I am photographing something or someone. When it comes down to it, I am busy and that autopilot mode can creep in easily, so slowing down and analyzing those points is always the most important thing to myself and my art practice. 

Pricing:

• $425/hour

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://oliviafeldman.net/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviafeldman_/?hl=en