Life & Work with Madelyne Gilbert of Canton, MI

Today we’d like to introduce you to Madelyne Gilbert.

Hi Madelyne, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have always been a creative person, even when I was younger. I come from a crafty family, where my mother is a seamstress and my father builds tractors. I was always taking photos on disposables and cheap digital Vivitar and Canon cameras. I began to discover a talent for it over the years, when I was gifted my first Canon Rebel T6. I proceeded to take every photography class in high school (there were 6 of them). Looking back, it makes sense that I became a portrait artist, as I only drew faces and bodies in my sketchbooks. I just love photographing people, it’s so mesmerizing to me. Now, I’m roughly 5 years into this journey.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Photography has always been my biggest thrill, but also my biggest stress. From the beginning, I’ve always wanted to live off my photography as a full-time career. With a very specific niche and oversaturation in the state, it’s quite difficult to build a clientele that is consistent. I made the tough decision to skip college and go straight to work, even though a business degree may be quite helpful at the moment. While full-time is still the ultimate dream, I want to redirect my efforts to focus on creating, instead of monetizing my work.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
In a nutshell, I’m a portrait artist. I simply take photos of people at their best. I love working with confident people that can bring one of my conceptual photo ideas to life. Usually, these conceptual ideas are either a certain style, or focus on a personal feeling I want to create visually. I love working with other creatives, especially makeup artists. I love working with women that want to feel like their most beautiful selves, in a boudoir session. I love working in independent wrestling, where I capture all kinds of wrestling characters, in and out of the ring.

I am proud of any set where I see technical improvement in my process. I have made revelations about lighting, discovered a beautiful Lightroom edit, or impressed myself on accident.

I always try to lead with my heart. I try to leave my ego at the door. At the end of the day, I will always be a student of the game. I’ve been pursuing my passion for so long, but I don’t quite feel like a professional. I’m just a good friend that wants to make beautiful art with you.

What’s next?
With the rest of 2025 completely open for now, I want to create without restrictions. I want to make art, even if I’m not paid to do so. I want to create for myself, instead of seeking for my “5 seconds of fame.”

I will still be taking paid work as long as I live. I will still be a vendor at craft shows and a sponsor at events. Not much will change, other than some rearranging of priorities. I just want to support my fellow people, however I am able.

Pricing:

• Single Session $100
• Duo Session $150
• Weddings $500

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gil-media.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gil_media_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madelyne.gilbert/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/gil.media

Image Credits
Justin Allen