Rising Stars: Meet Emily Irwin of Ann Arbor, Michigan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Irwin

Hi Emily, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
While I’ve been photographing people for well over 20 years I only started Emmy & Ollie Photography in 2021 when I had to find a flexible career that allowed me to stay home with my oldest, Oliver (yes, that’s where Ollie comes from). I needed the nudge from the universe to tell me that it was OK to finally take the dive into a creative career. I am lucky to have the support of friends & family, but especially my husband who didn’t really bat an eye at me saying I wanted to start a business.

My creativity comes from my constant desire to make the world a better and more beautiful place. While I learned a lot about the art world during my four years at the University of Michigan School of Art & Design, and I don’t regret it one bit, I didn’t learn a whole lot about how to make a living being an artist. That took time, lots of career shifts, and my final realization that it was photography that brought out the best in me. Originally I wanted to be a photojournalist for publications like National Geographic, but I am perfectly happy with my little life, my two amazing kiddos, my wonderful husband, and my thriving family and brand photography business.

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’ve taken a LONG road to get to where I am in my business. As I stated before I originally wanted to be a photojournalist, which was a spark I got from working on my high school yearbook. However I felt defeated as digital photography was becoming more prevalent in the early 2000s so I shifted focus to other forms of art. I was always the photographer of my friend group, but never had the guts to actually start a business. It took me nearly 20 years of trying to find what I wanted to do with the rest of my career life before I finally took the plunge into business.

I started Emmy & Ollie Photography in the fall of 2021 and within the month found out I was pregnant with my second baby. That meant that within the first year of trying to launch a photo business I would have to take a maternity leave. So while trying to learn the ins and outs of owning a business I was also learning the ins and outs of having two kiddos. It was a tough start, but in 2023 my business really started to take off and in 2024 I already surpassed my highest income ever earned (not just in photography, but careers prior to that as well) so I’d say once I was really able to put my head down and get to it, everything started to fall into place.

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?
I am a family and brand photographer with a knack for connecting with people quickly, and helping them feel comfortable in front of the camera. I’m here to capture the true emotions of my subjects, and yes sometimes that includes tears from the little ones. I see photography as a way to freeze this moment in time, and give you the gift of memories that you can hang on your wall and share with friends and family for years to come.

The thing I’m most proud of in photographing people of all ages is that they always tell me how much fun they had during their session. I like to create an experience, rather than a chore of getting your photos taken. Especially when I’m working with families that have young children, I strive to make it fun for not only the kids, but for the parents as well. And I will say, I’m pretty dang good at getting people have a great time.

How do you define success?
Something my grandma always said to me when I felt like I was struggling as a young adult was, “Do you have a roof over your head? Do you have food on the table? Then you’re successful.” She was a product of the Great Depression so she had a very different outlook on how life should be than this 80s baby. She used to make “air sandwiches” with her siblings where they would go through the whole process of making a sandwich with nothing but air, then “eat”, and clean up after themselves.

This perspective gets me through a lot. Any time I don’t feel like I’m successful, I remind myself that I’m living my life, and it’s a great life at that. I have a roof over my head, I’m married to a wonderful guy, have two awesome kiddos, AND I get to be creative in my work! My grandma also was the one who encouraged me always to follow my creative passion. She wasn’t afraid of telling me that art is wonderful and should be pursued. She was a great lady and I really learned a lot about life (and success) from her.

Pricing:

• Mini Sessions start at $250
• Petite Sessions start at $550
• Full Sessions start at $1,000

Contact Info:

• Website: https://emmyolliephoto.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmy.ollie.photo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emmyolliephoto
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/emmyandolliephotography/