Rising Stars: Meet Heather L’Huillier

Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather L’Huillier. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My interest in photography started in Middle School. I was chosen for the People-to-People Student Ambassador Program to travel to Wyoming for an educational trip. During the trip, we attended various educational activities, toured and hiked through the state parks, and had the chance to meet local leaders and dignitaries. This was my first time traveling without my family and I was an even mix of scared and thrilled to be on my own adventure. Everything was so vast; I wanted to capture every ounce of beauty I saw as if I could take the mountains home with me. It didn’t take long to use up the disposable camera I was given by my parents. I remember another girl on the trip had a digital camera and I was transfixed by this technology that was new to me at the time. She was nice enough to let me play around with it, and I was hooked from there. After returning from the trip, photography was all I could talk and think about. I begged my parents for a digital camera of my own and much to my delight, they saw a budding passion growing within me and gave in. 

When High School came around, I was already known as the girl with the camera around her neck. I was so interested in human emotions and trying to capture that emotion through a photograph- what better place to find inspiration than the halls of my rural high school!? Before too long, I was asked to be the Photo Editor for the school newspaper. Having this student role empowered me to take action on my dream of becoming a photographer. Over the summer, I began entering photos into the Jackson County Fair and small photo competitions throughout my community. Eventually, the positive feedback led to me taking senior and family photos for close friends and family members. After a while, I decided I wanted to start using my passion as a supplemental income to get me through my college years. That was when I decided to create my photography and design company, Mitten Media. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like everything else in life, there will always be bumps in the road. I do my best to overcome all obstacles that come my way and think of them as learning lessons that propel me forward. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m the type of person who enjoys many different creative outlets. My passions range from photography to graphic design and digital illustration. My vision for Mitten Media is to have one platform where I can create, sell, and promote all I enjoy. I love that I’ve cultivated a space to make what I’m feeling on any given day- it’s freeing. 

What does success mean to you?
I think everyone has their own definition of success. For myself, success is creating happiness in my day to day. I enjoy having the freedom and flexibility in my life to make time for my passions. Breaking free of mundane routines, I’ve been able to balance doing what I love and establishing a career. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mittenmedia.us
• Instagram: mittenmedia
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MittenMedia.us 

Image Credits
@DerekMatteson
@MittenMedia