Meet The Member - Emily Newell - Evie Grace Photography
Emily Newell - Evie Grace Photography
We caught up with our member Emily to talk about her life as a photographer.
Hello Emily, it’s great having you as part of our community. Tell us about your company name Evie Grace Photography.
Hello! Thank you for having me. I decided to set up my own photography business while pregnant with my second child. I had been working in the industry for 7 years already and after having my daughter, I wanted more quality time with her. I decided to name my business after my daughter, she is Evie Grace. She loves that I named the business after her. Thankfully Jack doesn’t seem to mind.
You’ve recently relocated back to Harpenden after living in Singapore for the last decade. We’d love to hear a bit more about your experience over there.
Yes, that right, it was an amazing experience. I moved out there looking for an exciting adventure just after getting married. It was an incredible place to live, we travelled, met lots of amazing friends, and ate yummy food. Once we had children, we realised how amazing the country was set up for families. We are very glad to be back home, both me and my husband grew up in Harpenden, but we will always miss Singapore.
Would you say that you have a personal style of photography?
I would say, my photographs are full of emotion and connection. It’s about capturing the love between the family.
Tell us a little bit about what people can expect during a photo shoot with you, and how you help a client to feel at ease and comfortable?
I know most of my clients will be a little nervous before the sessions, so I guide them the whole way through. We discuss outfits, what to pack in the bag for the kids, how to get your home ready, location ideas. Then on the day I just go in and chat to them and be myself. One client referred to a shoot with me like, ‘going for a walk and a chat with a friend, at the same time as capturing a few photographs.
What to expect, I try to capture the whole story of a family, whether it's a new-born shoot or extended family. I make sure I have lots of games to play, silly songs to sing. I plan my sessions very carefully beforehand. I love the in-between moments and of course we do capture the ‘must have posed image’ for grannie.
Is there a most memorable moment of your career so far?
Oh, this is a tricky one, I’ve had my photographs printed in newspapers and magazine front covers, won awards of recognition which was amazing and such an incredible achievement. However, I think I’m most proud of myself for following my dreams and setting up my business.
We noticed that you offer a wide range of printed artwork and not just digital files.
During my research, I found most photographers only offer digital files. You do a shoot together and then they send you photographs to download to your computer and that’s where the files will probably sit for a long time.
For me I wanted to offer a more personal service, I know parents and family life is incredibly busy, the to do list is never ending. I know that my busy families might need help producing artwork so they can display their favourite images around the home so their portraits could be enjoyed and seen every day. Not just sit on a hard drive for 5 years. Not everyone knows where best to get photographs printed, that's not just a cheap online print store that will make your beautiful photographs colour fade and spoil. That's where I come in and do everything and deliver the finished art to you.
What would you say to someone who thinks they are camera shy?
I get it, I really do. We all are including me feel uncomfortable in front of a camera. Sadly, in today’s world we are being made to feel like we don’t ‘look good enough’ we need filters and editing and to thin our face. For me, if that is the reason you aren’t capturing photographs that is incredibly sad. We take photographs not just for ourselves but for our children, and their children.
Photographs are pieces of history. What I try to tell my families is that in 10 or 20 years’ time, when your children are looking at the photographs, they aren’t going to care what mummy or daddy look liked. They are going to love the way you are holding their hands, giving them kisses or playing a game with them. These memories only become more important with time.
What locations do you cover?
I work around all of Harpenden, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and into London as well. I travel to most of my clients’ homes for new-born and family sessions. Or we find a beautiful location in the countryside for an outdoor session.
I’m often travelling down to Cornwall as we have a little family cottage there, so if anyone ever wants to meet at the beach just let me know.
What do you like most about living in Harpenden and do you have any favourite areas?
We love living back in Harpenden, it all feels so familiar (having lived here 20ish years growing up) but there is always something new to do, a new cafe or farm to visit. It feels so lovely to now be showing my own children wear mummy went to school, and where daddy learnt to ride a bike. I think we are enjoying the seasons the most, the pumpkin picking, going to the farm in lambing season, and fireworks night. These are the events we didn’t get living in Singapore, so they feel very exciting.