We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Clare Aaker a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Clare thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I’ve always loved being creative but wasn’t sure how that would translate into a career until college. I knew I felt fulfilled being involved in the creative process, whether it was writing in my English or journalism classes, or creating websites in my web design classes. I had been photographing people and events since high school, and I remember finding a site called Flickr and it showcased professional photographers and their work. I was amazed that people could be paid for doing something I loved doing as a hobby for my family and friends. I knew I wanted to make a living at it once I was a senior in college, but wasn’t sure how to make that happen just yet, so I was happy to have it as a side hustle while I entered the workforce.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a lifestyle photographer, specializing in elopements, intimate weddings, and families. My approach is a mix between fine art & documentary, and I strive for emotional and honest storytelling. All of my clients are nervous to get in front of the camera but want their lives documented. My specialty is making my clients forget the camera is there, and capture their lives just as it was, so that when they look back on their gallery, they recognize themselves. That’s when the photos become real treasures.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There are many rewarding aspects to this kind of job. I meet all kinds of people in many different stages of life, and the curious side of me loves this as I get to see how others live. Second, many of the moments I’m capturing are some of the best days in these people’s lives – marriages, growing families, to name a few. It’s beautiful they want these moments remembered for the rest of their lives and I’m honored to be a core part of that. Another is that I have a very clear end result – a beautiful gallery full of images that tell a story, that didn’t exist before. It’s satisfying sending that gallery off to my clients, knowing their joy and excitement at receiving and seeing these images for the first time.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Social media is a beast and I don’t pretend to have it all figured out. But I did work in social media before going full-time with photography, and my best advice is to be yourself. Figure out how you want to show up, whether it’s showing your face or not, and figure out the top 3 things you want to talk about on your channels consistently. Serve your community before asking them for anything.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.madeiracreative.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeiracreative/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadeiraCreativePhotography