Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Chalk

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?

“Fail hard and Fail fast” – I heard that recently and I think it is such great advice. Don’t be afraid to try things and be willing to fail. It’s taken me a long time to realise that it’s ok for ideas to fail, I always learn something and it’s the quickest way to move forward.

Where I am today is a product of reacting to my experiences good and bad and being open to new ones. I think that is key to being successful is being able to adapt and grow with the industry. I am always looking for what’s changing in the world around me, questioning how I feel about it, learning as much as I can and considering the influence it will have on my work.

Being open to collaborations from other creatives is a bit part of staying fresh for me. Inspiration can come from anywhere, driving somewhere new, music, or a conversation with someone I find interesting. I love to immerse myself in long-form podcast interviews where highly successful people from all industries tell their stories. Most successful people have had great failures over their lifetimes as well as their successes, it often inspires me to think differently and to keep going when it’s tough.

Growing up I explored every creative outlet I could find from dancing to performing arts, sculpture, printmaking, painting, sketching, photography, and design, but photography was always the constant. At around the age of nine, I was given a little red plastic 35mm camera and I was hooked.

I learn best by observing and doing, so the best education I ever had was assisting other photographers and then organising shoots to try ideas out myself. I started to understand light – that was the key to developing my own unique style.

I’ve travelled all over the world and lived in London for four years where I worked every photography job I could find. Honing my skills professionally and creativity was part of it, but more importantly, I got to experience places and meet people I never would have if I had stayed in Aotearoa (New Zealand).

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

My mind works differently from a lot of other people, and I never realised why. I didn’t do very well at school academically and found it difficult to concentrate. I always felt like there was something I was missing that everyone else just seemed to get. Four years ago, when I was diagnosed with ADHD it all started to make sense.

It was like all the pieces finally fit. I now understand why I think the way I do and I have learnt how to use that to focus and create work that is meaningful to me and my clients.

Children were always a priority, but as any parent will tell you, nothing can prepare you for what it’s like to be one. I chose to let my career take a back seat while our children were small. We assumed we would be a typical family with ups and downs like everyone else. When our second child was around two and a half he was diagnosed with Autism (Takiwātanga).

Acceptance and inclusion were concepts I never really gave much thought; now I think about it every day. In turn, this has shaped how I see and exist in the world and therefore how I create and contribute within it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

I create images that draw the viewer in wanting to know more, usually featuring dramatic light and energy.

A lot of what I am is down to the basics, hard work, striving to do better, being open to new things and always being open to learning. I have a reputation for making people feel comfortable in front of the camera and producing great outcomes under the most challenging conditions.

This year I have homed in on my unique style and I’m now only showing work that aligns with that. I am proud of how I have used adversity and hard times in my life as fuel to create meaningful work.

Ultimately what I’ve learned is life will throw you things you never expected. I keep going, striving to do better and keep creating. When I feel stale, flat and uninspired I’ll make myself take my camera with me somewhere, I’ll go for a drive, or with my family wherever we are going in the weekend, I’ll look for the light and just shoot from instinct – most of the time it leads to inspiration for a new project other times a great shot for my portfolio.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?

I was and still am gregarious and talkative. I enjoy meeting new people and learning about their motivations and journeys to success. I’m fascinated by any opportunity to create with my hands.

Halloween is my favorite day of the year, and I love a themed party. I have created hundreds of costumes and other creations, and I love any chance to dress up! I always include pets in my photos of people because I love animals, especially cats. In my work, I’ve included bearded dragons, cats, dogs, birds, horses, and orangutangs.

Throughout my life, I have been greatly influenced by the sea, dancing, and traveling. My creative need and vivid imagination will always be what motivate me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emilychalk.com
• Instagram: @emilychalkphotographer
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilychalkphotographer/

Image Credits

image credit Photographers photo : Gina Brumby – Evermore Photography

All other photos by me Emily Chalk