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

Rachelle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

When I was 17 I first learned how to shoot on film and develop in a dark room. However, it wasn’t until I was a young adult (in 2008) that I took the freelancer plunge. My husband purchased a Nikon D5000 for me. From there I started photographing friends and family for a small fee.

In 2008 YouTube and social media weren’t as prominent. I relied heavily on my own instincts with the occasional editing help from my younger sister.

Honestly I’m not sure I would had done anything differently back then. In 2016 when we moved to Cleveland, my photography took a backseat while I focused on my studies at CSU. When I graduated in 2020 I felt behind in photography trends, skills and upgraded equipment. I wish i had delved deeper into my craft more during my college career because now I feel like I’m still playing catch up. Logically I know there’s no one size fits all timeline. Comparatively I’m definitely not a trendy photographer. I always try to remain steadfast in feeling tied to my roots but loosening those reigns a bit to learn even more, is my ultimate goal.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a freelance social media manager and freelance photographer with a bachelors degree in marketing & organizational leadership . My background is centered around social media, content creation, and photography.

I used to focus more on family portraiture however I now focus more on product photography. My love for photographing people will always be prevalent.

I have a 21 month daughter of whom I love to photograph. My perspective has shifted greatly since I’ve become a mother. I view subjects through more of a love filled, light vs. darkness lens. Motherhood is an incredibly journey and the highs are high but the lows are low. Neither are bad, more so they’re both life lessons awaiting to be learned.

I also have a passion for photographing food. Currently I’m documenting my husbands journey into sourdough making and fermented foods.

My interests run the gamut and I pour my heart into any project I’m working on.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Unity & storytelling are my driving forces. Often times humanity can feel so disconnected. Photography helps to bridge communication gaps through beautiful images that tell a story. They transport you elsewhere and each image is open for interpretation. The profundity (or at times simplicity) of photography is what catapults me forward.

My daughter is always top of mind for me, so when I create anything I have her in mind.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

That because “anyone can do it” it must not be “hard”. There’s a myriad of aspects to a creative endeavor that have to be taken into consideration. Photography and social media management are both so much more than beautiful images and curated feeds. A lot of my working time is spent behind a screen where I edit, post, keep in touch with contacts and replies, insight tracking, keeping up with trends, maintaining equipment, the business side from taxes to insurance. It’s a nuanced business that can often be brushed off as a surface level job when in fact it’s multifaceted and full of challenges.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rachelledavinamiller.wixsite.com/website
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/rachelleintheland?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachellemillerphotography?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Other: https://rachellemillerphotography.mypixieset.com/?mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Image Credits
All images are my own