We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Anna-louise Cecil. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Anna-Louise below.

Anna-Louise, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

Through the overconsumption of trends through algorithmic social media targeting, a concern I have always had with the wedding industry in particular is the pressure on photographers to “keep up” with fast turn-around times and overly shot content catered to a social media presence. The pressure to capture every detail and orchestrate every moment has overshadowed and removed the comfortability for clients to exist in their wedding day without astronomical stresses of a strict timeline and hyperawareness of what photographically is being captured and when.

I have noticed as a result of these pressures, there are a wave of photographers that have been able to differentiate from these trends and highlight their individualistic artistry through a documentary storytelling form of photography. This style is achieved through slower mediums and processes of film cameras and selective artistic choices that curate the feelings and experiences of the day in the composition of the photographs. This type of photographic style can only be done through the amount of trust the clients are willing to have in their photographers and their established work.

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

My name is Anna-Louise Cecil. I am an east coast film and portrait photographer. I was born and raised in Richmond, VA and I studied photography and digital media for four years at EMU in Harrisonburg, VA.

Since I can remember, I have had a creative mind and passion for the arts. For the majority of my life I believed my purpose was to pursue Studio Art, and found myself devoted to the study. Instead, I found myself growing more and more interested for the visual communication and composition through the very fine art that shines through photography. Now that I have invested years into practicing and developing this craft, I have learned to utilize these perspectives and create stylized editing and composition that stems from my Studio Art background. I have come to believe in capturing the essence of your selves in your most authentic representation by composing each photograph as an art in itself. Real photos that represent real moments and milestones, because people are such a beautiful thing.

I am exceptionally proud of the diverse portfolio of projects I have had the privilege to be a part of in 2024 and upcoming in 2025. Ranging from unique weddings, editorials, workshops, and working with brands, musicians, and artists. I look forward to any opportunity to collaborate alongside other creatives to make a particular vision come to life. I thrive most when I can utilize my skillset to help curate magic for others.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My purpose in remaining in this ever-changing and sometimes overly demanding photography world is to build relationships with those who consider themselves to be ‘a creative’ and are ready to present themselves to the world in an artistic and stylistic way with my help. My goal is to be a refreshing light for those who want the best parts of themselves captured and curated in a much bigger picture; whether that includes the love of your life, your music, your brand, or your art. I want to be the resource in the making of these milestones timeless.

Whatever your story is, let me help you tell it.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Recently I have learned the art of selection and boundaries. This September, in the midst of a very busy season, I made the difficult choice to take on a part time job on top of my already booked schedule. This choice would seem counter-intuitive to others in this field, as I have had to take a major step back from my personal business.

However, this transition has provided much needed structure, and a small form of steady income that was necessary for me to secure a cushion with my time. Because I no longer needed to take every opportunity that was presented to me to maintain a full-time small business alone (which at one point resulted in burn-out and resentment) I felt secure enough to hand-select the projects I wanted to take on with clients that better aligned with my mission. The growing pains that came with compartmentalizing and time-managing two different jobs quickly subsided as I chose quality over quantity with my personal business. I have never felt better about my relationships with my clients and the upcoming projects going into 2025, because I have the creative energy to really give to those I am working with.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://annalouisececil.com
• Instagram: @annalouisececil
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annalouisececil