We were lucky to catch up with Courtney Earls recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Courtney, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I have been doing photography professionally for about 14 years. I graduated with a degree from the institution formerly known as The Ohio Institute of Photography and Technology. When I was in school, I knew that I wanted to work in the music industry, and commercially, as that passion collided with my passion for photography.
However, they did not prepare me for exactly how hard it was to break into this industry. When I graduated, I worked for a photography studio part time in Wapakoneta, OH, before going off to do freelance work on my own. Here, I primarily focused on capturing weddings, senior photos, and family portraits. Even though this is where most of the money can be made, I wasn’t happy doing the same repetitive shoots over and over again.
I had a regular day job, working as a manager at various retail stores. It’s where I got the money to continue investing in my equipment to make my dreams come true, but this was something I also didn’t want to pursue forever. In 2019, I had an offer move from Ohio to Minnesota to the twin cities. Here is where I was introduced into the EDM community, befriending local DJs- and some DJs who were making a name for themselves. They allowed me to come take live photos for them, as well as promotional photos for their work and gigs.
Unfortunately, due to finances, I had to move back to Ohio in early 2022. In the process, I had a remote tech job which allowed me to stay employed, however, they decided to let me go because I could not come back to office 2 days a week in their new hybrid working model.
Knowing this was coming, I decided to step out into the local scenes in Columbus, OH, to start making a new portfolio and focusing on rebranding myself. I offered free shoots to local DJs in order to get my foot in the door. I happened to get lucky while doing this, and came in contact with the artist ALLEYCVT while she was on her first tour, before she started her rise to fame. Her team ended up hiring me for a couple of shoots, which made other artists start to recognize my work. Now, I’ve been hired by some bigger named/upcoming named artists in the EDM world, such as Tape B, Emorfik, Hostage Situation, Blurrd Vzn, and Memba – and have worked with many others indirectly.
Since I have been working on my portfolio and grinding and taking the risks that I have while not having a stable income, I have since been hired to work at a marketing company called Van Tec to do commercial work like I have always wanted. I have been close to selling off my equipment in order to make ends meet, like keeping a roof over my head and food on the table; but if there is anything else I have learned the last few years is to take the risk! You can do anything that you set your mind to.

Courtney, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I got into this industry because I have a love for music and art. I have always been a creative, drawing and winning awards and scholarships in school because of my artistic abilities. I have even played guitar for 20 years, so all mediums of art were recognized and utilized by myself. I really got into photography when I was in middle school, where I got my first digital camera back in 2005. I knew since I was a freshman in high school that photography was something I wanted to pursue as a career, as I liked to not only capture moments, but become creative with what I was producing. Having an eye for something that not everyone may see, or even consider when taking a photograph.
The services I provide are usually live photos or portrait sessions for artists. I try to capture the production, when it is live, to where someone who wasn’t in the audience can feel as if they were there and capture a feeling. For the creative artist promos, I try to replicate the brand that they are trying to put out to their following, but with my creative twists.
I think what sets me apart from others in the music industry for media, is that I not only love capturing concert moments, but I enjoy the music AND the community that surrounds the music. Knowing the community is important to me, because I can capture moments of fans in the crowd as well. Sometimes, I even get recognized from people in the crowds because my work has been a staple to those who follow the music. A few things that I think set me apart from others in the industry is my knowledge of not only how a camera works, but how lighting works, and how post process flows. I also use filters that most don’t think about adding on, mostly because they either don’t know about them or because they don’t want to carry them all around; but it does leave a staple when it comes to the work given to clients.
I think I am proud of myself in general for getting to where I am. I have learned what works and what doesn’t; who works and who doesn’t; and for me to come from a small farm town in Ohio to making it to big stages with bigger named artists is telling enough in itself.
My brand is complex, but I try to make myself stand out by utilizing lights and tricks that other’s may not know, or not tend to think to use, to set myself apart from the rest. I want all potential clients, followers, and fans to know that I will blow their minds with the work I can produce for them at any given moment.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish that I had gone out to concerts sooner and reached out to artists that way. Social media has helped me, tremendously, to get to where I am today. My advice to others is take the risk! Don’t be afraid to reach out. You will get ignored and told, “no,” a lot of the times, but keep pushing and they will come.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarded aspect to me is simply in the work that I produce. I am always pushing myself to do new things, and when I do that, I always end up with shots that truly “wow” me. I will look at the raw, unedited image on the back of my camera and think, “Dang, I actually did that!”
So when I share the photos and get lots of feedback, it makes me even more proud of my work and pushes me to continue doing everything that I can to create new ideas and be creative.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://curlsphotography.com/
• Instagram: curls_photo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CurlsPhoto
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcearls/

Image Credits

Curls Photography