Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cristin Spielman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cristin, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I learned photography initially through the kindness of others. While I’ve always been a very creative person (I’ve spent most of my free time writing, drawing, painting, making music, or making some sort of art over the years), I’d never had the opportunity to learn the finer aspects of composing photography, controlling my camera, and making impactful art with photos. A friend offered to let me shadow her in her work and taught me many of the finer points of having control over my camera, of how the minutiae of each part of the camera and each decision in composition affects the photos I take.
Personally, I’m a very hands-on learner, and so having the opportunity to make my learning experience just that– an experience– was vital for me to become successful in making amazing images. Hands on opportunities and people trusting me to become their student has given me so much in the way of skill and perspective.
Even following the initial experience of learning, I’ve had so many wonderful people be willing to take time to share their knowledge and perspective with me, which has inspired me to do the same with many others throughout the years that I’ve been in the industry, too.
I’ve had wonderful mentors willing to challenge me with being more creative, finding new perspective, or learning new techniques. I’ve had mentors teach me about how to utilize film, mirrorless
Honestly, the best way to continue growing in photography, but really in any creative field, is to be willing to commit to learning new things, to fine tuning my craft, and to have the humility to know that there is always something fascinating and new to learn.
The initial way that someone learns their craft will always be a different story– something that captivated their creativity and led them to reach for a way to express it. The biggest impact on whether or not that creativity will continue to grow, to flourish, and to develop longevity comes from the commitment on the part of the artist to continue to learn, to challenge themselves, and to be willing to find ways to do what they love in an increasingly better way.

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

I’m a fine art wedding photographer in the Northern Colorado area. I grew up in Longmont, studied developmental psychology at CSU, where I met my husband of 14 years. I took up photography as a new mom about 12 years ago as a way to find a creative outlet and to make some extra money. After shooting a wedding with a friend of mine, I was completely hooked! I love beautiful details, elegant fashion, and sincere emotional moments, and it was a fantastic melding of all of those things together with the added bonus of the ability to creatively tell a story and make art.

Most of the clients that I talk to find themselves nervous about having their photos done. I’m sure we’ve all suffered seeing school photos go wrong over the years! But many of my clients feel that they are awkward in photos and don’t enjoy the process of having their photos taken. I take it as a personal point of pride that my clients often talk about how thrilled they are with their photos, how natural the process was, and how much fun they had throughout the course of their time with me.

Portraits on their own are stressful, and that goes doubly on a wedding day. I’m able to find that balance between direction and organic moments while keeping my clients on a snug timeline without being bossy or fussy and keeping the stress out of the process for my clients.
I take a lot of joy in the ability to connect with clients of all ages, from the tiniest baby to Great Grandpa. I’m able to help them find joy in being in front of the camera and enjoy their photos both during the time I take them, and afterwards!

I”m proud of the fact that I’ve learned to make people feel comfortable, to help them laugh and have fun, and to make sure that reflects in their photos. A great set of photos will be enjoyed by a family for their entire lives. I love being a part of creating that artwork that influences their memories, their aesthetic, and the very appearance of their homes and albums.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I have very rarely talked to a couple who said that they felt comfortable in front of a camera. As a generalization, people feel uncomfortable in front of cameras. My goal in the work that I do is to make my clients feel confident. I strive to make my clients feel connected, have belly laughs, and have a simply wonderful time, all the while that I’m taking photos.
This creates the opportunity to immortalize moments, get people out of their own heads, and let people see them as I see them– at their absolute best!
I want to ensure that I always treat my clients and my fellow industry members with kindness, dignity, and encouragement. Nothing feeds creativity so well as kindness!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

This is a tough one, and it’s been a huge process for me to work though changing. :Bargain pricing gives you a leg-up on the competition”
Let me start by saying I love a good bargain. I’m an avid thrift-shopper and bargain hunter. I can’t remember the last time I got a compliment on something without my response involving “Thanks, it was on sale!” So, that has made this a very difficult so-called lesson to unlearn
Back story– It was my good fortune that I managed to pick up on how to take good photos pretty quickly. That being said, because I was early in my business, I kept pricing super low. For several years, I kept my prices extremely low because I wanted to have the demand for my services and I really didn’t want to charge more. I didn’t want to be seen as greedy, to charge more than I was worth, or to lose out on the demand for my work. There was a time when that was a reasonable approach, but eventually, I ended up having learned enough and having honed my skills enough that the quality of work that I was producing with the extremely low price tag I had attached to it was actually LOSING me business. It reached a point that people looked at my work and thought that if it sounded too good to be true, it probably was, and they didn’t follow up.
A certain quality of work is often attached to a higher price point, and when the skills are there, failing to meet that can actually create far more problems than not. What I’ve found is that if I charge a reasonable price point for what I am able to provide, it gives me the opportunity to do an excellent job.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://cristinspielman.com
• Instagram: @cristinspielman
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/cristin.spielman.photo

Image Credits
Image credit: Cristin Spielman Photography, LLC