We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ella Walker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ella below.
Ella, appreciate you joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
Work ethic. If there’s anything I was taught growing up it was building a work ethic that I could support myself in. From a very young age my mom would say I had it instilled in me to be an entrepreneur. I remember playing “office” with my siblings or even pretending that I owned a store. I just knew I wanted to run my own business and follow my dreams.
I’m one of 9 in my family so you could say growing up everything ran up pretty tight financially. My mom went back to school when she was 50 to become a nurse and my dad had several jobs to support our family. One of the inspirationally moments I’ve had with my parents is knowing they always made it happen. No matter what! You just knew they made it work with what they had. I think majority of that was built on faith, however I think theres power in knowing you really can make it happen with what you have and putting it out there. My mom has been the most influential in the sense of being able to do anything at any age and going after it. She did it all and then some! Even though as our family made sacrifices when she went back to school I was given the gift of being able to support her and pinning her at her graduation ceremony I still remember the words from her “I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you.” There was struggle of course with anything and having the opportunity to grow up at a young age there was beauty in it and now I have my parents to thank for the drive and ambition to good. I’ve had a job since I was 14 and from there I truly have learned the meaning of how to be a harder worker, showing up and doing my best. I’ve played many roles in all the jobs I’ve had I would say I love to have my hands in all kinds of trades. From the service industry, weddings, florals and now a photographer I really do believe putting yourself out there and choosing real world experience has helped become who I am today. I love the hustle and the rewards that come with it.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Where to begin… Well, I’m a born and raised midwest chicken living in Colorado. I recently (about a year ago) took the chance of moving out here in starting my business as a branding & wedding photographer. If anyone knows about moving to different places its hard and lonely, however so much growth comes from it granted I have some family out here who has supported and been huge parts in my journey of it all. I’ve had the best opportunities of meeting all my clients and traveling to different areas capturing life and love. Where did I even begin with documenting life, love and everything for a living? I really didn’t think anything of it when I started from a young age with alway putting on “photo shoots” (I watched a lot of America’s Next Top Model shout out Tyra Banks) and I would create outfits for my sisters and then take pictures of them on my family’s Canon point and shoot camera. Growing up I would take a camera with me everywhere feeling like I needed to document everything! I got my first camera gifted from my uncle when capturing candid moments of my cousin’s wedding. He said I had a gift and then from there I ran with it. I had always treated it as a side hustle and not thinking much of it. I went to school for a year and felt like it wasn’t for me, I worked under a mother daughter team as a wedding planner and florist who mentored me in getting into the wedding industry, along with working under a small local business who gave me an opportunity as a manager role and inspired me to pursue my dream. I took it from there and started to photograph more often! My first wedding I shot was one of my best friends I captured her wedding and started from there. I’ve grown my interest in branding photography for businesses. Being a business owner you know that you need content for your consumers so I’ve made it a mission to start being able to create authentic and unique content for my clients and their businesses. I’ve found so much joy in being able to create for several business owners and brands allowing them to stand out amongst their competitors. For any occasion and specifically for weddings that I photograph It’s still to this day blows my mind that it’s possible to save moments in time for people to look back on. Creating a story timeline of the small, big, mundane moments in peoples lives. My passion is for you to be able to look through your pictures and notice that season of your life that you shared with the people you love and allow you to tap in to how it made you feel. I think it’s so special to have the gift of being able to create for others. If I could choose another career I wouldn’t because I truly love what I do and life would be boring without creativity!
Now with everything theres a learning process which then makes for a story! I’ve learned so much about myself and others through this journey of success within photography. Where I am today is where I won’t be in five years and thats whats so cool about the ever evolving, and changing flow of being a creator theres always something to learn and come up with.
I’ll skip to the chase and tell you all the stuff I’m into and what I do in my free time! I love spending time with my family, living an active and healthy lifestyle. If you know me and you’ve shot with me I randomly will talk in a British accent, love a good oyster happy hour and can quote movie scenes from about any movie!
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My mission is simply to document the human connection. We all connect on a variety of things, places, people. That is what drives me to be able to document that specific connection that allows you to feel it through imagery again, and again.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I love listening to podcasts specifically! A couple major podcasts I listen to are: Make your break By Jai Long, The Skinny Confidential, and The Ed Mylett Show. I’ve found the best useful tips for business and life!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ellawlkr.com
- Instagram: @wlkr.ella
- Facebook: Ella Walker Photo
Image Credits
Noah Johnson – noahrayphotos