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

Erica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, folks often look at a successful business and think it became a success overnight – but that often obscures all the nitty, gritty details of everything that went into the growth phase of your business. We’d love to hear about your scaling story and how you scaled up?

For nearly 15 years, I ran a solo operation, primarily photographing LGBTQ+ weddings and building my business through word of mouth and loyal client referrals. One of my biggest missteps along the way was getting into autopilot mode after the 10 year mark of my career. Younger people were entering the industry with new skills and and strategies, and I was living my life without a lot of focus on my business. Then during and after the pandemic, I had a realization: if I wanted to create a sustainable, scalable business in one of the most competitive markets in the world, I needed to evolve.

The first major shift was expanding into corporate events, which offered both creative opportunities and higher profit margins. To make this pivot successful, I spent two years overhauling my website and investing deeply in SEO—optimizing blog posts, refining service pages, and ensuring I showed up exactly where potential clients were searching. That work paid off: I now rank as the top search result for “NYC event photographer”—a milestone that completely transformed my inquiry volume and client base.

With demand growing, I began building a team. I onboarded four associate photographers who now shoot events when I’m already booked or traveling. I also hired two remote studio managers—one handles all administrative tasks, contracts, and invoicing, while the other focuses on lead generation and business development. Delegating these responsibilities has allowed me to focus on creative direction, client experience, and long-term strategy.

Now that the foundation is solid, I’m planning to expand into additional markets like Los Angeles and San Francisco. Scaling my business has been less about doing more, and more about building systems, trusting others, and stepping into my role as a confident, intentional business owner so that I can keep doing the work I love at the highest level.

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

I’m Erica Camille, a NYC-based photographer with 15 years of experience capturing everything from vibrant LGBTQ+ weddings to global summits and high-level corporate events.

I fell in love with photography through travel. After studying abroad, I returned to Simmons College in Boston and shifted my focus from journalism to photography. Soon after graduating, I moved to New York City with one clear (if slightly terrifying) goal: to make a living doing what I love.

I got my start assisting renowned wedding photographer Ryan Brenizer, named one of the top 10 wedding photographers in the world at the time. The experience was like a crash course in both photography and the business behind it. I worked long 12-hour wedding days for $150, but it was worth it. I learned the craft inside and out, and after a year, I launched my own business.

I officially went full time in 2011, focusing my work on LGBTQ+ weddings. At the time, same-sex marriage was still illegal in most states, including New York. I wanted document love stories that had been historically excluded from the wedding industry, weddings that ultimately became a part of history.

Today, I’m photographing more corporate work than wedding, but my approach hasn’t changed. Whether I’m shooting a meeting at the United Nations for Climate Week or an aerialist hanging off the ceiling at House of Yes, my work is always rooted in empathy, curiosity, and a documentary-style focus on real moments.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

There’s potentially two examples that could be used.

When I launched my business in 2011, same-sex marriage wasn’t even legal in New York. Still, I chose to center my work around LGBTQ+ weddings because that’s what mattered to me. It felt like a risk- no one was marketing to LGBTQ clients at that time, but I chose focus on less than 10% of the population to make my living instead of the 90%. Now that it’s more mainstream, I’ve watched the industry shift to embrace the very niche I committed to before it was safe or trendy.

Years later, I found myself starting from scratch again. I was living in Thailand when COVID hit and lost every single booking overnight. Things were already slow before the pandemic, and after I returned to the U.S., I even moved back in with my parents in Ohio for a while. My mom even suggested I apply to Target. I thought about changing careers but I didn’t want to, I love my job!

So I threw myself into rebuilding. I spent two full years deep-diving into SEO and completely overhauled my website and I did it all on my own. Sometimes the simplest most cliche things are true. Hard work does payoff. These days I’m overwhelmed with inquiries (and incredibly grateful), and my biggest challenge is scaling up while maintaining the level of personal attention and quality I’ve always prided myself on.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I learned early on to stay humble, stay curious, and take responsibly for my mistakes.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ericacamille.com
• Instagram: @ericacamillephotos
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ericacamillephotography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericacamillebowman/
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/erica-camille
• Other: Google reviews

  https://maps.app.goo.gl/BMc5rmPF93dW6XHR6

Image Credits

Erica Camille Photography