We were lucky to catch up with Erika Dely recently and have shared our conversation below.

Erika , appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

When I started my business I walked away from the career path I had planned for. Photography gave me more flexibility to have a bit more freedom and I had a partner to fall back on if it failed. I was engaged to be married and the trajectory of my life was to get married and to have kids. Having a photography business could be flexible while raising them, it was the perfect plan. I could take weddings and jobs more during some seasons and then less during others based on what my family needed. The business was doing well and it seemed as if everything was coming together to work out just so.

A few years into my business I was completely miserable. The business was going well, but my marriage was completely unhealthy. I had the choice to settle and try and make things work; to try and change my identity for this person whose values and morals no longer matched with mine or I could pack up and take back my life. At this point, I could not go back to my original career path without going back for some school and what I had found in photography could not be found in my original plan. Photography gave me freedom and I had pride in what I had built. By now I had years of meeting clients, working with children, being at weddings, and living a creative life….but I no longer had that safety net, that second income incase I failed.

I chose to bet on myself; it was and every day is still a risk. Feeling safe is something everyone wants to have, most days I’m not sure I feel that. Photography goes in waves and trends change and shift and often times I wonder how long I can continue to live this lifestyle. There isn’t a way to project if I will book enough, or work enough and with the rise of AI and more technology allowing others to take stunning work with a phone in their pocket, it gets more and more scary. One thing these things cannot replicate is someone’s love for what they do, for their ability to set a scene or capture emotion; so I bet on my ability to do that. I have been incredibly fortunate that I have stayed booked and I have been able to ride out the waves of less and more work as I continue to try and evolve and do new things in my business.

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

I am the main photographer and owner of LuvEd Photography. A very small, high volume photography business based out of Chicagoland. Every day is different as I haven’t really settled on a niche for my photography. I like to constantly be challenged and be doing new things. My main work is with newborns, families and weddings, but I also do a lot of sessions that focus on branding photos and I do some corporate and interiors as well. In addition, I travel often with my camera and sell those images. I love my business because of all the people I get to interact with. While I have new clients every year a large portion of my clients have been for around 10-13 years.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

While obviously I have to support myself, beyond that I think what drives my creative journey is not only enjoying it but trying to be an example that it can be done. Doing what you love and living a life in a way that feels authentic to you IS possible. It can be hard, many days are hard, but I enjoy testing the waters and trying to do life differently. I feel like we are all given these boxes to check and we go through life trying to check them. Whether it is going to college, finding a career, finding a partner, having children. I tried to check the boxes, I really, really tried and it didn’t work for me. I am finding that the less I try to check them, the more I find who I truly am and what and who I truly love.

While I have many times thought about shutting this down and starting over in something more stable, following this path has allowed me to not only be present for my family in times of need, which is something I wouldn’t ever trade back, but also to experience things that movies are made about. How could I stop?

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I LOVE my clients! So so much. I am providing a fun service and get to celebrate milestones with them, it’s hard not to create relationships but I know that’s not always the case. I try to approach every shoot or client inquiry like they are a new friend. I am supportive throughout the scheduling process and prepare for the day of the session remembering that this is a stressful day for most. Whether I help pick out clothes, bring the props to use or just wake up and tell them “Happy Wedding Day!” adding that little bit of personality makes the relationship stronger. I also use social media to allow my clients into my life to a point. I don’t show everything but I show enough so that they can get to know me a bit, to find some way to relate to me and then I can fill in the gaps with more details when I see them in person if they ask. I also try to keep up with their lives. Being invested in them personally has helped me create a really unique business and getting to know my clients more allows them to feel more comfortable around me, which makes everyone that much more comfortable in front of my camera.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.luvedphotography.com
• Instagram: luv_edphotography
• Facebook: Luved Photography