We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Erin Weaver. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Erin below.
Erin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
I am beyond grateful to be able to work on a project that is called “I’m Possible”. It is an event created by a group of boutique photographers after so many dance studios and businesses were shut down after covid. Most athletes were forced to have practice virtually or nowhere at all during that time and also missed being with friends. “I’m Possible” focuses on re-building confidence and self-empowerment for tween girls (mostly ages 9-12) in sports like gymnastics and dance. While the event might look different from each photographer the message is still the same.
During the “I’m Possible” event you will see various forms of motivation consisting of speakers, activities, playtime, crafts and journaling or writing. One of the most impactful parts of this is event is having every athlete photographed in many fun and powerful poses while wearing her favorite leotard or dance outfit. Each child will also receive a gift portrait to remember this day and that they are possible and can reach any goal. Families also have the option to get the full portrait experience and purchase artwork from the event. Imagine having a large metal print of you jumping in the air hanging on your wall as a kid – cool right! Having artwork on the walls of our children is a HUGE way to boost their self-esteem.
Giving young athletes this confidence and ability to measure their strengths now only helps develop their mental health and future. I am so blessed that I am able to have such an amazing team of dedicated coaches that are able to help me create this event and be able to give back to the young athletes in our community. Seeing this team come together with so many different ideas, activities, games they remember, other coaches that impacted them and other stories from their childhood is what helps events like this come together and make a difference!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Erin Weaver and I am the photographer and owner of Avenue 9 Photography. I am a boutique portrait photographer that helps families create beautiful artwork for their homes of each other and their children. As a gymnastics coach and a mother of 2 girls I understand what it is like to always be busy and on the go. I provide families a fun and stress-free experience so they are able to have timeless images of their children in all stages of their life printed as large portraits on the walls and in albums to be seen daily.
It is very important to me that my business is more than just about ‘taking pictures’. I want every one of my clients and families to feel at ease through the entire process of their portrait session. From the planning of their session, to being in front of the camera and then also when they are picking what canvas to go over the sofa. I want parents AND children leaving their session feeling like this was a fun experience – not a stressful one where parents feel like they need to tell their kids to “sit down and smile!” the whole time. Letting kids play and do a series of silly games makes everything more fun and will show the relationship between each other with effortless poses. Really being able to celebrate what makes each family different is so rewarding and also gives a special touch to each families’ session.
Despite being known primarily as a portrait photographer I also love photographing homes for local realtors and remodel designers. I am grateful to be able to showcase the best features to sell a home for a client and photograph all the beautiful work of a remodeled home.
My moto would be “lift others as we climb”.
What do you find most rewarding about being creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a photographer is being able to uplift and serve others.
I love being able to have the freedom to make each session custom to every family so they can celebrate what makes them special.
Seeing others feel more confident after their session is definitely a highlight for me! No matter what age.
And also knowing that my clients leave with beautiful artwork for their home to put on their walls is definitely rewarding!
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
The most effective way to get clients is helping others solve a problem. Letting others know that I can help them with something is the best way to get clients to invest in you or your products. Having intent with how you can help them is much more effective than putting out a post about the product/service and hoping they book you or buy from you. Always ask yourself “what problem am I solving?” before putting out your next post.
Reaching out to other small businesses who have similar clients that are ideal for my business that are like me and love my brand is also a great way to make these connections. Don’t get consumed in ads, reels and stories if you aren’t making these connections and helping to solve problems.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.avenue9photography.com
- Instagram: avenue9photography
- Facebook: ave9photography
Image Credits
Avenue 9 Photography