Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michelle Underwood. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Michelle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I knew I wanted to pursue a creative career path when I was a child. My mom would often times say, “I wish coloring could be a job” as her and I filled our pages with every color of the rainbow. I remember always thinking, “I’m going to find a way to make money with art!” I got my first camera when I was 11 years old, and fell in love with creating perspectives of every day things and locations. I felt like I could finally show the way I see life with my creative/distracted brain. I went to college, got my degree in professional photography, and started my landscape photography business. Photography has always been therapeutic for me and gives me freedom in a world full of restrictions and rules. Being a landscape photographer as an adult allows me to escape the monotonous tasks of peopling and let’s me go back to being a child, all while making money! Photography helps me see the world with eyes of curiosity and creative magic instead of the typical whirlwind schedules of days flying by.
Michelle, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I got into the landscape photography business in a roundabout way. I started out as a professional portrait photographer because I thought that was the only way I could actually make money in the industry. I did that for quite a few years and was not happy. I took landscape photos on the side, and built up a pretty large collection of great images. One day I decided to ditch the portrait scene and open my landscape photography business. I built a website, created products, learned better marketing techniques, and finally found where I could be truly happy while making money.
I create products that are printed and hand-made in my home studio. I create a photo series and then make products out of that series of images. I make photo books, zines, photo bookmarks with giant fluffy tassels, hand drawn stickers, photo stickers, luxury photo greeting cards, photo prints, and large panorama prints.
What makes my products and business different from other photographers is I put a lot of time and thought into creating quality, hand-made photography products. I create stories with my images and turn those stories into products you can enjoy every day. I spend hours laminating every bookmark perfectly, creating every tassel to meet my personal quality standards, making sure every image is printed flawlessly on the best paper, and collating every story to be personal and relatable to anyone who will enjoy my photography. I like my images to bring back memories people forgot they had.
I am most proud of staying true to who I am. I know, corny right? But if I wasn’t sticking out my neck, creating what brings me joy, and letting my personal light shine through, my business wouldn’t be authentic and I wouldn’t make products I was proud to share. When I’m brain storming new ideas for products, I let my mind go wild! This helps me create new and exciting products that people will love. I’m currently working on test prints for clay polaroid earrings and pins!
I am go-getter. If I have something I want to accomplish I am going to put in every ounce of effort I possess. I learn from every fail and although it can sometimes take a while, I turn all my flops into a progressional experience. And yes, I did just make up the word “progressional”; I like to bring my creativity into all parts of life! I enjoy sprinkling smiles towards all people (and dogs, let’s be honest!) and I will often pray and project that everyone in the world will have a lovely day! I know that’s a big projection, but I’m pretty sure God can handle that request! My husband often tells me that I have a huge heart, and I love that about me because it helps me put in a lot of love and joy into every single one of my products.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I know a lot of people wish they could travel more. I am very blessed with the fact that I travel for work. I know my mom wishes she could see her family in Nova Scotia, CA more often, and that’s one reason why I created my NS Collection from the last time we visited. I want to create products that bring back memories, gets people to travel with their minds, and see the world from a perspective of wonder and excitement. I want people to smile when they get that greeting card from their son. I want the booklover to get giddy when their best friend gives them a hand-made bookmark. I want to bring joy to people through my photography. I also want to help people as much as I can, and that’s why I donate 20% of every product I sell on my website to organizations and charities near and dear to my heart. I want as many people as possible to benefit from my business.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
The most obvious way to support artists and creatives is to buy from their websites and stores. I like to find small businesses and creative shops to get items I need to create my hand-made products. It creates a beautifully crafted chain of support. They make products, I buy them, I make products, others buy those, everyone gets to be creative and everyone can be ensured that love and quality are involved. If we go to big box stores for every item we need, we’re just feeding the corporate monster and leaving mom and pops behind. There are thousands of small businesses around the world that create the items we need… not just creatively, but practically as well. I bought some crocheted dish scrubbies from a talented lady in Arkansas who has an Etsy shop! I’m ordering some reusable mesh bags from SmileBoutiques for going to the farmers market. We can and we should put more effort towards helping the creative and small business ecosystem. We just need to stop being lazy about it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://michelleunderwoodphotography.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/michelleunderwoodphotography?igshid=ZDdkNTZiNTM=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleUnderwoodPhotography?mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@michelleunderwoodphotograp7543
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@michelleunderwoodphoto?_t=8a9eKBmzGkE&_r=1