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

Savannah, appreciate you joining us today. Almost every entrepreneur we know has considered donating a portion of their sales to an organization or cause – how did you make the decision of whether to donate? We’d love to hear the backstory if you’re open to sharing the details.

Since the Hawai’i wildfire disaster on Maui, I’ve been making all photo sessions booked during the months of August and September as donation-based with all money going towards wildfire relief and support of those effected. The wildfires hit very close to home, as I can see the island of Maui from where I live on Big Island Hawai’i.  Since spending significant time on the islands last summer, I’d been feeling a magnetic, almost spiritual pull to be back. I made it my mission to move here by my birthday this year. I’m also an RN and ended up moving to Big Island for a nursing job a week before my birthday. Being on the islands is a privilege, and I’ve made a commitment to spreading the aloha and giving back to the community any way that I can. When the fires broke out, the smoke was so thick you could no longer see the island of Maui. It felt so surreal. So many lives were lost, and people I love had to evacuate and lost their homes and businesses and are now starting over. Feeling so much collective grief compounded with my deep connection to the land and the people inspired me to start volunteering and raising money any way I can, much of which would be through my photography. Two weeks after the fires, I went to Maui to volunteer, and to help support and photograph a wellness day that was being hosted by The Block and Lahaina Crossfit. The turn out was unbelievable and so many people who had been effected by the fires were able to get together for the first time to sweat, laugh, cry, pray, and hug each other.

Savannah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

For as long as I can remember I’ve always had a creative outlet. Even through nursing school, I took extra classes at night and throughout the summer for my minor in studio art. I got into photography when I began to travel for work, as it was much easier to travel with a camera and a laptop than it was a pottery wheel. I immediately found so much joy in capturing authentic moments, people being their truest selves, and the incredible natural world we get to play in. With attention to detail that would normally go unnoticed, and a documentary/ lifestyle way of capturing images, I came up with the name Earth and Essence Photography. In addition to artistic portraits, I think it’s important to document the little things that are easy to forget, like baby toes dangling off mom’s hip amidst the tall grass or the way fingertips trace the bark of a tree. I like embrace the movement, the blurry, the unposed, the playfulness, and the imperfect- because that is real life. That is the essence of the people and the moments we love and want to remember forever. Photography is a love language for me, as I put so much of my heart into it and fall a little bit in love with every person and place that I get to capture.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Honestly, I’ve never invested much into social media or marketing. However, I’ve recently been experiencing some growth, most of which has been through word of mouth.  Many of the people who trusted me to capture their most special moments in the beginning have stuck with me as I’ve grown as a photographer and developed my business. Many of the families I have met organically, taking the time to connect with them and share my work. They often end up reaching out to me when they have something they want me to photograph, and then refer their friends and family as well. It feels really good to be in this stage and to have a genuine connection with the people and the lives I’m documenting.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding part of photography is having a positive impact on the way people see themselves. I don’t edit out any part of what makes people who they are. I won’t remove beauty marks, erase pounds from the waist, or change the shape of the face. I want the freckles, the squinty laughing faces, the wild hair, the squirmy kids, all of it. And I want my clients to find beauty in the things that make them unique. Photographers have an opportunity to influence the beauty standard for the better by capturing the raw version of people in beautiful and artistic ways. That is part of my “why”. The other part of my “why” is the joy I find in documenting the moments people will cherish and look back on for a lifetime. Ever look at a photo and immediately travel back to that exact space, that time, that feeling? That’s what I go for. I want my clients to be able to feel their photos.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://earthandessencephotography.pixieset.com
• Instagram: @earth.and.essence_photography

Image Credits
Megan Fine of Free Flow Fotography took the first single photo uploaded of myself.