Daily Inspiration: Meet Claire Hamilton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Claire Hamilton.

Hi Claire, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My passion for photography started when I was living in Kalispell, MT (a small town near Glacier National Park). I was surrounded by beauty and it only seemed right to try and capture it. As I worked my way through college my camera was something I always enjoyed having with me. There was always a moment to capture or lesson to learn. I think I viewed photography as a hobby for a few years at first, but after my own wedding I really started to question whether or not I could make a career out of it. Elopements made my heart skip a beat, and honestly they still do. I had the desire to be an elopement photographer as soon as I knew it was a job that people had, but at the beginning I honestly thought it was equivalent to playing professional sports or something. It seemed like this amazing job that only a handful of people actually got to do.

Even once I realized how many elopement photographers existed, I was still in denial that I could be one myself. It took booking my first full elopement before I was able to envision actually photograph elopements for a living. Obviously, It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s an uphill venture, and probably will be for a few more years, but the idea of getting to do something I am this passionate about seems unreal. I love every second of it, and being able to say I am a full time photographer feels like a dream.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Working in the wedding & photography industry is far from smooth sailing. It’s amazing and exciting, but it can also be extremely unpredictable and challenging. Doubts creep in all the time, and I have to convince myself that it actually is possible to be seen and recognized in such a saturated market. It can be especially difficult when first getting the ball rolling, which is pretty much where I’m at now with starting my photography business. I moved to Phoenix right at the peak of the pandemic. I was in a new town, practically everything was shutting down, and it seemed close to impossible to expect anyone to want pictures at a time like that. However, even during a pandemic people were still living life and making memories that they wanted captured. The resilience of the wedding industry in the past year is kind of amazing. Love truly does find a way, and I would argue that elopements are more popular than they ever have been in the past. There are numerous challenges that come with trying to start a business during a pandemic, but it definitely helps to focus on the positives.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
To put it simply, I am a photographer of people. I love capturing moments the way they are seen and experienced. My goal is to tell a story and create something that truly stands the test of time. Elopement photography is where my heart is. I adore meeting new couples and going on adventures with them. I moved a lot growing up, so I like to believe I am good at making friends quickly. I’m one of those introverts that was raised to be an extrovert… if that makes sense. It’s one trait that definitely comes in handy with this profession. I want my couples to feel comfortable ASAP. At first it may seem a little awkward to have a third wheel with a camera following you around, but it can be AWESOME. It’s one of the only times in your life when you get a personal paparazzi capturing every little bit of emotion and making you look epic. It’s fantastic, trust me. I pride myself on creating a gallery that perfectly encapsulates my couple; who they are and the emotions they were feeling throughout their elopement experience.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I have found that being an elopement photographer takes a certain skill set. Organization may be an obvious one, but it really is huge! At first it was a little intimidating to learn how to balance and schedule everything, but once I got the hang of it there was a huge weight lifted. I naturally enjoy organization and planning, but It does take some trial and error to find a system that is effective and not too time consuming. Being personable has also helped me immensely. At the beginning I would tell myself that people didn’t care who was behind the camera, they just wanted good photos. That couldn’t be further from the truth. People LOVE knowing who is behind the camera. My clients need to trust me, and that all starts with learning about who I am. Once I realized that, it completely changed how I interact with my couples. It made the whole experience all the more special too. I think it’s amazing that I get to build friendships with new people all the time.

Contact Info:

• Email: cm.hamilton.photos@gmail.com
• Website: https://clairehamiltonphotos.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cm.hamilton.photos/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cm.hamilton.photos

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