Meet Erika Greene of Erika Greene Photography in Queen Creek

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Greene.

Erika, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I bought my first camera in 2012. I wanted to start documenting trips, events, and other important moments in my life. I started photographing family members and friends for fun in order to practice and learn. Little by little, people started asking me to take their senior photos, family portraits, newborn photos, etc. I did it all and was so happy to have the chance to get better. In 2014, one of my friends was getting married and she asked me to shoot her wedding. I was terrified and told her I didn’t think I could handle it. She said she knew I would do a great job and really wanted me to do it. I prepared for weeks and even brought my husband long to help me out. Luckily everything turned out great and I loved every second of it. I decided right then and there that I wanted to be a wedding photographer. Fast forward to 4 years later and I am happier than I’ve ever been. Sometimes I sit and think “is this really my career?!” I love it so much! Over the past year, I’ve been able to narrow my market down to free-spirited, adventurous couples that love exploring and nature just as much as I do. I love being able to combine some of my favorite things (hiking and traveling) with my other passion of shooting couples and weddings. It really is a dream job.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Owning my own business is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I don’t have any employees, so everything falls on me. I’m the one communicating with clients, sending contracts, taking payments, shooting, editing, making albums, and so much more. It’s very different from a 9-5 job where one gets to leave work and shut that part of their brain off until the next day. I work from home so it’s extremely hard to separate home life and work life. I feel like I need to be working 24/7. That has been one of my biggest struggles and still continues to be! I’m still trying to find a good balance.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Erika Greene Photography – what should we know?
I’m an adventurous wedding, elopement, and couples photographer. I’m based out of Arizona but I am lucky enough to get to travel all over for weddings and shoots. Something I’m known for is having very unique locations. I spend SO much time location scouting. It’s actually one of my favorite things to do. I am super inspired by nature so I love to get out there and explore new spots that I think will work for a shoot. There are so many photographers in this area, and I think my adventurous spirit and ability to find unique locations really sets me apart. It also attracts like-minded couples to me that share the same love of the outdoors!

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Connecting with my clients is so important to me. I take the time to genuinely get to know them and create a real friendship with them. I think we get stuck believing that we need to be these professional robots all the time when dealing with clients. That’s not true at all! I want my clients to feel like they are hanging out with a good friend at their shoot and not some stranger with a camera. This really helps them to feel comfortable and show their personality which is what I’m really aiming to capture. By the end of the shoot we are usually bonding over our mutual love of dogs, naps, and good Mexican food. Most of my clients end up being great friends that I still talk to all the time!

Pricing:

• Elopement Packages start at $2,000
• Wedding Packages start at $2,500
• Engagement Sessions start at $500
• Adventurous Couples Sessions start at $600

Contact Info:

• Website: www.erikagreenephotography.com
• Email: erikagreenephoto@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erikagreenephotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erikagreenephotography

Image Credit:
-Photo of Erika by Ashtyn Nicole Photo
-All other images by Erika Greene Photography

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