Interview with Erica Lyn, Owner
of Erica Lyn PhotographyErica Lyn
Photography is based in Forest Hills, NY and services all locales within
200 miles. Erica also does multiple destination weddings every
year, her most current on in Miami. She's been published in
TheKnot.com and several other trade magazines. Her website can be
visited at www.ericalynphotography.com.
Welcome to NYC Interviews Erica. Glad you could make it. You’re one of the hottest young female wedding photographers in NYC these days so it’s an honor. How did you end up getting into wedding photography?
It was a total fluke. I have always loved photography and never in a million years had thought of wedding photography. I was pregnant with my daughter and had stopped working at my full-time job in marketing. I was browsing on Craigslist, just like many bored New Yorkers do and I came across an ad for a best man looking to hire a film photographer to shoot b&w's for his best friends wedding. I curiously I replied and suggested he hire his film photographer and I offered my services for free just to attend the wedding and shoot for fun. Long story short, he gladly accepted and I experienced my first wedding with my camera and the shots came out great!
When you were first starting out, it must have been overwhelming with the amount of information out there. Where did you go to learn more about the industry?
Honestly, offering my wedding photography services for almost nothing when I first started out. I wanted to gain a better grasp in the wedding photography arena. With every wedding I shot, the more I had learned. 3 upgraded camera's & 200 weddings later I can say that I have learned A LOT! The industry is constantly changing and I am always one step ahead.
In NYC, it’s an ultra competitive market. How do you feel you stand out?
NYC is definitely a competitive place for any profession. If you find your niche and are confident in the work you do and know that you consistently produce a great end product, you will eventually and most certainly stand out. Patience is a virtue, determination and dedication is a must, and a love for it all a necessity.
What’s your view on your fellow photographers? Competitors or compatriots?
The more the merrier, it makes you work even harder while warding of complacency, which can ruin a man.
What’s been your biggest mistake to this point in your business?
Being a one man show. It's a challenge doing everything and wearing multiple hats all the time. Being a busy professional wedding photographer is a lot of work, especially if you have your own company. Someone has to do the marketing, the admin stuff, the financials, the consultations, the shooting, the editing, all the while staying focused at the task at hand, not easy, but I love it.
You are married with a young daughter. How do you manage your time with a thriving photography business?
I have no idea! *lol*. Focus and balance. Yes, lots of focus.
With all the SLR cameras coming into the market, everyone can be a photographer. What’s your view on the overall industry? Is it in decline or is it experiencing a renaissance with the new comfort level with cameras?
Anyone can buy a paintbrush and paint but it doesn't necessarily make them a painter. My camera is my paint brush and every wedding I shoot is my masterpiece. It takes time and it takes vision, splatter some genuine passion and creativity into that and now you're talking.
How do you maintain such a unique style? Do you read a lot of the industry trade papers and sites?
I always go through current publications in my field to see what's new and what's happening. In regards to my style, it's constantly evolving, but I was born an artist and feel that this innate love for art and for style comes naturally to me.
What’s the hottest emerging trend in wedding photography?
Modern life-style photography
Marketing in such a fragmented market is very difficult. How do you determine where to put your marketing dollars?
Trial and error
If you were going to mentor a new photographer, what would be three key points of advice for them?
Love it, always keep shooting, learn your camera
What’s the plan for one, three, five and ten years down the road?
I'll be that IT photographer :)
If you were to work any job (other than your own), what would it be?
Art director
You can ask me one question – what is it?
What made you into the person you are today?
A great question, yet one so difficult to answer. I think like most of
us our individual challenges and triumphs shape who we are. For me, I
realized early on I wanted to create something unique rather than repeat.
It's always been a driving force in my life to see how I can be unique and
create something ever lasting. Where that drive actually comes from, I'm
not sure, but I'm glad it is there!
Erica Lyn lives in Forest Hills with her husband,
her daughter, and three cats.
Dave Blake, the interviewer, is a serial
entrepreneur with a long history of helping consult small
companies.
He's had a thriving photography studio for the last several
years called www.daveblakephotography.com. He
currently is working on several new ideas while actively
consulting several startup companies. Dave has a passion
helping business owners realizing their dream of creating their
life's dream. You can read more about his services at http://www.dmbenterpriseconsulting.com
