Daily Inspiration: Meet Emma Stoner

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Stoner.

Hi Emma, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been an artist from day one. Between drawing, painting, and taking photos, there’s never been a moment that creativity hasn’t fueled me. When I was in high school, I envisioned a future job in illustration or freelance art, but never photography. Even though I was constantly taking photos, I had never viewed it in the same way I did my art, and I had no plans to pursue it as a career. Up until 2014, my photos consisted of flowers in the backyard, my little brother in the pool, and miscellaneous objects around the house. In 2016, my senior year, I joined the yearbook team and everything changed. I started to realize just how much I loved the craft, and I saw for the first time the possibility of a career within it.

Let me be straight up, my photos from back then are terrible. To this day, I can’t wrap my head around how much trust my first clients gave me, and to be completely honest, I think my proficiency in Photoshop saved a majority of the photos I took. 🤐 Given, we all have to start somewhere, and I’m forever grateful for the patience that was offered to me in those years, but I truly had no idea what I was doing.

In college, I started binging Youtube and Squarespace classes. If I wanted to do this right, I needed to learn what I was doing wrong and figure out ways to improve it. I started taking photos of anyone and everyone. Friends, strangers, my own dogs. If someone was willing to have their photo taken, I was there taking it. In 2019 I shot my first wedding, learned how to properly light and use a studio, and for the very first time, I actually started to value the work I was creating. Thanks to word of mouth and some incredibly supportive friends (shout out to Ashley and Claire), suddenly I was booking families, engagements, and seniors faster than I could write them down. I even stepped outside my comfort zone and started filming weddings!

Which brings us to 2021. In addition to portraits, I now take landscape and fine art photos, and I’ve been exploring ways to incorporate abstract ideas into still images. Not to mention I have a graphic design degree under my belt as well! It’s been quite the journey, and I’ve considered quitting more times than I can count, but I’m incredibly proud of myself for continuing forwards. I still have plenty of growing to do, plenty more to learn, but I’m looking forward to the future and what it might hold for me.

Alright, 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?
This journey hasn’t been easy, but I don’t think I’d be where I am today if it had been. I’ve made more mistakes than I can count. My SD card corrupted after a shoot, destroying all the photos I took of a surprise engagement, resulting in a full refund. I didn’t bring enough batteries to a wedding and wound up having to switch back and forth between half-dead batteries that I threw on a charger in the back room. I accidentally switched settings on my camera and shot a whole studio session in jpeg instead of RAW. I didn’t have the proper settings while filming a wedding, so a majority of the clips flickered thanks to the fluorescent bulbs. I could go on down the list, but I’m sure you get the point.

It wasn’t only struggling with my camera either. In 2016, I was diagnosed with depression, followed by an anxiety diagnosis shortly thereafter. Without the proper tools to manage my mental health, I was admitted to a psychiatric facility in 2019. I know it’s considered taboo to discuss it, but I’ve always been an open book, and I believe talking about it will help to destigmatize it. After all, you never know what someone is enduring behind the scenes. If you’re someone who faces similar struggles, I’m here to remind you that you can’t trust that nasty voice in your head that tells you to give up, that you aren’t good enough. A good rule of thumb is if you wouldn’t say it to your friends, do your best not to listen when you say it to yourself.

So no, it hasn’t been a smooth road, but I’m okay with that. Every struggle is an opportunity to learn, an opportunity to change. If we never messed up, we’d never learn what we can do better. As corny as it is, I believe everything happens for a reason. In those dark moments, we might think there’s no way to see through it, but we have to keep going long enough to see what highs will come as a result.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Well, I’m an artist, designer, and obviously a photographer! In photography, I specifically specialize in portraits. I love working with so many unique individuals in environments I’ve never experienced before. If it isn’t the norm, I’m ready to dive in. Out of everything, I think that’s one of the main things people know me for. No matter who I’m working with, I treat them like an old friends. Regardless if it’s my client or Aunt Belinda at the wedding, I’m always going to approach someone with the kindness I’d like to be extended in return. In addition, I think my clients value my ability to both arrange a scene and capture the rare, candid moments.

Out of everything, I’m most proud of my versatility, and I believe that’s the same thing that sets me apart from others. My love for creativity has expanded my toolbelt. I can take and edit photos, but I’ve also made logos for clients, painted canvases, and drawn tattoos. Having the ability to think in various different mediums grants me the opportunity to apply different strategies and creative approaches. I’ve even worked in management, which has helped so much when it comes to working with so many different people.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
When it comes to apps, I use Routinery and Focus Keeper to help me stay on task and manage my time, while I use apps like VSCO and SCRL for my photography. The app Slidebox is essential for absolutely anyone who takes photos on their phone, not just photographers. It simplifies the process of sorting and deleting unwanted photos, and it’s saved me a ton of storage when I’m too lazy to scroll through my gallery and look at each photo.

Podcasts… oh gosh, that’s a long list, but I’ll keep it centered around my favorites. Critical Role is a phenomenal podcast/Youtube show featuring a cast of talented voice actors who play Dungeons and Dragons. When I need a laugh, I turn to Tiny Meat Gang with Cody Ko and Noel Miller, Very Really Good with Kurtis Conner, and MBMBAM with the McElroy brothers. If I’m in the mood for true crime, I look to and That’s Why We Drink and True Crime Obsessed. That’s the shortlist, but I’m sure you can tell just how much podcasts are involved in my day to day.

There’s actually a book I reference quite a bit titled “Making Photographs: Planning, Developing, and Creating Original Photography”. It lays out the creative process of photography, how to shoot it, and how to present it. I tend to reference a lot of books when it comes to photography, and though I can’t recall any titles off the top of my head, it pays to visit the library and explore what’s in their creative section. The internet has plenty of knowledge to access, but it’s also nice to learn from those who came before it existed.

Pricing:

• For regular portraits: $150 an hour
• For events: $100 an hour
• For weddings: starts at $1,500

Contact Info:

• Email: emma@tracestudioskc.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/tracestudioskc
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/tracestudioskc
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/kartharon
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC9SlMSt7eYSMuRYpcgQ9lgw

Image Credits
Brandon Evans – took the photo of me in KC