Meet the Maker
Artists. Photographers.
History tellers.
Photography has become so accessible that often it seems undervalued as art. Quality visualization is pretty much expected now, so much so that…has it become mundane? It is at our fingertips day in and day out, but does it have soul? Photography is just a format for creating, so really you have to look at the conviction that is creating and preserving that moment in time by an artist and the technique that qualifies a certain amount of mastery.
A click of a button at just the right moment is equal to an inspired brushstroke in just the right place.
Luke and Allie, husband and wife duo are these artists of imagery. I’ve had the pleasure of having Luke and Allie preserve my wedding story with images, and I can attest to their pure conviction and passion for their artistry put into history telling. Book them, be inspired by their work, check out their handiwork at www.clelandphotographs.com .
Being creatives I’m sure it is no surprise to you they have their hands in all sorts of creative work. Luke, has launched a podcast and YouTube channel, Obsessive Creative, this year to address the entire topic of being a creative and diving into the creative process with all sorts of other artists. Go have a listen, subscribe, and get pulled into these conversations dissecting different approaches to the act of creating. His passion is contagious.
Allie, passionate about wellness and a holistic approach to everyday living has just launched her beautiful blog! Laced with fresh air and inspired natural beauty, check it out and nourish your soul by rubbing virtual shoulders with this talented lady.
We set out to tell a romantic and timeless story. We believe part of the timelessness is found in film photography.
We don’t use the the word fine art as a marketing add-on. We live and breath art…
How would you describe your work and your process?
We are fine art wedding photographers. The process and what our work looks likes comes from two main beliefs. 1) We are artists first, and we approach our photography work as a tool in creating art. 2) Weddings are not just another event, but an incredibly special, life altering, magical moment, where two sets of family trees are changed for the better, and we are honored be a part of that history telling.
That means we don’t just snap photos, but tell a wedding story with emotion, meaning and depth. We set out to create heirlooms that will be passed down from generation to generation, telling a story that is bigger than the couple themselves, but at the same time centers on the couples love for each other. With all of that as the starting point, we set out to tell a romantic and timeless story. We believe part of the timelessness is found in film photography. Whether it’s shooting the majority in film, or using it has a color point for our digital work, the physical medium for film, and then the culmination in printed work, we think you can’t get more timeless, and romantic then physical film.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
Fine art. We don’t use the the word fine art as a marketing add-on. We live and breath art, and find wells of inspiration from artists like Edgar Degas, and Vincent Van Gogh. When we’re not shooting weddings, you’ll often find us at local art museums, and talking about creativity with many of our friends who are fine artists themselves.
How do you cope with a creative block?
Getting to work. Steven Pressfield has been a major influence in how we think about creativity. In his book the War of Art, he talks about the magic of finding inspiration at 9am sharp every morning.
You guys are busy! You produce content in several types of media, from photography to Youtube videos to podcast episodes. How do you go about scheduling/organizing time for those projects?
Priorities, planning, planning, and more planning. Thanks to Allie, I’ve learned how integral planning is to accomplishing a lot. In the past I felt like planning was a waste of time, if I just plunged into work I could get more done. But when you find out what your priorities are, and then plan and stick to your plan, its amazing that you get done what you want to get done instead of letting outside circumstances dictate your workflow. We’ve found batching our days into specific type of work, has also helped. For example, instead of editing a little bit every day, we have specific dates and time when we edit, and that reoccurs every week.
What is it like to work with your spouse? (Biggest pros/cons?)
It is the best. We love spending every day together. We love the fact that we get to build something together, and the process of doing that together is the biggest pro for us. The con is that if you’re not careful, your work can become your life, and your personal life, and work can become one. We try to stay away from that by being strict on ending work at a certain time every day, checking emails only during work hours, and being detaching from work completely for 1 day a week.
Favorite project you've worked on?
Luke - I think the first thing that came to mind was a non-profit I worked with for several years. I was photographing lifestyle and product photography for them, but also teaching girls that were rescued from human trafficking situations graphic design and photography. They now do all the photography themselves, and it was incredible to see how photography can really change peoples lives.
Allie - I still think back to a countdown project I did the last 100 days of university, it included individual photos of all my favorite people from that stage of life, and it was energizing and meaningful, especially because I haven’t seen many of those people since those final days around graduation. But these days, my favorite project is my new blog.
Favorite item in your home?
We definitely need to answer this separately. Allie? Currently I would probably choose an antique piece my mom gifted me - I recently found the perfect nook for it and the house plant I put inside it loves the spot too. Luke? The yellow leather arm chair I married Allie for - but seriously, it’s the best.
What are you watching/reading/listening to lately? (Films/books/podcasts)
We are watching Star Wars, and it’s the first time through for Allie. She said the other day she’s starting to understand why people would want to go to comicon. We’re also going back to our roots and re-reading the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in the evenings together. The storytelling in these pieces are so powerful and inspiring.
Are you more productive in the morning, afternoon, or evening?
While we both aren’t particularly morning people, we’ve found we are most productive in the morning before lunch. So part of that planning process that we mentioned earlier, we make sure to get high priority work finished before noon.
Coffee or tea?
Luke -Coffee in every moment. I’m very proud of the fact that I was drinking coffee in high school before it was cool. I realize it was probably Folgers or something, but I’m still sticking to it.
Allie - Coffee always, but more lavender tea of late.
Be sure to follow these talented artists for more inspiring content! @clelandphotographs + @allieapothecarie + @luketcleland
