Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Robbins.
Hi Emily, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
So the first real start to photography I have it my junior and senior year of high school I served as the yearbook photographer! This was the first step of getting a camera in my hand and going around using that skill to document our daily lives and events. It wasn’t until graduating college though in 2017 that I finally had a camera of my own and started really honing the craft of photography as a professional skill. I still to this day don’t understand why I waited that long to get it started!
My parents gifted me with a Canon Rebel T1i and that helped me start taking social media content photos for a previous job as well as my little brother’s senior photos. Now, as far as how I’ve gotten to where I am in wedding photography, I credit this to a local photographer who allowed me opportunities to assist and second shoot with her as well as my mother for helping me land my very first wedding in October of 2018. Though I am a photo-first wedding creative, I also love creating wedding films. In October 2018 I was thrown into my first wedding AND into creating my very first wedding film.
Luckily, I had friends and mentors before me that I could gain knowledge and inspiration from. To this day, I still draw from those inspirations and more to help produce the most quality and timeless work I can for my couples and their families. My business made the move to Memphis, TN in the summer of 2020. Since moving, I’ve been named one of the Top 25 Wedding Photographers in Memphis by WeddingRule.com. I take on about 20-30 weddings a year and my packages start at a price of $2,000 including options like full wedding day coverage, photo albums, engagement sessions, and so much more! I have also started offering an All-Inclusive Photo and Video package option for those seeking both at one great price!
I aim to create bright and true-to-real-life images and videos for my couples. What sets me apart is that I love creating relationships with my couples. My goal is to feel more like friends at the end of the day! After all, come wedding day, we spend as much time together as you and your future spouse do! This makes the entire process more fun for everyone involved! And as a 7w6, I’m always down for some fun!
You can inquire with me using my contact page at www.finchcollective.com.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’d say it hasn’t been so smooth, but I’ve enjoyed the process of getting to where I am! One struggle I had at the beginning was knowing I wanted to get into weddings but limiting myself on solely what I was booking. Like I said, one of my starts was working with my little brother to do his senior photos. This helped me share Senior / Graduate content in my marketing efforts, which in turn lead me to more Senior photo sessions, but not more weddings. Which is something I didn’t really think about till a few years in.
Another struggle was mainly just trying to create a trustworthy brand and figure out what my style would be. I knew I loved the light and airy look, but I just prefer to deliver images that show you the day you had not an amplified bright day if it was dark and rainy or not a super trendy and moody day just because Instagram likes it all. Picking the style and direction I wanted to go was definitely one of the greater struggles I had getting started but I’m so thankful to be past that because it helps me to maintain a consistent look and create a more trustworthy brand overall.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Finch Collective Studios is my very own Photo and Video business. Currently Finch Collective specializes heavily in the Wedding Service Industry striving to create beautiful and timeless ways for couples and families to remember one of the biggest days of their lives for their lifetime to come. Finch Collective does take on other types of work like family or senior portrait sessions and commercial-style videos or social media content creation, but this is based on availability in between navigating wedding weekends and engagement photography!
What sets Finch Collective apart is that this business can be there from beginning to end telling the story of a couple, From the time he’s down on one knee till they say I do and send off to their honeymoon and beyond, Finch Collective can cover all of that! My portfolio has both photo and video coverage from proposals, to engagements, and wedding days. I love servicing couples and helping them to maintain these memories in a physical format.
Finch Collective, again, offers Photo and Video services to a variety of different avenues but specializes at this time in Weddings and Couples. Wedding packages begin at $2000 with a Photo and Video all-inclusive package option starting at $4000. Stand-alone engagement or couple photo or video sessions pricing begins at $200 as well as other photo and video sessions.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
One of my favorite childhood memories would be my 14th birthday. I had a basketball game that night that I believe we won. My family and some friends from school and church were at the game. I also received my first guitar that night after the game. I had been taking lessons for a while and had my eye on a bright blue Takamine Acoustic / Electric guitar and my parents gave it to me after the game. It was a sweet moment and lead to an awesome journey of leading worship for my church and youth group growing up to a scholarship at a community college that lead me to my now Husband, Kurt. Funny how one memory can lead to so much.
Pricing:
- Wedding Photo Packages range from $2000-$2500
- Wedding Video Packages range from $2000-$2500
- Wedding Photo + Video Package starts at $4000
- Couples / Families / Senior Photo Sessions start at $250
- MISC Video Sessions start at $250
Contact Info:
- Email: emily@finchcollective.com
- Website: https://www.finchcollective.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finchcollective/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/finchcollective/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSINTTnUF6wV4DbSv6uQ13A?
Image Credits
All the portfolio images are mine @finchcollective but the headshot image of me was taken by a friend – @emilyholmesweddings but edited by me!
