This month our spotlight is Lizzie Melvin from Elizabeth Melvin Photography.
Lizzie helps businesses to grow through imagery that reflects both them and the clients they wish to attract. Always in a natural story telling style with a twist of art!
“Start before you think you are ready and before everything is perfect. You’ll never be ready or perfect – even 20 years later!”“ says Lizzie
Name
Lizzie Melvin
Business Name
Elizabeth Melvin Photography
Tell us about your business – what service or product do you offer?
I help businesses to grow through imagery that reflects both them and the clients they wish to attract. Always in a natural story telling style with a twist of art!
Also added in … experience, kindness, a love of people and a huge desire to please!
How long has your business been running?
About 19 years.
Why did you start up your business?
It was actually the unexpected death of my Mum.
That shock- It made me take stock of where I was working, life, family and was I really doing what I wanted to do going forward?
I’ve always been behind a camera – now I’d make it a profession.
Tell us about a time you have taken a leap of faith
This has to be taking on my first wedding booking.
I’d done some training, I’d bought the equipment, followed some wedding photographers … but that isn’t the same as saying I’d take on someone’s most important day!
I was open with my first couple. They knew they were my first. I knew that they’d fully forgotten that though when they began asking me where they should pose. My next booking came from guests at their wedding…
How has your business changed since you began?
After 15 years of weddings a combination of Covid and my needing new hips, made for a change of direction.
I now concentrate on people, property and products. Still with the same love of creation.
What do you hope for your business in the future?
For me, I hope to do more product shoots for new businesses to help them really start well.
And always to be able to photograph portraits – I love seeing people blossom in front of my lenses.
What benefits/challenges have you found as a business owner in the Far West of Cornwall
The benefits have to be the landscapes, communities and brilliant foods. Work wise, the wonderful local businesses that I meet networking are a huge benefit. There is a real willingness to help others to succeed.
The challenges are the expectations on the cost of services sometimes. Having started in Oxfordshire, it soon became clear that any advertising spend is much more considered and personal in Cornwall. Elsewhere, the spending is more often not done by the business owner.
There is also a stronger expectation of things for free in Cornwall – which makes it a harder job to show the monetary value of what any small business does.
How has being a part of FWBN helped you?
It’s pretty new to me. However, it has already helped me to meet an ever increasing circle of interesting people and their businesses.
Do you have any advice for people starting out?
For new businesses starting out – get out there talking everywhere you can about what you are setting up. Take samples if you can. A lot of people have visual memories.
Start before you think you are ready and before everything is perfect. You’ll never be ready or perfect – even 20 years later!
Website: www.lizmelvin.com
Email Address: ecmphotography@icloud.com
Want to be the next Spotlight? Or want to join the network? Drop us a line at hello@farwestbusiness.co.uk.