Outside the Frame: What to Expect When Working with Me

I’m a model and photographer. If you didn’t already know that, you probably don’t know me, or you’re one of my lifestyle clients (lol). Whether I’m creating for fun, to refine my skills, or to test some new techniques, I am regularly collaborating with other creatives. If you want some tips on reaching out to other creatives, check out my previous blog post!

Shameless self-plug: follow me on Facebook and Instagram!
Photography – FB: facebook.com/emcrombez | IG: @emcrombez
Modeling – FB: facebook.com/crombezgirl | IG: @crombezgirl

Also, shout out to Andrea Ball for the awesome BTS shot that’s featured at the top of this post!

Working with Other Creatives: Collaboration Etiquette Guide

“If you’re going to do something, do it right.” – basically every adult role model ever.

Now, I’ve been photographing and modeling for 4 years and in that time I’ve worked with more people than I can remember. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the best makeup artists, the coolest hairstylists, and the most creative models & photographers. Some of them reached out to me, I reached out to some of them, but all of us have received countless messages asking about a collaborative project. We’ve gotten the good and the bad, and hopefully you can pick up some tips from our experiences! Read to the end for some general tips.

A Model-ographer’s Tips for Models

It’s been a great 4ish years of both modeling and photography. Though I started as a model, I’ve been incredibly active in both worlds. Every now and then, someone will ask me what advice I would offer to someone who wants to get started with modeling. If you like what I do on either side of the camera, then hopefully these tips can help you out.

A Friend’s Wedding

On September 21, 2019, I had my favorite wedding so far – Hannah and Josh. 

In January, they asked me to do their engagement photos, and I was blown away. They braved the bitter cold of Michigan winter in early January 2018 for our session, and got absolutely adorable photos. Come to think of it, they may be the reason why I jumped back into shooting candid portraits. Which likely lead me into weddings. So, thanks for that, you two! Anyway, more about their wedding.

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Lindsey and Coy

Wow, what an absolutely fantastic day I had last week. Spending the day with friends where you just flow throughout the day is a wonderful experience, especially when it starts with crepes and friendship and ends with sunset on a beach and sunset. Thanks to Lindsey and Coy, I was able to test the processes of a potential day long in-home photo package and create some spectacular photos throughout the day along with two fellow creatives.

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I drove all the way across the state, walked into their beautiful home, and was greeted by “AH! You almost made me drop my croissant!” – Lindsey and Coy had been watching Vine compilations while waiting for me to arrive, and I happened to step into their house at just the right time.

What a great introduction to a lovely and wacky couple.

Refocusing

Now that the school year has started up, I find myself reflecting on the last few years of my life. Every year around mid August, I’d be packed up and preparing myself mentally and physically for school. Now, in late August, I find it strange that I have some free time to myself. It’s weird to feel unproductive when I’ve been taking classes or working since I started.

College was an awesome experience for me – I got to see a whole new world (literally) and learn about things I had no idea existed. My friends got me into modeling, then photography, and then I found a new community because of it. I learned so much more about people than I thought I ever would, became more patient with others and myself, and finally figured out a good method for navigating the world.