Conversations with Hannah Hutton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Hutton.

Hi Hannah, I’m so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hey there, I’m Hannah! I have been taking photos professionally for 14 years now. 

I became a photographer by accident in high school. I borrowed my older brother’s graduation gift, a DSLR, & started taking senior photos for friends. Suddenly, I was scheduling sessions left & right. I have photographed everything from Haitian weddings to countryside elopements to brain surgery, and I have truly savored every moment of it. After years in my craft, I adore every type of session. However, there is one area specifically that has captured my heart & I have pursued more. 

Storytelling is my passion. I love hearing stories and learning about what makes people who they are & what motivates them. I love capturing photos that evoke emotion, collect a glimpse of someone’s story, and give a peek into the heart of those I am capturing. As I have fallen in love with visual storytelling, I have had the opportunity to partner with non-profits internationally to tell the story of their organization & the work that they do. I have found that when the mission & vision of an organization are captured authentically, visually, & beautifully, it prompts others to be involved, growing the impact of the organization & changing the lives of those they serve. 

One of my most cherished partnerships in this space was CURE International. They provide life-saving surgery for children. I lived on-site at their Ugandan hospital for 3.5 months, two summers in a row. At this location, they treat children with hydrocephalus & spina bifida. It was there that I had brain surgery, ICU recovery, & follow-up appointments in remote villages. It was also there that I got to know the most amazing nurses & doctors from around the world. Their work changed so many lives, & getting to capture their work was an immense honor. I believe my heart for this work grew exponentially while working with CURE. I saw the impact that storytelling had on rallying others, & it was so rewarding to see my gifts used for such a cause. 

I have spent the last year stepping further into the non-profit storytelling space, & I am immensely grateful to be trusted with such an important task by some amazing organizations! I am eager for another year of partnership, & I am grateful for that borrowed DSLR that started my photography journey so long ago. 

I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Currently, I spend most of my time capturing family sessions, weddings & non-profit storytelling work. I have a heart for each of these spaces, & genuinely enjoy each type of work! If you were to ask those around me, they would say I love to capture photos that evoke emotion. A lot of my client reviews talk about the way I make others feel comfortable around the camera, & capture moments that feel intimate, & genuine. 

I work hard to make sure that remains true. I think my heart for the story that lies behind the photograph sets me apart. It is easy to capture a photo, we all do it daily with our phones. However, it is another thing to connect with who and what you are capturing to create an image that tells a story. I think this is one of the reasons I have been successful in my non-profit work. It is a combination of my passion for storytelling, mixed with my heart for people that creates my images. 

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I have learned so many things along my journey. 

One thing that comes to mind first is the importance of remaining true to who I am & my eye behind the lens. There will always be trends, but my unique creativity cannot be duplicated. I try to protect that & remain confident in the gifting I have as a photographer. 

Contact Info:

• Website: hannahelisabethphotography.com
• Instagram: @hannahehutton and @hannahhuttonphotography