Today we’d like to introduce you to Abbey Boutwell.
Hi Abbey, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
We are the Boutwells, a husband and wife duo based in Nashville, TN creating video and photo art. (Sometimes underwater.)
Before starting CreateWell, Ben started out as an independent video creator specializing in music videos, visual effects, and videos for the music industry. His first year in Nashville, he supporting himself by winning online video competitions, creating spots for Netflix, Doritos, KFC, and more. Ben continues to create video, photo, and graphic art for some of Nashville’s biggest stars. You can find his video work at www.CreateWellLLC.com or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/createwellllc.
Abbey is a professional mermaid and underwater model (follow her mermaid life at www.Instagram.com/mermaidvlogs) with many years of experience in the entertainment business. Known as the “Everyday Mermaid,” she is the co-host for the Everyday Mermaid Podcast, a top ambassador for Mertailor mermaid tails, and creates content for her over 120K fans on social media. After years of shooting with other photographers, she and Ben decided to take the plunge and try underwater photography for themselves, thus creating “CreateWell Underwater,” an underwater portrait photography business. Check out their portfolio here: www.instagram.com/createwellunderwater.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been an incredibly challenging time living through the pandemic as artists. When the world shut down, so did our videography business. Our musician clients stopped touring and generating income for music videos and visual content, so we did not see a paycheck for about eight months. This is when we decided to pivot to our underwater photography more because we had a private, indoor pool to safely shoot our clients while social distancing and following all the CDC guidelines.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Our business, CreateWell LLC, is known for “out of the box” art. Our bread and butter is music videos that don’t fit the mold. For instance, we shot a music video where the lead singer spent four months learning the song backwards so we could shoot the music video of her singing and walking backwards, only to put it in reverse and make it seem as if things are flying off of her and happening in reverse all around her. So it is only fitting that we dove into the underwater space where you can defy gravity and create imagery that once only lived in your dreams.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
No one can do what you do like you do it. So instead of not sharing information or collaborating with your “competition,” be open to sharing experiences with people in your industry. If you do it right, your clients will always come back to you because they see value in what YOU have to offer.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.CreateWellLLC.com, https://createwellllc.mypixieset.com/
- Instagram: @createwellllc @createwellunderwater
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/createwellllc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU4Phgyzk_-3i6NbyRaoY_A
- Other: Ben’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/benballin4ever
Image Credits
All photos by CreateWell LLC Couple Photo: Zachary Manning and Victoria Vassar Maternity: Private Client White Dress: Abbey Boutwell Red Dress/Ballet: Chelsi Ross Mermaid: Madison Nunes Skirt on Black Backdrop and Red Swimsuit: Felicia Flaherty
