Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey Irwin
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I move to Nashville back in the summer of 2019, right after graduating college. I moved here without a plan—I knew no one and barely knew myself! I had studied interpersonal communications in college, but had no real plan for what I wanted to do. I did a few interviews for marketing agencies and PR firms but after a few rejections realized I didn’t want to do that anyway.
I had always loved taking photos when I traveled, having saved up for a DSLR camera that I had always used when traveling in college. I remember having this moment where I realized it was okay to do something different and gave myself permission to do something scary! I had almost no experience shooting manually, outside of a high school photography class, so I decided to really dive in to photography and actually learn how to use my camera! I also took a job at a local coffee shop to follow my passion for that industry.
I learned how to use my camera through little photoshoots at home of whatever food I happened to be eating that day, plus doing free photoshoots for anyone who would give me a chance. I was initially driven towards food photography, specifically restaurants, because food is just such a special experience. It brings together people and cultures, all while having the most beautiful colors and textures to capture! Fast forward 5 years later, I am doing food & lifestyle photography full time, along with running a couple social media accounts. I am no where near where I want to be yet but I am so proud of this journey.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road as I’ve built my business. To start, I was just starting to get paid clients when the pandemic hit. I was settling in to my new life in a new city, while trying to grow a business at the absolute wrong time… but I couldn’t see myself doing anything else once I had set out to it.
On top of that, I had zero business experience coming in to this. I didn’t take a single business class in college… I probably should’ve taken some sort of class or program along the way…. so it’s been interesting to navigate the business side of what people see as an otherwise glamorous gig. I know i’ve made mistakes as well. I’m an introvert who’s built a career that requires being extroverted quite often… I’ve had to push myself really hard and i’ve had moments where I fall back purely out of fear. Those struggles haven’t gone away but rather I’ve gotten better at navigating them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a food and lifestyle photographer and social media manager. My main drive and passion is in photography, with social media being an additional creative avenue I’ve found myself on over the years!
Food is beautiful. Anyone who knew me as a child knew I was a picky eater. In college I began traveling the world and meeting new people, and through those experiences I was exposed to so many different colors and flavors. I fell in love with trying new foods, eating more of the food that I love, and talking about how that meal or popular cuisine came to be. I wrote about food in college, for Spoon University. Expressing my affection for food with words, and now photos, in my way of honoring the stories around food and cultures.
I would love to grow more in the fine-dining space, but I’ve found myself gravitating more towards foods that are a bit more casual. I want to see the aioli dropping of the smash burger, the seasonings & spices on the hot chicken, the foam on the beer just about to fall over the glass. It’s the casually delicious and texturally luxurious food that I’ve found myself more often capturing. I would also love to photograph more cocktails! Bartenders are like chefs in their attention to detail and I love to showcase their creations.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was very quiet socially, studious, and creative—especially through writing and reading. I love writing silly stories as a kid and dove in to writing a lot all the way up through college. I took guitar lessons for about 5 years… but I haven’t touched a guitar in about 3 years now and do NOT ask me to sing ha! I also loved painting and playing teacher with my brothers! Ironically I wouldn’t go near sports, even though I love being active now. It’s funny how some things change the same and others are so drastically different!
Pricing:
- $300-400/Hour restaurant photoshoot
- $1,000 full menu
- BUT i love working with small business’ budgets and making things HAPPEN!
- $300/hour for events!
- $400 for proposals, like engagements. Those are my passion projects and I would love to do more!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.caseyirwinphotography.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caseyirwinphotography/
