We had the good fortune of connecting with Malorie Kerouac and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Malorie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I attended university for accounting and was working in that field when I starting photographing professionally. As someone motivated primarily by passion and curiosity, I realized quickly that my passion was in learning, and that the career I had planned out for myself wasn’t going to tap into that motivator for me. At this time, I was young and had a relatively low cost of living, so I decided to take a chance on myself (with the support and encouragement of my lovely partner, Nick). It was absolutely overly-optimistic looking back, but I think we both knew if I couldn’t make it work I’d find a path forward that kept me on my feet. In that sense, there wasn’t a ton of thought behind starting my business, but I knew that if it worked out I never wanted it to feel like I was reporting to work.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

Oof! Tricky question, and a great time to be asking me this as I am reflecting on this topic quite a lot lately.

For so long what ‘set me apart’ was shooting film, and perhaps shooting with abandon. However, I think the industry has changed a lot, and both of these qualities have become more common. Through this process, I’ve come to realize that the only thing you can ever rely on to set you apart is your individuality. Your uniqueness that is imprinted on the things you create.

I try to ensure that I never fall into the trap of ‘a shot for me, a shot for the client’, which is a common saying in the commercial photography world. Early on I decided I’d rather never compromise my voice for a Client, and in turn I never want a Client to feel like they have to compromise themselves for my shot. We live in a wonderful world where creatives can sort of niche themselves, and so can my Clients. We can find each other and be ourselves without having to compromise. Im spoiled in that way.

In terms of challenges that are more prevalent for me…. I’d say it’s mostly just that I have a wandering creative eye. I am at all times inspired by other artists (both living and those who have passed). This has me constantly in a state of reflection about what my next steps will be, and what kind of work I want to be creating. As a consequence, I have to be extra mindful of the consistency of my portfolio and not losing site of what my own voice is. While this can be exhausting at times, it keeps me present and always eager to create.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
People always give me shit for this, but I love Culver City : ). I love how drivable it is haha! It feels quieter with some great food and shopping.

Alright, so let’s jump right in! The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there a person, group, organization, book, etc. that you want to dedicate your shoutout to? Who else deserves a little credit and recognition in your story?  

Oh, my husband, Nick. It’s unbelievable looking back at how much of my career has blossomed from his unwavering support and belief in me. Even when I was the primary earner for us, he encouraged me to quit my job with no real promise of income to replace my then-salary (which was small, he joked that I was a  Splenda-mommy). He trusted that I would figure it out, and that if it took me time he would find a way to help us in the meantime. It’s hard for me to imagine encouraging him to leave his stable job, so it amazes me that he continues to do that even when things are hard.

There was also a period in early 2019 that I was in a bit of a rut professionally, he encouraged me to take a year off of trying to please everyone else and just shoot and share work that I was interested in. He said that if in a year it didn’t work out, and I had no business, I could always go back to being predictable and serving Clients that didn’t align with the work I was eager to create. Another instance of bravery on his part : ), and that year was easily the most formative period in my career. It allowed me to transition into creating work that was more experimental and that confidence in risk taking has stuck with me because of that advice.

Website: www.maloriekerouac.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maloriekerouac/

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