Today we’d like to introduce you to Mal McCrea.
Hi Mal, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m Mallory McCrea, a creative entrepreneur from Canton, Ohio. I’m a photographer, painter, and teacher. I currently specialize in commercial photography and work out of a studio in the Canton Arts District. I’m an avid runner, bird-watcher, and cat lady. I began my entrepreneurial journey in high school, actually, when I chose to study business management. I always wanted to be a photographer. It’s the cliche story; ever since my mom bought me my first camera at about eight years old, I planned to be an art teacher and senior portrait photographer. I was raised to follow my heart and make my own way. And that’s precisely what I’ve done in my business for the last fifteen years. I started my business just before I graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor’s in Integrative Studies; I studied studio art, psychology, and business management. I built a reputable business photographing portraits, families, weddings, corporate events, and brands. In 2012, my husband officially joined the brand as an associate photographer, and we marketed ourselves as a husband-and-wife photography team. In the ten years that followed, we traveled all over the United States, documenting weddings, and our work has been published nationally and internationally. We owe so much to our Canton/Cleveland photographer community; they are some of the most collaborative, supportive, and inclusive folks. In 2016, we moved our lives/business into a travel trailer full-time, working and living nomadically for three years, spending our days exploring the desert and mountains of the American West and returning to our Northeastern Ohio roots for wedding season. Our associate team held things together locally so that we could live out our dream of traveling the country. 2020 changed everything. We lost 95% of our income in 2020 when the pandemic hit. Thankfully, we had already moved back into a brick-and-mortar home, and my husband had a full-time remote teaching job, but I had to pivot. By 2022, I had rebranded to Mal McCrea photo so that my husband could focus on other aspirations, and I transitioned out of wedding photography entirely and into studio portrait and commercial photography. By 2023, I had my first 6-figure year as a full-time commercial photographer. To answer the question of how I got where I am today, all that said, the simple answer is that I invest in myself/my business, I follow my heart, and I’m not afraid to fail or try new things. In business, we have to be willing to change, grow, and pivot, and the pandemic taught us that we need to be willing and prepared to do that at any given moment.
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?
The biggest struggle in this industry is keeping up as trends/styles and client expectations rapidly change. That is an ever-present challenge, and I’m always learning new techniques and trying new things to stay on top of my game. Competition is stiff in this very saturated industry, and finding ways of keeping true to myself and my values hasn’t always been easy, but it’s the very thing that keeps my passion alive and connects me to the work; connection is the reason I do what I do, so it has to stay the core value, which is easier said than done sometimes. As any business owner will tell you, there are always bumps in the road. I’ve generally been lucky for most of my years to have a second income in my household so that when the books are light, I don’t have to fret too much, but certainly, there have been tough years and seasons. As a wedding photographer, every winter feels like you might go out of business until that mid-spring booking rush starts. In my new role as a commercial photographer, I’m struggling with everything I don’t know yet. After 15 years of shooting documentary weddings, I’m a pro, but only a small percentage of that technique and skill carry over into product photography. It’s constant work to learn and keep up! The struggles are far outweighed by the successes and joys! This career has taken me all over the country, introduced me to the most incredible people, and allowed me to build an amazing, free-spirited, very full life.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
In addition to being a professional photographer, I’m an abstract painter and fine art photographer. In every aspect of my creative work, the common theme is a connection to a moment, no matter the medium. I’m not just a photographer by trade; I was born a documentarian– someone who collects moments. I’m most proud that my perspective of the connections and moments I have the pleasure of documenting are valued. My clients appreciate and value how I see them and their world; there truly is no better feeling as a photographer. As a commercial photographer now, my challenge is to create a feeling rather than document it, and I think that all my years as a documentarian have helped to inform the style of my work now. My primary focus in this season is striking lifestyle, food, and beverage photography.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Authenticity. Anyone who knows me knows this is true for me in life and business. Stay true to yourself; whatever that looks like for you, own it. The fastest way to burn out is to replicate, compare, or strive for what someone else does or has. If I follow my own path/stay true to myself, my success will always be on my terms.
Contact Info:
- Website: malmccrea.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malmccrea.photo/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/sidedish.social/
Image Credits
Mallory + Justin McCrea
