What Our Creatives Are Cooking Up

When the idea of Called to Create was coming to fruition, we had a central goal that we always wanted to maintain: being a safe space for creatives to come and explore their artistry. In sticking to this mantra, we’ve had the pleasure of fostering a space where many creatives of varying skill sets and talents have come to work on their craft. From photographers to models, we’ve gotten to know some of the industry’s budding talent and we’d love to introduce them to the world.

Image from Flourish editorial; Photographed by Taylor Jones (@tdevynn)

Taylor Jones (@tdevynn)

Taylor Jones, a Richmond-based documentary wedding and family photographer, is one of the many talents that has graced the four walls of Called to Create Studios. While she was already a working photographer before coming to our studio, she wanted to harness her talent in a way that she’s never done before. In this mission, amazing content was born; Taylor has produced and photographed multiple “Mommy and Me” sessions, in addition to maternity photoshoots, and is expanding her artistry to boudoir as well. One of Taylor’s more recent photoshoots was a boudoir session titled “Flourish” and the final images are amazing; in harnessing her talent, Taylor has perfected her ability to capture intimate moments that translate beautifully through her lens. If you’re interested in working with Taylor, she is currently booking clients for 2023 and 2024.

Image from Bloom Installation; Photographed by Carter Cundiff(@carter_ksp)

In April of this year, we produced our first installation series titled “Bloom”. Bloom, made up of eight different custom built floral sets, was inspired by our ability to grow in unconventional places, and create beauty out of the simple things we find in our day to day life. With this concept, we had the hope of attracting photographers to come and work on their craft while expanding their portfolio. We were lucky enough to work with three talented photographers, Julie Adams, Carter Cundiff, and Brooke Jerman. Even though all three women were given the same amount of time and the same eight sets, there was a beautiful variation in the final images. As studio owners, it was so rewarding to see each of the three photographers thrive and take different approaches to the same concept. With the success of Bloom, we’ve decided to produce another installation series, which will be revealed later this Summer.

Bloom Installation; Participating Photographers - Julie Adams (@julieadamsportrait), Bree (@image.by.b) Carter Cundiff (@carter_ksp), Brooke Jerman (@brookesontape); Participating Models - Dahm (@dahmthemodel), Hannah Grace (@_hgrace_), Ashley Sanchez (@ash.on.display)

Image from Sadie James Hat Co. campaign; Photographed by Bre Robertson (@image.by.b)

Bree (@image.byb)

Bree, a photographer based in the DMV area, is one of the many talents that has become a member at Called to Create Studios. She has flourished creatively over the last few months, and has worked very hard to expand her client portfolio. In addition to participating in our Bloom installation, Bree has fostered a partnership with Sadie James Hat Co., a luxury hat designer in Nashville, Tennessee. Bree’s eye for capturing beauty is so special, and with her help, we’ve produced many editorial spreads, with some being published. To work with Bree, contact her via Instagram.

Image from Model Development Workshop; Photographed by Bre Robertson (@image.by.b)

All-Access Model Development Workshop

April was a great month for us, in addition to holding our first installation series, Bloom, we hosted an all-access model development workshop. This workshop was aimed at budding talent that’s interested in modeling. We love working with creatives that possess varying levels of skill, and it was so rewarding to help new models come out of their shell and gain confidence in front of the camera. To cultivate a safe environment for the models particpating, we chose a small group of creatives that could educate and guide the participants. One of the creatives we chose was Bree, she helped the participants with their comp card digitals and worked on making them feel more comfortable in front of the lens. Additionally, we called in a handful of other creatives to host a Q+A panel for the participants. While our studio is great for photoshoots, we are also a creative social club that artists can use to create a solid foundation of contacts within the industry. Hosting the panel allowed for the models to learn how to network and ask seasoned professionals any questions they had about the industry.

Image from Leve Clothing campaign; Photographed by Jermaine Dabney (@20vsn_photography)

Leve Clothing (@leve.clothing)

Leve Clothing, a Richmond based female-owned clothing brand is one of the many companies we’ve collaborated with for campaigns and photoshoots. The brand focuses on mixing the juxtaposition between masculine and feminine garments while always highlighting movement and the dark side to fashion. Their most recent collection has a romantic essence to it with lace and florals making up a majority of the garments. More notably, their recent collection was shown in RVA Fashion Week, and Leve plans on hosting their own show this Fall. To get a glimpse of their uniquely beautiful garments, check out their Instagram and website leveclo.com.