INFOCUS
THE PASSION BEHIND THE PICTURE
WRITTEN BY LAUREN DREHER / PHOTOS BY ROBIN ADDLEMAN
Robin Addleman of West Elm Photography is inspired by the quote “Every artist was first an amateur” from Ralph Waldo Emerson, which serves as an important reminder when she tries something new in photography. Growing up, Robin would watch her mother take amazing photos everywhere they went, and also develop the images in a back bathroom at home. Intrigued by her mother, Robin started taking photos casually of anything and everything. But it wasn’t until she became pregnant with her twin boys in 2010 that she gained a love and passion for taking portraits of people of all ages, and thus turned this interest into a successful career. With a glance at her portfolio, you will see she is no longer an amateur. She has become a skilled photographer ready to show your personality and life through her imagery. No matter where your natural element is—a rolling meadow, a football field, your favorite coffee shop, or a rundown gas station—Robin can help tell a story in a photo, your story. Taking a portrait with a client feeling at ease and genuinely smiling can be difficult, but Robin has the necessary skills. She explains that it takes being personable, entertaining, and a good listener. Robin’s wide array of services include modeling headshots, high school seniors, brand imagery, and teen photo shoots. Her true passion is portrait photography with a creative yet editorial feel, especially with her younger clients. Early adolescence is a time children feel uncomfortable with physical
changes, and oftentimes they feel overlooked. Having a styled teen session is great for confidence building as they mature into this new role. One client said, “My daughter loved their portrait session with [Robin]. She saw the finished images and has not looked at herself the same since, a new confidence has emerged.”
“I love seeing people light up when they see their images. They then see the beauty in themselves that others see.” This kind of reaction drives Robin to take the best photos she can while also knowing, “It’s not as much about the images, but the person I see blossom right in front of me,” she explains. In addition to individual sessions, Robin serves other crowds. If you are looking for someone to capture your business brand, whether it’s you and your personal online presence or it’s the products you offer, she excels at this. New business owners often need a creative eye to bring to life what is needing to be communicated. Robin will gladly sit down and help you design your online look and appeal.
To help with your branding, whether personal or business, she also has a closet stocked with pieces to bring you to life—and it’s free! Or you are welcome to bring your own outfits and she’ll make sure they are camerafriendly and work well for you. The “style closet,” as she calls it, is open to all of her clients and she loves being able to style her clients and make them feel amazing. When a person sees an excellent image of themself, they often think of how good they felt that day, and the feeling is emulated each time. For Robin Addleman, there is much more behind a picture than the finished product. “I love seeing people light up when they see their images. They then see the beauty in themselves that others see.” One more unique offering of West Elm Photography is her teen and senior teams. Early spring of each year she puts out applications on social media for all who are interested. These teams will then have photoshoots throughout the year together and individually, with one of the sessions being a creative, editorial-style session that helps the teen experiment with different fashions. The team is also a great way to meet new friends from around the metro. Visit West Elm Photography’s website to see more of Robin’s amazing work.
West Elm Photography • Studio: 201 W. Pearl St., Harrisonville, MO • 816.665.6505 • westelmphotography.com facebook.com/westelmphotography • IG: @westelmphotography
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SIMPLYkc MAGAZINE
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JANUARY 2022
