Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Lytle.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
When I was in High School I had an amazing art teacher who turned me onto the works of Scott Mutter and Jerry Uelsmann. I had always liked capturing candid photos of people on my digital camera (which was new technology at the time) but I never considered it a serious career. Being exposed to these artists blended two of my interests (photography and Photoshop) and from there I started looking at attending an art school after I graduated. I ended up attending Columbia College in Chicago for a semester or two but I was already getting photo related work and decided to spare myself the expense of an art degree and jump straight into running my own business. From there my business continued to grow and I got into wedding photography with a focus on candid, natural storytelling. In 2014 my wife and I used our creativity and knack for pushing the envelope, to start a new company, The TaTa Top. This went viral shortly afterward and we continue to sell tops every day to people looking to make a bold statement as well as cheer up/support someone close to them who may be battling breast cancer. In 2015, we expanded our business into a brick and mortar location which opened officially in 2017 as The Lytle House. It was a yearlong renovation process, converting an old and abused auto garage in Edgewater into an intimate event space and studio.
Please tell us about your art.
In my professional life I love to tell a story. There are so many unique elements to every wedding we are a part of…instead of capturing the exact same poses at each event, we tend to let the action unfold and capture it as it happens. This allows guests to enjoy the event without the interruption of a photographer and it also allows us to tell a personal story instead of producing a cookie cutter product. In my personal life, I love to get my camera out during family events and apply my trade to our own family. Being able to capture professional candid moments that our kids and my entire family can have for generations is really important to me. Now that my workload has become more manageable due to our event space, I’ve been able to take advantage of opportunities last minute which is what allowed me the time to head out to the lakefront at our last big storm, teepee in tow and capture a memorable photo of my daughter and one of her cousins.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
I think the biggest challenge facing artist’s today is the lack of business knowledge. I meet so many incredibly creative people…really just above and beyond anything I could do but they have zero understanding of how to run a business or how to support themselves in growing their talents and getting compensated for it.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
The easiest way to see my artwork would be to look on our website but if you happen to live in the Edgewater area you can see a 10 X 10 mural I installed on the front of our property. It’s a large Dolly Parton.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5517 N Broadway
- Website: http://www.michellelytle.com/
- Email: michelle@michellelytle.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chicagoweddingphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellelytlephotography/?ref=bookmarks
- Other: http://www.thelytlehouse.com/
Image Credit:
Michelle Lytle Photography
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