Meet Erika Lynn Dely of Luved Photography in Mt. Greenwood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Lynn Dely.

Erika Lynn, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Luved Photography has very much been born out of a desire to both find myself and of simple necessity. While I was working on my undergraduate degree from the University of Utah I started working for a small photography studio in Sandy, Utah. I worked under two master photographers who really threw me into the work of photographing weddings, editing and album design. Because the studio was small, I picked up a lot of the business side of things as well. While in Utah, personally, things weren’t going very well with my marriage so we moved back to Chicago where I am originally from to give it one last shot. I was working on a graduate degree from DePaul University that I wasn’t even sure I really wanted and I started doing some shoots on the side. I loved working with people so much that I took on as many shoots as I could and day by day I started to question my professional future even further. Unfortunately, my life came to a halt when I decided it was time that I get a divorce. I did not want to have to accept any sort of monetary gain or have any lasting ties to my husband so I accepted my current situation, got rid of pretty much everything I owned and I pressed on. I have worked tirelessly since that day to create what is currently a very successful photography business. Coming out of such a horrible situation, I started with very little money and very little self-confidence, but a love for something that I knew would make me very happy if I could just find a way to make it pay my bills. While it began as just word of mouth, I knew I needed something to catapult me into finding new clients. I started advertising at craft fairs and eventually I decided to really put myself out there and set up a Groupon to have my work get more exposure. I was very careful about how I created the terms of the Groupon, and it really helped me get the exposure I needed. Since then I have continued to grow substantially year after year and it is now my more than full time career! In 2014 I opened my studio so I could provide my clients with a space to come to in addition to meeting on location, and it has been a wonderful addition to my business! Owning my own business and being a photographer were never on my list of what I wanted to be when I grow up, but I think that is what is so beautiful about it. If you pay attention and follow your gut instincts you eventually get to the place you are supposed to be.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of my biggest struggles throughout my journey to where I am now is accepting my true self and believing that people come to Luved Photography for me. Putting yourself out there and having the confidence to sell something that is created by you is incredibly frightening! There is also a lot of competition in the photography industry, especially since the rise of social media platforms. Technology is also so readily available that it is easy to find a “photographer” in almost any neighborhood, even any block in Chicago. Every once in a while I really struggled with trying to be like all of those other photographers and it wasn’t until about a year ago that I really just started believing in my brand and my style and my way of running my business. I have come to a point where I really don’t even pay much attention to what other photographers are doing – I do me – and I’ve realized that’s what people come to me for. With that, as I’ve continued to grow, I’ve also needed help and it has been a real struggle to find people who get ‘me’. Staying true to myself and my artistic style and business style has really presented a challenge when looking for employees, and it has taken years but I have since found two girls who really do understand how I think and what’s important to me and find the same joy in doing work that helps me that I find in helping my clients capture their lives. Besides accepting my own self and staying true to me, of course there have been other struggles, but I think to really make a business thrive you have to be resilient, and boy am I ever! The endless struggles that have been presented to me I deal with, I laugh through and I keep going and just count them as part of my story.

Please tell us about Luved Photography.
Luved Photography is a photography and design studio. It incorporates wedding photography, family photography, newborn photography and I also do some corporate photography. I (Erika) am the main photographer and I have 2 girls who assist me with weddings and some other behind the scenes work like processing and album design. We don’t technically specialize in any form of photography, I specialize in all of photography. I love that on a given day I could start with a newborn session and end with a wedding! I’m probably known most for my package that follows you through your child’s first year of life. From their newborn photo session until they turn a year old, I meet with my clients every 3 months to capture their child as she or he grows. At the end of the year they get an album showcasing the best from each session.

What I am most proud of as a company is keeping the loyalty of so many clients and feeling as if people really do trust me with their memories. I don’t just take your photos and give them to you, I really do try and tell your story, and for many of my clients that starts with their wedding day. I have some clients whose wedding I photographed and now they have three children who I photograph. I have been by their side for so many of life’s special moments and it’s an honor to stay in the lives of these incredible people I get to meet. Knowing that people choose me to capture their own journeys for years at a time, makes me very proud.

The difference between Luved Photography and other photographers I truly think is the experience. I really try to make sure everyone is relaxed, has a good time and feels comfortable with me. I approach everyone as a friend, because truly by the end of a session we will be friends. I love that clients can be real with me; they can text me for fashion help, cancel on me if their baby gets a cold last second, call me if their child didn’t nap properly and they need to shift things a half hour – life happens! I want to provide an experience that is fun and stress free and makes the most out of a situation. I absolutely love when a session maybe seems to not go very well and I then send the family their photos, and to their surprise they look picture perfect. I’ve been told I have a knack for making a bad situation look perfect, and I really do think that calmness and flexibility in my business style is to thank.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Any of my favorite memories from childhood revolve around being at Disney World. It was my favorite place, as it is for most children, but I took it to a whole new level! I remember walking out of the theme park one day, sobbing because I didn’t want to leave and as my mom held my hand on our way to the monorail she looked down at me and said don’t cry, you’ll work here one day. And I did. I made it to Disney World to work and was absolutely in love with the story of Walt Disney and his drive to find success and create such an amazing place. Nothing brought me more fun on my days off than to just sit and watch kids in amazement as they entered the park. While Luved Photography can never compare to Disney World, I truly hope I can create an enjoyable experience for my clients and make them feel like my guests and my friends.

Contact Info:

• Address: 3524 West 111th Street
  Chicago, IL 60655
• Website: www.luvedphotography.com
• Phone: 708.528.0728
• Email: luvedphotography@yahoo.com
• Instagram: luvedphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luvedphotography
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/luved-photography-chicago-2

Image Credit:
Erika Lynn Dely
Brianne Lenz
Avery Coney