Meet Michelle Dorrill | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michelle Dorrill and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michelle, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
I think the biggest lessons I’ve learned along this journey has a lot to do with mindset. Your mindset is everything!! I spent 14 years half committed to my dream of being a photographer. I got a whole Bachelors degree in photography and I was still not convinced I could do it. When I finally started realizing my potential, I built a profitable business in less than a year. I think about all of the years I spent doubting myself and the amount of time I wasted by not believing in myself. Even now as a full time artist, I have to continually remind myself that my big dreams are attainable.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
This has been a dream a long time coming. Fifteen years to be exact. I picked up a camera when I was in middle school and I went to college for photography. I had a lot of doubt about my ability to run a business and the fear of being a “starving artist” consumed me. So I went on to get my masters and work in higher education for several years. I felt the weight of not having a creative outlet burning me out so 3 years ago I started shooting again. I felt like a part of me was revived and from that point on, I decided to stop running from my dreams. It’s taken me 3 years to build a sustainable portfolio and clientele. I was working full time during the day, editing at night, and shooting every weekend for 3 years to make it happen. In August of this year I went full time with my business and it has been the most liberating thing I’ve ever done.

The biggest lesson I learned along the way is that being an artist is still being a business owner. You have to be able to market yourself. You have to make sure your book keeping is up to date. You need to follow the legal track of getting your business licenses and all of the other things other entrepreneurs have to do. Thank goodness I had help with StartUp Columbus with all things business.

I want the world to know how important it is to honor yourself and who you were born to be. While I was “safe” in my 9-5 job, I was absolutely miserable. I was not doing work that was meaningful to me and it started showing up in my relationships and in my health. I firmly believe we are all born with a specific set of gifts that makes us unique in the way we can serve the world. I was born to document this incredible life. I was born to make people feel safe in front of the camera so I can document them authentically. Now that I am living with intention and purpose, using my gifts in a way that makes sense for me, I no longer feel like something is missing.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a bit south of Atlanta in the Columbus Georgia area but I can speak on some places closer to Atlanta.

I am a sucker for the outdoors so I would highly recommend Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, and FDR State Park. I love the Sweetwater Creek State Park in Douglasville area. Its a bit of a drive but I also frequent Cheaha State Park for the incredible views.

I spent several years living in Carrollton Georgia and I absolutely adore the square. The little book stores, record shop, and restaurants just make me feel so cozy and at home.

In Atlanta Specifically, I like visiting Ponce City Market. They have lots of gluten free options which is a dream come true. Speaking of Gluten Free in Atlanta – Hell Yea Gluten Free Bakery is the PLACE TO BE if you have a gluten allergy. Every time I visit I load up a big box of goodies to take home because I rarely get to enjoy things like cupcakes, biscuits, and doughnuts. Arepa Mia is also a big hit for me as the restaurant is 100% gluten free.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people that I would shout out that have helped me get where I am. I would probably start with my husband, Brandon Dorrill. He is the other half of our business and is my partner in every sense of the word. Every time I feel like I’m wavering even a little he reminds me of how strong and capable I am.

The second person I would like to shout out is my previous supervisor, Kelly Koch. I was working in higher education for several years and doing my business on the side. The last two years I have really put in a lot of work on the weekends and evenings to build up my business. I couldn’t have found the courage to make the leap if it was not for Kelly. Every day I would walk past her office she would ask me about how it was going. She knew that I would be leaving the office and instead of making things awkward, she rallied behind me. Every time I would get scared, she would coach me through my fear.

An organization that deserves the biggest shout out ever is StartUp Columbus. It’s an organization for new and growing entrepreneurs with lots of incredible opportunities to get started. I participated in the Co-Starters Program which was a 12 week course to make sure I knew the ins and outs of business from a financial and legal perspective. It was life changing! The confidence instilled in growing professionals from this program is unlike anything I’ve experienced.

Lastly I would like to shoutout my parents and my in-laws. Going into a business for yourself takes a lot of work and a ton of courage. A lot of people told me how scared they would be or how scared they were for me. Thank goodness our parents were behind us 100%. My in-laws Sandy and Scott show up to every event to help set up and break down, they are consistently handing out our business cards, they share every social media post, and they are always excited to root us on.

Website: https://cirrusgoldcreative.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cirrusgoldcreativecompany/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cirrusgoldcreativecompany

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtMqwIsJ-gBiKyA75nzqvIw

Image Credits
All photos taken by Cirrus Gold Creative Company