Creators Vancouver has published a excellent profile of B.C. artist Emily Cooper, a friend of mine whose commercial illustrations, photographs, and collages for clients in Canada and the United States are truly stunning.

Writes author Elizabeth Newton:

Emily immerses herself in relevant worlds before creating her photo illustrations. “If I am illustrating a book, the ideas come from reading the words and diving into the story. If I am illustrating a CD cover, I listen to the music over and over again and let the lyrics and rhythm wash over me.”

Her research for theatre posters is often historical. “I start researching the time period and digging up old photos for reference. A few years ago, I went to Portland to scan a collection of glass plate negatives from the early 1900’s. I came back with hundreds of gorgeous portraits that I often collage into my imagery.”

I like Emily’s advice to “photographers looking to build their own businesses,” especially these two recommendations:

1. Say Yes
To everything! ‘Want to shoot my wedding?’ ‘Yes!’ ‘Want to do stills on a film?’ ‘Yes!’ ‘Want to take my headshot?’ ‘Yes!’

2. Build Your Brand
Building up a portfolio that showcases a certain style is important. Clients need to know what they’re getting.

See more of Emily Cooper’s photographs and illustrations on her Facebook page, which also displays a lot of her profoundly beautiful fine art.

– illustration by Emily Cooper