Meet Michelle Chait | Branding, Headshot, and Senior Portrait Photographer

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

Hi Michelle, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I had always been a worker bee and never intended to start my own business. I was working as an occupational therapist in the public school system when the pandemic began and, with all the school closures and everything shutting down, I suddenly had more time on my hands. I decided to use that time creatively and began experimenting with photography after many years of not picking up a camera (aside from my cell phone). I started creating composite images from self-portraits and eventually, when the world started to re-open, realized I preferred shooting other people. I began to invest more of my time and money into my craft and recognized how much I truly loved portraiture and ultimately decided to pursue photography as a business.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I get really excited when a client wants to think outside the box for their photos. I love getting creative with my work and thinking about how I can use a location, props, wardrobe, color, and lighting to set the scene for an amazing photo. I want to create images that evoke emotion in the viewer by telling a story. I think one of the greatest challenges in this is that some people view all photographers as one and the same and see us as button pushers. As I’ve grown my business, I’ve learned that my ideal client is one that sees the value in the process.

I also REALLY like to have fun on my shoots. I love making my clients laugh and make sure they’re having a good time. A lot of people are nervous to have their photo taken and I find that making them laugh helps them relax.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Most of my friendships revolve around outdoor activities so if one of them was visiting we would definitely be spending most of our time in the mountains. I’m an avid trail runner and backpacker and have explored many trails here in Colorado. After flying in to Denver, I would take them on a road trip across the state. I generally avoid the crowds on the 14ers, but love a good 13er such as South Arapaho Peak. I also love a beautiful alpine lake and might take them to see Crater Lake at Lone Eagle Peak, Lake Isabelle, Capitol Lake, Blue Lakes, or Ice Lakes Basin. When we hit the southwest part of the state, a visit to Black Canyon of the Gunnison would be a must as I think this park is so underrated – the Painted Wall at sunset is absolutely magical. When we return to the Denver area, we would fill our bellies with some delicious pizza from Fat Sully’s and ice cream from Sweet Cow.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There have been many people that have supported and influenced me on my journey to becoming a photographer, but I feel like attending events held by Creative Concepts Collective (CCC) really helped me grow as an artist. CCC holds several content days annually; these events contain multiple styled sets where photographers shoot models to help build their portfolio, trial new techniques, and collaborate with other artists. Attending these events has taught me how to think more creatively when I shoot and also allowed me to develop and practice skills that I might not feel comfortable experimenting with during a client session.

Website: www.michellechaitphotography.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/michelle.chait.phtoography