Check Out Channa Brouk’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Channa Brouk. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Channa & I am your short, made-in-India, Missouri photographer! 

I am a happy wife, blessed mama, and a creative wedding and lifestyle photographer. 

I was adopted from India and came over to America when I was eleven months old. I am thankful every day for the life I was given. Fun fact, I do not have photos from the first six months of my life, but I do have some treasured photos from when I was still in the orphanage. This means a lot to me just seeing what life was before. My mom did an amazing job capturing life once I was here and I continue the legacy taking photos of my family and friends. 

I received my first camera when I was in High School as a gift from my parents, and started experimenting with different subjects. I was active in school sports and it was fun for me to bring my camera to the games for fun action shots of friends. My sister, who is four years younger than me, was a willing participant when it came to modeling around the house. I continued practicing with my camera through high school for fun. Once I graduated, I picked up a couple paid Senior and Family Sessions. I was gifted my first DSLR, big camera, from my husband while we were dating. 

My business was established after I married my husband in 2015. I knew I would not be able to accommodate a bride if I hadn’t been one myself. Now I know the importance of how the photographer leads the wedding day and is with the couple 90% of the time, so I have created an EXPERIENCE to share with my sweet Evalyn & Co. couples. In my first full year as a wedding photographer, I booked 25 weddings and learned it was such a rewarding opportunity. I also learned that I could not fully accommodate a bride alone. After just a few weddings, I networked with other talented photographers in the area and created a team to be a part of my EvCo Experience. Now, we can accommodate 2-3 weddings a weekend, including out-of-town weddings. In the past year, I have grown a new branch of my business, empowering women with tasteful boudoir sessions. I have been known to open my home-studio space for marathon events and travel to local Airbnbs for different scenery. Boudoir is often associated with lingerie, but my focus is showing others it’s more about feeling pretty and confident in whatever you want to wear, whether it be in a sports jersey, sweaters, jeans, T-shirts, and dresses, etc. Bride’s love gifting their confident experience with their husbands to be. 

If I am not photographing weddings, I enjoy celebrating milestones with my families. Whether it’s an engagement, needing updated family photos, new baby, new home, first birthday, or a multiple generation session, every season of life is a good time to see me. Now that I have a family of my own, I have learned documenting what comes, goes, changes, and grows so fast is super important to be able to learn and relive a moment in time we may never get back. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It’s not always been easy, I was working full time and had two babies along the way. I am thankful for the support from amazing husband and the grandparents to care for my babies when I had to go to events. I also was blessed to be able to step away from my full-time job and start growing my Evalyn & Co business while being at home being Mom and Wife first and foremost. No business owner has it easy as there’s a lot to be successful, it’s not just clicking the button, but I invest in educating myself and invest in upgrading my equipment. I do all the back-end things too like small bookkeeping and editing, marketing, and design, etc. Again, a lot of work, but so rewarding! 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My brides deserve more than just pretty images for their wedding day, so I deliver an experience. Let’s be real, there are so many great and talented photographers in our area, but something that might be different from others is that I do not offer options. I have created one collection that covers all things to be able to deliver a start to finish experience with every bride. Sure, if someone is having an elopement that may call for something more custom. Each couple will receive a complimentary engagement session, personalized questionnaire and timeline, minimum of 6-8 hours of coverage, and a team of photographers, and a day of photography coordinator depending of details, and special offers from our favorite preferred professionals. Details are everything, and so every aspect of the collection helps so we do not miss a thing throughout the day. Our team normally starts when the bride’s makeup might be already done, but there in the midst of finishing up hair as we will get photos of the guys getting ready and bridal details. Our team is right beside the bride and groom until the fun dances at the reception. 

Clients, in general, rave the most about my quick turnaround time. Per booking agreement, my turnaround time is 7-10 business days. Really, 9 out of 10 times my clients are getting back their lifestyle images as soon as the same day or 3 days max. I have kids so I say 7-10 days just in case something happens. My wedding turnaround time is 4-8 weeks, but on average it’s closer to 2-4 weeks depending on how large the gallery it is. Hey, I am client too and I love a quick turnaround when my family hires our photographers. 

How do you define success?
In my business world, success is having my bride and grooms continue to see me after the wedding to capture their anniversaries, maternity, newborn, and other milestones along the way. It such a rewarding feeling having any client for that matter come back and see me over and over again for their family needs. 

I also have business goals to share with other businesses how to succeed in the branding side of things and possibly educate other photographers in their own businesses grow. I love branding and website design, personally and there are so many little things that could help others make a big difference. I have the personality that when I find something that works well for me and my life or business, I to share my knowledge with others in hopes it might help someone else. 

Pricing:

• The EvCo Wedding Experiece is $4,000 and I offer in-house 0% payment plan installment options.
• Lifestyle Sessions start at $300

Contact Info:

• Email: channa@evalynandco.com
• Website: www.evalynandco.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/evalynandco
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/evalynandco 

Image Credits
B. Photography
Brittany Riegel