Meet Elexcya Crawford | Photographer

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

Hi Elexcya, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I been taking pictures since I was a little girl, one day I was sitting around re-evaluating my life and my purpose and I felt like I was just existing in this world that I needed to do something to change that. I thought about all the things I could do, you know my talents and photography has always been something I was passionate about. At the time COVID had hit and I thought I got all this time let me start preparing. So I started.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a Certified Nursing Assistant, now most people hear that and see it as a low class job but when you’re a person like me you see it as being in a position to help others who can not help themselves. I love what I do I love taking care of people and I get paid decent to do it lol 😆 I am an extremely kindhearted person so I fit right in! I am most proud of myself for taking on the task of being a single mom to two little girls and knocking it out the park. I didn’t know if I’d be a good mom because I didn’t have a good mom but I always told myself that my children would never have to recover from their child hood like I did and so far I believe I’m doing awesome. It’s been a struggle even trying to get where I am today. Throughout my life I didn’t really have much support in any area of my life I always had to learn and do things the hard way everything was trial and error but also some great learning experiences. God has always been my go to when I felt like I couldn’t do something. That’s how I overcame my challenges. I learned not to cut off my emotions but instead to cut off people who try to invalidate my feelings. I learned when people show you who they are believe them the first time. I learned that if you don’t fight for you, be your biggest cheerleader no one else is going to do it. There are no hand outs or elevator to succeed you have to take the stairs and when you make it to the top it’s so rewarding. I’m a professional photographer and it hasn’t been easy when you don’t have a whole lot of support but a fail is not a fail unless you quit. E.Danyell Photagraphy is my baby and I love capturing special moments in time for other people to look back on. I’m a photographer because for a moment I get to see everyone’s special moments and smiles.

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.
Me and my best friend are simple creatures we’d want to eat, relax and laugh. Here in Houston it is a melting pot of food. We’d visit the breakfast Klub, taste bar and Kitchen, Emma rose winery, we’d visit the museum district because were artistic beings. We’d visit Hermann Park because being there is so relaxing, we’d catch a movie at one of the studio grills that serve you food and drinks, we’d go dancing somewhere I’m not really sure we’d have to vet the places. We’d go to San Antonio catch the river walk I love going out there. There are so many things in Houston it’s hard to get bored !

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have to shout out first Bella Dugas, she has been an inspiration to me since we met 4 years ago always encouraging me, always boosting my confidence and giving me little tips and tricks to help improve my photography business. I want to also give a shout-out to Jackie Larkin, who is a fellow photographer and has been somewhat of a mentor for me. She is always willing to answer my questions and let me know how to do something which I can appreciate because we live in a sort of “crab-in-a barrel world I’m great full to her for always willing to help. Then there is a book by Yvonne Orji the actress from the TV show Insecure she wrote a book called Bamboozled by Jesus man! She dropped some jewels in that book reading that book completely changed my mindset it’s a great read.

Instagram: EDanyellphotography

Facebook: Elexcya Crawford

Image Credits
Bella Dugas and E.Danyell Photography