Unraveled Expert Artist Interview | Missy O'Malley, UEA

Congratulations to Missy O’Malley for becoming one of our latest Unraveled Expert Artists!!

Missy is a family and documentary photographer who lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia, halfway between the city and farm country. She lives there with her 4 kiddos and one bearded, handy, man of the woods. She is a van traveling, wannabe homesteader, who has big dreams of honey and eggs, farm stands and road side markets, cross country road trips and a soundtrack to her life. Her empathetic nature allows her to read people and relate on a deeper level to capture the joys and sorrows that make up daily life. This attention to heart of moments, conveys not only what was happening in the scene but also the weight of it. Her work is imaginative and playful and feels as though it belongs inside a storybook or even on the cover – it tells stories, showcases characters and makes you want to cherish each unfolding second.

She is gifted at making people feel valued and cared for, and for showing people how beautiful their life really is, even in the middle of kiddos and chaos. She knows that life I can be messy, confusing, crazy and sacred, breathtaking and beautiful. We are so excited to have Missy here at Unraveled as a leader in the community and cannot wait to watch her stories (and art) unfold.

For more inspiration:

Website | Instagram

Here is Missy, Unraveled….

What inspires your art? 

I really believe that all things are sacred. That there is a preciousness about everyday moments that we think are common and ordinary. All of a sudden you look back and you realize all those "normal" days.... that was your life. Don't get me wrong I am always game for an adventure, but really, life is lived in ordinary moments that we quickly forget.

I don't want to forget, and sometimes I need to remember those moments for times when life seems really hard. It's why I was drawn to photography and truthfully it is what I enjoy shooting for myself and for others..... Here, let me show you how beautiful your life really is.

What do you shoot with? Camera body and favorite lens? 

I shoot with a Nikon Z6, I mostly use my 35mm. My favorite thing to shoot is the stuff that is happening in my life during the day, so this combo gives me the best chance of being able to catch a scene, even if its' a low light situation.

What other ways do you express your creativity?

I love to write. It helps me to process ideas and thoughts. I have lofty dreams of writing a book one day.

How do you de-stress at the end of the day? 

Let me preface by saying, I in no way have a clean and orderly house. But at the end of the day, I have to make sure that things are picked up and neat (neat not clean) in order to start the next day well. Truthfully, I like to eat nachos in my bed and watch crime shows, but I have traded that for a cup of tea and The New Girl (and sometimes crime shows).

What kind of music do you listen to while editing? 

I actually watch Criminal Minds on my phone out of the corner of my eye. I have watched the series so many times, I could probably describe a scene or episode just by hearing it. It's enough to satisfy my ADD while I am sitting trying to edit.

What is your favorite book? 

I loved the book Educated by Tara Westover and Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. I love all kinds of books though. One week I am reading the Hunger Games and the next I am reading Mad in America, or Design Your Life. You never know.

Name one movie that inspires you. 

My mom raised me on old movies. Audrey Hepburn in the movie Funny Face is one of my absolute favorite characters. Fred Astaire is a photographer who finds a shy bookstore employee he's photographed by accident, who he believes has the potential to become a successful model. The costumes are amazing... and the fact that it centers around photography, every time I watch it I get inspired.

How do you handle self-doubt or creative slumps? 

Journaling. Morning pages have been a game changer. Just write three pages in the morning, whatever comes to mind. Don't worry about doing it "right". Just get it all out. This gives me a way to look to see the thread that's happening my life that I need to deal with. I, for sure, have to stop looking around at everyone else. I can get really lost trying to emulate someone I think "has it all together". I really try to give myself grace. Everyone goes through it, everyone starts somewhere, everyone fails, or falls apart, or feels doubt now and again. It's just part of the process.

What has been the most difficult part of your creative journey?

Playing small. I tend to shrink up, in order to not take up too much space. I have always struggled with feeling insecure, being too much, or not enough simultaneously. But this also means that, until recently, I didn't show up for myself. I hesitated on pursuing things I love, I hesitated on being myself and I didn't realize that my story had a part to play in the bigger picture.

What is your favorite pizza topping?

Sick and twisted, I know... I love Hawaiian.

What is your most favorite kind of light and why?

Truthfully, I prefer less light in my photos. It feels like early morning or later in the day are the only times that it's easier to grab my camera. I have been learning off camera flash, which has been a game changer. Now I can control light in my photos long past when the natural light is gone. (Which seems the only time when I have time for it.)

Who is one of your favorite photographers? 

Kirsten Lewis, she is an incredible documentary style photographer. I could watch hours and hours of her doing critiques. She has such insight into what is important to include in the frame, how to capture mood and connection, how to tell an incredible story.

What is your favorite course or lesson at Unraveled? 

There is so much to choose from and in so many facets of our life, art and business. If I had to choose one, it would be Sarai Jacobs "Documenting the Details". The idea of making a "personal collection of memories" as she put it has given way to me being present in my own life and telling my story of ordinary things through my own personal lens. What do I want to remember?