Best of 2015

Written by: Therese Van Veghel Phipps
Erin Durband born in Page, Arizona is ambitiously working to
achieve her goal as a high fashion photographer. Her passion for
photography began in high school when she received her first
camera as a gift from her Dad. Erin remembers transforming
her bedroom into a studio, using sheets as backdrops and lamps
as camera lights. Her next step was getting a job in the business.
In 1998, without any previous training, she began her career
shooting old-fashioned style pictures of children at Antique
Tots photography booth in Foothills mall and furthered her skill
at Picture People. She briefly considered becoming a wedding
photographer and attended a bridal show in Las Vegas. At the
show, photographer John Michael Cooper’s work inspired her.
“He really breaks the mold of conventional wedding photography
and pushes the limits on what is considered shocking in main
stream imagery.” Erin goes on to say, “He turned photography
upside down and did things with it that I didn’t know could
be done. I was mesmerized”. She decided to take one of Mr.
Cooper’s classes that he called an Anti-workshop. She said, “It
radically changed my view of what I wanted to do.”
Erin decided to explore the fashion industry and began
brainstorming. She invented her own photography style,
designed a career plan, and in 2008 she created her own business,
e-kah-d photography, www.ekahd.com. Her companies name is
pronounced E-K-D, which are also her initials. The name Kah is
very special to her because it is her grandmother’s maiden name
and her middle name.
Erin describes her photography style as edgy fashion and says, “I
love taking pictures for the art of it; the camera is just my tool of
choice. My images are meant to be blown up big and hung on the
wall as a piece of art.” She is elated that her work is published in
various magazines including 480 Brides, Eloise, Fashion Faces,
Meuse and Vedere.
Photo by David Clark
44