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

Hi Emily, how do you think about risk?
In my opinion, risk-taking is what separates those who dream about doing something, from those who actually live in to what they dream about doing. Anyone can have a great idea. Anyone can daydream about greatness, but it takes stepping out of the comfort of those thoughts and putting it in to action to actually achieve greatness. Every positive thing in my own life (and business), was born of me getting crazy vulnerable and uncomfortable, and stepping in to the unknown. Trying at all is a risk. But if you want to be IN the game, you have to get off the sidelines and play. This has been my experience. And with trying, comes a lot of falling. ‘Success’ isn’t defined by never failing. Success is defined by taking risks, falling, getting back up and continuing on until you get it right,. 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
First of all, I want to encourage anyone reading this to Declare, ‘I am an artist!’ It is my belief that all humans are artists in one way our another. Taking ownership of that was the beginning of a massive shift for me, that has led to incredible opportunities. For me, art is all about honesty. When I am tapped in to my authentic self in my creativity, whether that be in shooting photos, writing or speaking, I create space for you to also be authentically you. And it is in that space that we con truly connect and relate. That is a powerful moment to share with another soul. I think what I specialize in is getting down to the soul of who people are. In my photography, for instance, I am not after a perfectly posed photo. I am after the magic of who You are. My favorite photos are always the candid, in-between moments, when guards are down and you forget I am there. It is your human-ness that makes you beautiful and vulnerable and relatable. Sure, we will get the family photo where everyone is smiling at the camera, but the real magic happens between all of those shots. When it comes to my writing and speaking style, I am an open book. I honestly don’t know any other way. I am not interested in small-talk, or appeasing others. I am interested in connecting, and the only way to do that is to get wildly vulnerable, and create space for others to do the same. My business(es) feel like an adventure to me; always evolving and unfolding. I try to acknowledge the things I have accomplished, while always striving for more. There is no ‘there’ over there. There is no finish line for me, only milestones. It has been the most beautifully imperfect journey, paved with many failed ideas and endeavors. That is part of the fun, honestly. And helps me to not take myself too seriously.

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?
If a best friend was visiting from out of town, we would surf at San O as much as possible. We would eat tons of poke, (Kawamnata in San Clemente is my favorite). I would definitely want to take her to the pier, grab some coffee from High Tide or Bear Coast, and just walk and talk aimlessly.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have been fortunate enough to be mentored and inspired by many incredible humans. It feels fitting at this particular time, to acknowledge Lesley Fightmaster, who gave so freely of her wisdom and love. She taught me how to be gentle with myself, while simultaneously reminding me that I am worth fighting for. Lesley, a widely known teacher in the YouTube yoga community, left the physical world on 11/21/20. Her teachings and wisdom are woven in to the fabric and foundation of who I am and what I believe in. This shoutout is dedicated to her, and the kind of person I can only hope to be to others.

Website: https://chasingmcallisters.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/emilymcallister_
Twitter: https://twitter.com/emily_tweets
Facebook: https://facebook.com/chasingmcallisters
Other: photo instagram: https://instagram.com/emilymcallisterphotography

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.