Meet Album Boutique’s Album Design Director: Kelly Conlan

My name is Kelly Conlan, and I’m the Album Design Director for Album Boutique.  When I work on an album with one of our clients, a certain intimacy is formed from our conversations, and from seeing photos of the client’s loved ones.  So I thought it’s only fair to share a bit about myself and what brought me to Album Boutique.

From the time I was a little girl I’ve had a passion for photography.  When I went to college, it was natural for me to take courses on the art of photography.  Fresh out of college, with my degree in Fine Arts but still unemployed, I began working with Elizabeth Beskin.  This was almost 20 years ago, when she was CEO of a premiere event photography studio in New York’s flatiron district.  It was the start of a long and close working relationship.

I started out as the receptionist and basically climbed my way through the entire company, learning every facet of its operations.  Because I was always the first contact with our clients, I was involved from the initial sale though shooting the event, all the way to the final phase of the album design, printing and binding.  I learned everything about every step of the sales and production process.

Of all the areas I worked within the company, album design was my favorite.  I have always loved creating scrapbooks, even before scrapbooking gained its popularity.  So when digital design entered the wedding world I was in heaven.  By designing digital wedding albums, I could take all of my experience as an artist and photographer and roll it into one work of art!

In 2001 I married the love of my life and soon we began a family.  I am the mother of three incredible kids.  Over the years I sometimes did album design for the company on a freelance basis.  Then in 2009, Elizabeth launched the Album Boutique and brought me on as the Album Design Director.  I am able to be Mom and to do what I love at the same time.

Last year we were thrown a huge curve ball when my husband was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer.  We are so fortunate that he got the best care and did what he had to do and is now fabulously healthy!

While he was going through all of this I got involved with the American Cancer Society.  Talking with many so people going through the same experiences I was,  (whether they were the caregiver or the survivor) has confirmed for me how incredibly important these types of photo keepsakes are.  Photo albums really do help strengthen and preserve family bonds and memories.

I have a different outlook on my life now from this experience, which has taught me that every moment is a gift.  And I’ve channeled this renewed passion for life into my work.  I put my heart and soul into my album designs because they are about life and its beauty!