Meet Kelley Curran

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kelley Curran. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kelley below.

Kelley, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I’ve been dealing with imposter syndrome for years, and the only thing that really helps me is less time on social media. I know that sounds impossible, especially when building a business / brand, but taking breaks from social media is crucial to our mental health, and to help us keep going. If we don’t take breaks, we may just give up all together. As a photographer, it is easy to see other photographers succeeding on Instagram, and start down the dreaded doom-scroll of “why am I not good enough to be where they are?” and every time I feel that way, I decide to like/comment something nice to support my fellow photographers, and then take the rest of the day offline. I also make sure to write down 3 things that I like about myself as an artist (and as a general human) and make sure to remind myself of those things. We are all unique individuals, and we are all worthy of success and happiness.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m Kelley Curran, a freelance photographer from Milwaukee, WI and based in Nashville, TN – but I travel all over the world to capture memories! I have over 9 years of experience with my business, specializing in event photography, wedding photography, concert photography, music photography, family portraiture, and much more! My artistic eye gives me a special benefit with my work, as I also have been doing fine art photography for most of my life. I have a Bachelor’s Degree from Carroll University in Photography, with a minor in Graphic Design. In the past few years, I’ve put a special emphasis on growing as a fine art photographer, and a concert photographer. I’ve had numerous art showcases, and developed a style as a horror surreal photographer. I’ve also dedicated a lot of time and energy to furthering my career as a concert photographer, shooting for larger acts and festivals. I feel lucky to be approaching 10 years in this field, and hopefully I can keep growing for many more decades!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1) Patience 2) Perseverance
3) Peace

I guess I’m in to words starting with “P” today, but these 3 things really are important to me. As an artist / photographer, I’ve learned to be patient, because things don’t happen overnight.
I must persevere even when I feel like giving up, and keep on going. Sometimes I have difficult clients, and sometimes I feel like I don’t get the opportunities that I want, but I must be patient with myself and keep persevering with my business.
To keep myself patient and persevering, I also must take care of myself and my peace. This means taking time to relax, meditate, and step away from things when I need to. You have to take care of yourself to avoid burnout, especially in this world of constant social media. Like I said earlier, taking breaks from Instagram has really helped me to keep my peace.

My advice is typical; just don’t give up. I had a day job for many years while building my business; I felt like I was working constantly and going nuts, but I was finally able to go full time with my business after many years.
Also don’t let fear of rejection control you, don’t be afraid to reach out to bands or clients that you want, or galleries to set up art exhibits. You never know what opportunities you might have just by reaching out, even just to get together and get coffee. Making connections is crucial, just as crucial as building your portfolio. Get yourself out of your comfort zone, approach other artists, make new friends, and ask for help or advice when you need it.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am always looking to make new connections and collaborations. I always want to meet with new bands / musicians to work with, and create new art together. I offer live music photography, promo photography, album art design and more! I’d love to go on tour this year, so any bands looking for a touring photographer can reach out to me anytime. I love making friends, meeting new artists, and traveling. Anyone can contact me on my website, Instagram or email anytime! https://www.kelleycurranphotography.com/bands

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Headshot portrait of me by Allison Calteux Photography All other images by me, Kelley Curran Photography 🙂

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Portraits of Resilience

Sometimes just seeing resilience can change out mindset and unlock our own resilience. That’s our

Productivity
Perspectives on Staying Creative

We’re beyond fortunate to have built a community of some of the most creative artists,

Confidence
Kicking Imposter Syndrome to the Curb

This is the year to kick the pesky imposter syndrome to the curb and move