We recently connected with Kelsie Johnson and have shared our conversation below.
Kelsie, 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 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.
Imposter syndrome is such a common thing in photography. I don’t think anyone ever truly overcomes it. Everyone, myself included, always has a new goal to reach, a new skill they want to learn or prefect. The feeling that you are not as great as other people is such a normal widely known feeling in the world of social media. You see everything right at your fingertips. It’s so easy to compare yourself to others because of it. It’s a feeling of doubting your abilities and fearing that others won’t think you’re as good as someone else. I think one of the best things I’ve done for myself is recognizing my accomplishments and giving myself credit for all of my hard work. I’ve won over 50 publications; I placed in the best of Hernando contest last year. I’ve been busier in this last year of business than I ever have before. I feel like I’ve come so far, and I’ve earned those achievements. Surrounding yourself with people who support you and believe in you can also really help your confidence and the way you see yourself as a business owner. I have so many amazing people who spread my name and I’ve become very well-known over the last year. people I never thought would be my biggest supporters, are the biggest help when it comes to getting my name out there. Personally, I try really hard to shift my mindset to focus on my strengths and progress I’ve made. Remind myself that making mistakes or facing challenges is a natural part of growth and learning. I embrace those moments the best I can as opportunities to improve and develop a new skill. I always try to remember I’m not alone in feeling this way. Everyone has their own insecurities, even the most successful people out there can feel that “imposter syndrome” feeling every now and then. You should always be kind to yourself, celebrate your achievements, small and large. Keep pushing forward.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is Kelsie Johnson. I’m a wife and mother before anything else. I met my husband at 14 years old. we are about to hit our 14-year mark together. We have two wonderful crazy children together. Savvy, who is about to be 10, & Ryder who just turned 2. My daughter was who really inspired me to start my business. Photography is something I’ve always been interested in, but it was after she was born, I really started to take it seriously. When she was around 2 my husband bought me my first DSLR camera. I put all my spare time inti learning my camera and everything I could about photography. I opened my business in 2017 and love every minute of it. We are getting ready for a big more to Tennessee which I know will be a new challenge. Completely moving my business and starting over somewhere new. I can’t wait to see everything to come in the future for my family and business.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, I think the most important thing I’ve done in my business was really learning every aspect of my gear. Being able to use it to its full ability is so important. It really makes the difference between a good image and a great image. So much more goes into a good photo than just “pushing a button”.
Another thing I’ve found so helpful is style shoots. Especially group ones! When you have a good community of photographers not only do you make friends with similar interests, but you can learn SO much from one another during these sessions. Everyone has their own creative views and someone else may do something totally different you never would have thought of on your own. and it’s something you can take from that session and incorporate it in others. A lot of my styled shoots recently have involved a champaign pop. I’ve never done one of those previously and I learned they are so fun and make for some great images almost every time! I never would have known if someone wouldn’t have recommended it and got it started.
Lastly, I think it’s very important to show who you are in your personal life. You have total strangers in most cases hiring you. Showing yourself on your website and social medias in your daily life with your family, not only shows your name so much more, but it shows you’re a real person just like they are. My business really started to take off after I began showing myself and my life more! Think about it, would you feel more comfortable hire a total stranger you’ve never seen or heard before? Or would you feel more comfortable with someone you’re always seeing and feel like you know a little of who they are and how similar they are?
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When you’re feeling overwhelmed as a business owner, it’s important to take a step back and prioritize. Focus on the most important tasks first. Sometimes it’s important to take a step back. Do something to take your mind off of things and focus on something else for a bit. When I’m feeling overwhelmed in what I’m doing I try to change gears. This is something I am teaching my daughter as well. She is in 4th grade and home schooled this year. Sometimes she works on things that are very overwhelming. I try to teach her when she’s feeling very overwhelmed to stop what she’s doing and walk away. take a break. go play for a hour and come back. Come back to it with fresh eyes and a clear mind. When she does, she feels so much better and finishes what she was doing no problem. Everyone gets overwhelmed. Adults and children. It’s how you handle it that’s important. your mental health is more important than anything else. You should do whatever you like to do to clear your head. Take a walk, read a book, scroll some videos. Come back with fresh eyes and start again. It will almost always make you feel better. It’s crucial to take care of yourself. Remember, your only human. take things one step at a time, and you’ll find your way through the overwhelm.
Contact Info:
- Website:www.lovephotographybykelsie.com
- Instagram: @lovephotography314
- Facebook: @lovephotography314
- Other: Tiktok: @kelsie314
