We recently connected with Kara Mia Dunn and have shared our conversation below.
Kara Mia, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
My purpose has been a work in progress. I guess you could say that I always had a passion for making others feel great in their skin; I am always complimenting others when walking down the street or out at the store. But my purpose was really honed in when I became a mother. What I mean by this is that when my body changed after having my children, I didn’t quite feel like “me” and knew that I so desperately wanted to get back to that. I found my passion in boudoir photography because after taking my own photos, I felt that inner spark inside of me reignite. I was no longer just “a mom”, I mean I was still a mom, but Kara: a human, a woman, a beautiful soul, a mom, a wife, a daughter, a friend…the list goes on. It sounds wild, but boudoir photography is truly transformative! When I started shooting boudoir professionally, I noticed each and every one of my clients come in due to some sort of lack of self whether it be in confidence, worth, or love, yet they would leave feeling elated and in love with themselves; walking just a little bit taller and lighter! This process truly is addictive, not just for my clients but for me as well! I completely fell in love with making others feel at home in their body and no longer hating the person staring at them through the mirror. Finding the purpose of helping women along in their self-love journey…there is nothing like it!
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a woman who makes other women fall in love with themselves again, through boudoir photography. I help my clients feel sexy again, or even for the first time! Every one of my clients has left our studio walking a little bit taller and more confident, as it would be impossible not to! I use my knowledge of lighting and posing to ensure that everyone is flaunting the features they love, and de-emphasizing the features they may not love as much (just yet). I am the booty queen…LOL! I can make everyone, and yes, I mean EVERYONE look as though they have a nice round bum, even if they think they’re lacking in that department. It’s a gift HAHA. My business is built on making it as easy as possible for my clients to enjoy their boudoir experience. Truly nothing is required of my clients other than to just show up. We take care of hair and makeup application (including fake lashes), have an extensive client wardrobe closet with sizes 5X-XS to utilize during the session, we walk clients through every pose step by step, guide facial expressions, provide magazine-quality editing on final images, provide the most luxury photo products the professional market has to offer, and more. Just show up. We want all of our clients to feel comfortable and at ease being with us at the studio. It is truly a transformative experience, one which every woman deserves.
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?
The three most impactful skills are willingness to learn, being a genuine people person, and being able to adapt. Knowledge in the photography realm is constantly evolving, as such, I am always learning from other peers whether it comes to shooting styles, editing, client experience, overall business models, marketing, etc. I am always willing to learn from others, as there is no right way to do anything. With that said, I have also had to be open to adapting. Our market changes frequently, so adapting to new ways of marketing like making reels, spending more time on TikTok, whatever it may be, I have had to adapt and learn how to reach more of my target audience. Lastly, I think it helps to genuinely love my clients. I am a people person; I am fueled by others. I love connecting with them on a personal level and not just as a client. More times than not, my clients leave as friends. My best advice is to join local groups online and in person, learn from others around you. Truly root for those in your community to win, because when they win, we all win. You really can learn so much from others in the community, if you just come at it with an open mind.
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 for others to collaborate with! I have a few large partnerships already with Kayla Douglas Artistry and Tailored Body Jewelry, and other partnerships with local tattoo artist (Casey at Foxwood Tattoo Collective), MedSpa services, homemade soaps, permanent makeup, etc and I have had a lot of fun working with all of these businesses. I am ALL about everything women empowerment and am always shouting out businesses in my goodie bags and online. If you are a woman and own a business and feel as though we would make a great partnership, I am always open to working something out. I absolutely think that any cross-over can be a benefit to us both!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.midnightsunboudoir.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midnightsunboudoir
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2694960230598199/ or https://www.facebook.com/MidnightSunBoudoir/
- Other: https://www.linktr.ee/midnightsunboudoir
Image Credits
Body Jewelry by Tailored Body Jewelry Angel Wings by Kayla Douglas Artistry
