Meet Ken Doll

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ken Doll a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ken, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I looked at work as a thing we do half of our lives. I wanted to do something that gave me satisfaction and helped other people.

I watched my Grandfather works endlessly building his Chiropractic practice. His love and dedication to his clients was remarkable.

I decided I wanted to be an international photographer. I worked a graphic design job from 8-5 at the newspaper and then worked on building my business from 6-10pm. Once I started shooting more sessions I added even more time of 10pm -12am. to edit and provide the service I needed for my clients.

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 have been very blessed in life. I feel God has lead me in the path I never knew I wanted.

I went to college and got accepted to Chiropractic school to follow in my Grandfather’s footsteps.
In college I needed to make some money for expenses. I opened a DJ company and became the most requested wedding DJ in the area. This allowed me to study during the week and make some money on the weekend.
Little did I know this was also growing a new interest. I fell in love with the joy and emotion of the wedding day.
As I was preparing to move to go to Chiropractic school a friend of mine. asked me to take a few photos to document their wedding day. I was happy to help and I am glad I did. I go to see and document the emotion of the day. A lot of this the bride didn’t see because she was getting ready and was focused on the wedding. After I delivered the images to her she cried and said seeing her mom and grandma watching her from the corner was just beautiful.

My heart was full. This was something no one else noticed but became one of the most treasured images of her day.

I told my family I am sorry but I didn’t want to go to Chiropractic school and wanted to become a photographer. I was told by a good friend, “you are going to starve and not make it.”

This motivated me even more. I told everyone not only will I be a photographer, I will be an international wedding photographer and travel. After the laughter settled. I started surrounding myself with people who instead of laughed asked the question great, how do we get you there.

I traveled from Kansas to Golden Colorado and took a class from an international photographer. On the last night of the three day event. I asked how do I become an international photographer.
He looked at me and said, ” Tell people this is your dream and you want to provide this service.”

So It just so happed that my wife was at a work conference in Miami. I reached out on a Model forum and asked if anyone had their wedding dress and would be willing to model for me.

This wonderful lady had just gotten married and was eager to get a few more photos in her dress. We were able to get me some photos on the beach that I used for marketing my new dream.

Over the years we have photographed weddings all over the world. I have no ego about anything I do. I feel so blessed people see my images and want that for their special day.

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 most important part of business is be kind. Help others achieve their goals, be respectful and be sincere. People want to be around positive people. No one is better than anyone else and we are all trying to reach our dreams.

A example of this is we have been so honored to either win or been voted in the top three of Best in Topeka since 2012 and won it again in 2023.

I am so humbled that after all these years I have built strong relationships personally and professionally that people take the time to vote for me. They are still helping me achieve my dreams.

In photography and business owner. You must know your camera inside and out so you can talk to a client and make adjustments, you also need to know editing software, computers.

I speak at a couple schools in the area. A lot of people want to be a photographer but forget that it’s a business. It is very important to take business classes. You will have taxes, paperwork, record keeping, insurance and more.

If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
Everyday is a challenge when you own your own business. If I am not clicking the camera I am not making money. All of the behind the scene editing and computer work is not new revenue.

With the advancements in technology including smart phones, AI, Apps, video, etc. The photography world changes every day. I started my business in 2005 and still read and study every day.

When COVID shut everything down, I obtained my drone license so we could provide photos and videos of real estate properties and business who needed aerial work. The portrait side was non essential but real estate was.

Life evolves and no matter what you do in life you need to evolve and continue to learn and grow.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Ken Doll Photography

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