We were lucky to catch up with Kristina Kaylen recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kristina , so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
I started photographing on the side when I was 18 years old to help pay my way through college. Turns out after school and a decade later this is now my full-time career with 5 team members! I graduated with my Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration from Thomas Edison State University with a focus in professional photography. The more I looked into the corporate world the more I realized I just wanted to be a small business owner. I love being on the ground level talking with my clients and helping them in any way I can. What started out as a simple hobby of taking headshots and family photos has now turned into a full time career supporting multiple team members and my own growing family. We are excited to announce that we are expecting our first little one this year!
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?
Ever since I was a little girl, I have been fascinated with cameras and capturing moments. I know that sounds cheesy coming from a photographer. But honestly, it’s that love that keeps me going every day. Personally, I get so excited going back through old photos and reliving the memories in my mind. My family often was able to travel through my father’s line of work. I think that experience of traveling to different parts of the world made me realize how vast the world is and yet how small it is too. It doesn’t matter whether you on the steps of the Roman Coliseum or standing on the shoreline of Lake Michigan, laughing with the people you love is what makes life so special. Some of my own favorite pictures vary from hiking Ben Lomond in Queenstown, New Zealand to taking my first selfie as a new homeowner. It’s these pictures that capture the beautiful moments of real life. During college, I studied portrait photography. When I married my best friend, it changed my life and my career. I had been doing portrait photography for years but that moment when I saw my soon-to-be husband waiting at the altar, I knew that was a feeling I wanted to hold onto forever. Yes, there are photos on my wedding day of my husband and I both holding cameras and taking pictures. It was after our own fairytale day that I realized how much I wanted to capture other couples’ love stories. I now work full-time in the wedding industry as a wedding photographer and videographer. Our business has grown and we now have a team of six.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
One of the biggest comments that comes up on bridal pages is communication. As a company we strive to provide fast communication with our couples. After a wedding has been shot and everyone goes home, our team reaches out to keep the couple informed on how far along their photos are in the editing process.
Learning how to communicate effectively with your clients and team members will make a world of difference in creating a great business.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
When you say, “I work in wedding photography” most people’s first reaction is that they know someone or have a friend who does it on the side. The industry literally ranges from iPhone users to professionals who bring thousands of dollars of equipment. One of the most challenging aspects of the industry can be differentiating the hobbyist from a professional while in a casual conversation relating to workplaces. Easy casual conversation generally starts with asking about each other’s work and livelihood. In an industry that is saturated with non-professionals, hobbyist, and side hustler wannabes the challenge to actually set your company a part is enormous. Our small business operates Tuesday through Friday and works events on the weekends. Wedding photography/videography is more than just pulling out a camera and cashing a check. It is hours of contract negations, timeline assistance, wedding planning, marketing, and responding to emails/calls/text. It’s a full time office job with weekend responsibilities. The actual event itself takes a very small portion of the job title. Most of a professional wedding photographer/videographer’s roles are marketing guru, advertising specialist, contract negotiator, wedding planner, counselor/hype person to the bride and groom, software editing professional, and more.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kristinakaylenweddings.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KristinaKaylen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KristinaKaylen/
Image Credits
Copyright Kristina Kaylen Weddings
