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

Hi Kristina, thanks for joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?

In high school and summers during college I worked at McDonald’s. Not only was this a great first job for me as a teenager, it taught me very important lessons on how to deal with people in a service capacity. I had to deal with a wide range of people in that job, and it was a high-stress fast-paced environment. There were a lot of lessons I learned, but there were a couple that stuck out and have transferred over to working with my photography clients.

1. A lot can be said for having a positive attitude: I cannot tell you how many times I could tell someone was having a bad day, saw me smile at them as I passed them their food in the drive through, and then brightened up a bit just from that interaction. Everyone needs a smile in their day, some more than others, and some days more than other days. Not letting their bad day affect me was also important-I could easily have second-guessed myself and felt stupid for smiling at someone when they obviously wanted nothing to do with me. Most of the time, I didn’t let it affect me. This has helped me with my photography clients immensely. Sometimes people don’t want to be there, or they feel uncomfortable being photographed (which totally makes sense!). As long as I can keep my positive attitude and not have their feelings affect mine, they usually start to relax and it ends up being a good experience.

2. Clients wants and needs really are universal (for the most part): I quickly noticed that sooo many people would ask for similar things, and not only would they ask for similar things, but they would ask in a similar way as well. Now obviously there isn’t a lot of variety in what they would be asking me for at a fast food restaurant, but I thought it was so fascinating to see how similar so many of us are in what we expect and want. This has really driven home the fact that with my clients, a lot of them are going to be wondering the same things and having the same concerns. If I can address those before they become worrisome, it equals a better experience for both parties. Client education really is super important so they know what to expect and everyone can be on the same page.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a mom that started wanting to document our lives in a better way. That led me to photography. I loved that I could freeze a moment in time-something small and ordinary that maybe I wouldn’t remember, but just the act of taking the photo marked it as something I could return to. Something that I would remember. Photography really helps me slow down and notice, and I think that’s a skill that unfortunately is under-appreciated and slowly disappearing in our fast-paced and busy schedules. It also helps me look at things in different ways, from different viewpoints. I think that definitely spills over into other areas in my life as well.

Like a lot of other photographers, I slowly got my feet wet. I photographed just my family for years, then had friends and family ask me to take their photos, and then finally decided to make it official and start a business. It has been so fun, I have learned so much, and creating images for families that will last forever really inspires me and gets me fired up. I LOVE being able to show people how I see them, the little things I notice right off the bat, and how beautiful and inspiring they are-regardless of how “picture perfect” their life is.

The main thing that I really want my clients to know and that I really try and communicate is how amazing they are. I know how easy it is to feel like you’re falling short and just failing at every aspect of your life when all we see is everyone else’s highlight reel. I want my clients to know that the way I see your kid looking at you? I can tell just from that how hard you try, and how successful you are. Those small things should not be discounted, but sometimes they’re so hard to see in your day to day life.

I am mainly a family photographer because I feel so passionately about it, but I also occasionally photograph graduating seniors and couples. Those are both rewarding in their own ways as well-I love hearing how motivated and passionate seniors are for what they’re doing next and the things they’re interested in, and I love seeing new and existing love that a couple has for each other. Photography for me is has always been and always will be about the people I’m photographing.

I think something that sets me apart from other photographers is that I’m not just focused on getting a pretty picture. I’m focused on capturing YOU-trying to notice and pay attention to the small things and the ways you interact that are purely your own. Showing the beauty of people and the love that brings us together is my goal at every session.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I think the hardest thing about starting your own business is finding the strength to keep going, even when you feel like nothing’s working or everything is stacked against you. There have been multiple books I’ve read that have helped with mindset shifts, as well as ways to keep going. One of my favorites for mindset shifts and getting fired up to believe in yourself is “You Are a Badass” by Jen Sincero, I also loved “Gutsy” by Natalie Franke. When it comes to business specific ideas and tips, I loved “Atomic Habits” by James Clear, and “Building a Story Brand” by Donald Miller. My absolutely favorite book about being creative and the power that it has is “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I still feel like I’m in the middle of a pivot honestly. I moved about a year and a half ago to a new place with very different weather and landscape. I went from desert and sunny 90% of the time to wet, green, and cloudy/rainy at least half the year. Because of that, I’m still building up my client base and I’m trying to think of other ways I can use my skills during the half of the year where outside sessions aren’t really an option. This led me to recently taking a flash photography course, which is something I was never interested in before because I’ve always been a natural light photographer. It’s a good reminder that learning is ongoing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kristinagraffphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinagraffphotography

Image Credits

For my headshot: Sami Jo Photography