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

McKenna, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

As a young photographer, I hope my legacy is one that reminds people that capturing memories and moments in time is precious and to not take it for granted. Life can be too short and it is important to capture special memories because photos last even when memories fade away.

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?

My love for photography started at a very young age. Growing up, I spent my morning and afternoons at my grandparent’s house, spending time with my Grandma and Grandpa. My Grandpa and I were extremely close and he had a passion and love photography. He almost always had a camera dangling from his neck wherever we went.

So whenever I got home from school, my Grandpa would teach me all about his cameras and taking and editing photos. His passion sparked mine. When I was in third grade, he gave me my very first digital camera. I took that camera everywhere and took photos of everything I saw. Then, when I was in 8th grade I got the opportunity to be Editor in Chief of my middle school yearbook. Part of my job as EIC was to take photos around the school and edit them. This took my love for photography to a new level because each photo I took had a purpose and was published for others to see.

I continued to participate in the yearbook throughout high school which furthered my love for photography. After high school, however, I took a break. Then in 2020, after the pandemic began, I started McKenna Lee Photography after being reminded of the importance to cherish every moment with the people you love because tomorrow is never guaranteed. My purpose and goal for McKenna Lee Photography are to capture photos that represent a story and memory to be told.

I am a photographer in the Kansas City Metro area. I specialize in couples, families, high school seniors, and weddings/elopements. While there are many photographers in the KC area, one thing that sets me apart from others is the connection I make with my clients. While we may start our session as photographer and client, my goal is to end the session as friends.

I love getting to know my clients – from their hobbies to quirks and pet peeves, to their stories, etc. I love that photography allows me to meet and get to know so many new people and help capture their stories. And that’s what I am most proud of; being able to capture my client’s true selves and help tell their story.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding thing about being a photographer is seeing and hearing about the reaction of clients when they get their edited photos back! In todays world so many people hide from a camera. They shy away from getting photos done because of their perception on how they look. So when clients get their gallery and see just how beautiful or handsome they are, and have an instant love for who they are, it is incredibly rewarding. As someone who used to shy away from the camera myself, I love helping others see just how amazing they really are.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My purpose and goal for McKenna Lee Photography is to capture photos that represent a story and memory to be told. I started this business shortly after COVID hit. This is when I realized that life is precious and we don’t capture memories as often as we should. Therefore, I want to help families capture memories as they are happening so that one day they don’t look back at a moment in time and regret not taking the time to capture it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mckennaleephotography.com
• Instagram: @mckennaleephotography
• Facebook: McKenna Lee Photography