Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christopher Reynolds. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Christopher, thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us about an important lesson you learned in school and why that lesson is important to you?

When I think back to the most important lessons I learned in school, surprisingly, they don’t have anything to do with lighting, gear, or even posing. Instead, it was more about photography’s impact on a person and how not to let others deter you from your dreams.

The first lesson, the impact a photograph can have on a person, came to me in my senior year of Highschool. I took a job early on in the school year, and I did as any teen who was having fun, making money and feeling a sense of camaraderie would do; I spent a lot of time out with friends and coworkers and wound up burning myself out. Going to school, being in a serious relationship, and working late nights didn’t leave much time for rest. Consequently, my priorities got misplaced, and I started missing a lot of school. One of the days I was out just so happened to be senior portrait day, and I didn’t realize it until it was too late to be included in the yearbook. I wasn’t around many of my classmates for most of the school year, and having no evidence of attending that year, I feared not being remembered. 

Fast forward to a few months down the road, I spoke with my friend Alice about how things transpired and how I wouldn’t be in the yearbook that year when she started to smirk and said not to worry. She mentioned that she was on the editorial staff for the yearbook and had one last article to complete before the yearbook was approved and sent to print.

Not only did she get me in the yearbook, but she also did it in a way that brought out my personality at that time in my life. She took the most authentic portrait that anyone has taken of me. One of me in my element…sitting comfortably and confidently in my bedroom, in front of a wall covered from floor to ceiling with Chicago Bulls posters. My hair was shaved and dyed blonde, I was sporting an Authentic Dennis Rodman Jersey, and I had an ever-so-subtle smile. That was who I was. Everyone in school knew me as the kid who always walked the halls with a pair of Air Jordans on or wearing something with a Bulls logo on it. The best part about it, the photo was set as the featured centerfold image for the fun little article. To say that photo is special to me is an understatement. There is a difference between a photographer and someone who takes pictures; Alice definitely had a photographer’s eye.

The second most important lesson I learned came at the end of the very same year. After feeling elated by the photo my friend Alice took of me, I became hooked and wanted to share that feeling with others. On career day, I met with the career counselor, and when she asked what field I was interested in, I proudly said I wanted to be a professional photographer. Without missing a beat, the counselor asked me if I wanted to own a home someday, wanted to get married to a beautiful wife, and have kids. When I said yes to each of those questions, she told me photographers don’t make money and that if I pursued that career, I would have none of those things. Total buzz kill, right?!

Shocked and naive, I sat there in disbelief as she pulled up the stats on how little the average photographer made (back in 1999) and how much a house, wedding, and kids would cost. Sadly, I followed her advice and stayed in the workforce instead. I was left unfulfilled for many years and missed out on doing what I love. It wasn’t until a challenging time later on in my life that I finally listened to the faint whisper in my ear to buy a professional camera. That day, everything changed. Since then, nothing has stopped me from pursuing my dreams. I now own my own business and do what makes me happy.

So, if you are reading this and on the fence about following your heart or listening to the naysayers, please don’t make the same mistake I did all those years ago. A beautiful quote from motivational speaker Les Brown goes, “Don’t let someone else’s opinion of you become your reality.” This thought has stuck with me for many years and fueled my determination, and I hope that it will do the same for you.

Christopher, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi, for those who do not know me, my name is Chris Reynolds, and I am a Professional Boudoir Photographer based in Austin, TX.

I started my photography business in 2018 while working a full-time day job. I started off shooting multiple genres under the business name ATX Portraits. Despite enjoying shooting different genres, a part of me was always drawn to boudoir photography. There is something so fascinating about the lighting, posing, and storytelling that goes into this genre. It wasn’t until 2020 that I sat down with my wife and discussed her comfort level with adding this genre to our offerings. We both agreed that we would set up a few shoots to see how we felt about shooting this style of photography together as a married couple.

It only took a few sessions to know that this was what we wanted to shoot full-time. We were both drawn to the transformative power that boudoir photography has and fell in love with the genre. Since then, we have photographed brides, mothers, wives, divorcees, widows, and even survivors of domestic abuse. Clients often share how beautiful they felt during their session and how exhilarated they felt after seeing their images for the first time. From the moment we first witnessed these transformations, we were all in. Since then, we have been working tirelessly to transition to full-time photography to bring that feeling to as many women as possible.

Of course, it hasn’t been an easy journey. There have been many obstacles along the way. Covid was a major one, hitting right as we started the business. It not only brought devastation to the world, but it severely impacted our personal lives and our business. Many days, we questioned the possibility of us making it through the storm. But we carried on. As we do with all obstacles that come our way, we prayed about it and pushed forward, having faith that it would eventually get better. Since our studio space was useless during and after the shutdowns, we changed our focus. We worked day and night on the back end of the business, doing what we could improve all aspects of our customer experience. With that said, I feel blessed to be where we are now and think we used the time wisely to establish a solid foundation to grow. We are more focused than ever and know how to best serve our clients.

How we photograph our clients is what makes us different. As a husband-and-wife team and as Christians, we aim to do everything possible to help our clients feel safe, welcomed, and respected. Our clients have often praised us for our classy and elegant approach to lighting and posing. We strongly believe that the comfort of our clients comes first and foremost, and we aim to bridge the gap between sensuality and modesty; to help women celebrate their bodies, and their marriages, and to heal old wounds.

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

Absolutely! Many books, interviews, and motivational speakers immediately come to mind when talking about things that significantly impacted my mindset as an entrepreneur—listening to amazing people like; Les Brown, Anthony Robbins, Mel Robins, Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu, and sermons by T.D. Jakes. Even commencement speeches from celebrities like Matthew McConaughey, Denzel Washington, and Arnold Schwarzenegger were rich with wisdom and thought-provoking insights. These are all great resources for opening your mind to new perspectives and challenging negative thoughts and beliefs programmed into your subconscious from past experiences.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

How did we fund the business? This is an interesting question, and I’m glad you asked. This topic has been a source of discontentment for me for quite some time. Many successful people I have spoken with over the years have had some funding or injection of capital to get them off the ground, while those I know who didn’t have that lifeline weren’t as lucky.

When I asked those who got funding for a photography business how they achieved it, I often got that it was all about the right timing, and things just lined up, or they had high-paying salaries from a job or spouse that afforded them the jump…And honestly, I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t feel a little jealous when I heard that, and I saw it as either I was unlucky or was starting the race a mile behind the starting line.

As for our journey, we had to grow the business organically as we both worked full-time jobs, took on side gigs, and used whatever profit our company made to purchase educational courses, gear, demo products, pay operational costs, and afford a place to shoot.

What we did have, though, was the most amazing friends and family who all believed in us and supported me in following my dreams of being a professional photographer. Not once did they ever discourage me or question my resolve. For that, I feel truly blessed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://artofyouboudoir.com
• Instagram: @artofyouboudoir
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artofyouboudoir
• Yelp:
• Other:

Image Credits
Photographer-Chris Reynolds, Art of You Boudoir