We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alayna Keeling a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Alayna, thanks for joining us today. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?
Every day I live is by a legacy of a friend of mine who passed away in a car accident in 2019. Wyatt Cole’s legacy, Wide Open No Fear, described how he lived. He had the brightest smile in the room, and he was going to make sure your smile was the second brightest. He took a chance to do everything! He was a true cowboy and loved the sport of rodeo. Since he passed away, I was looking for a way to be more involved in the sport of rodeo. In 2022, I was looking to book a photographer and videographer for the third annual Wyatt Cole Memorial Roping. Tayler Bicandi reached out to me about shooting for the event, and she was my inspiration to start doing photography. She has been extremely supportive in my journey and we both have grown so much since that time. I got a used camera and got right to it! I was looking for a way to be more involved in the sport rather than just being a spectator. My creative abilities lead me back to photography. I started attending the Ozark Region Rodeos, and spending time in the practice pen with my friends while they roped. It was a learning process. Learning photography is one thing, but learning photography for the rodeo and equine world is a whole different ballgame. Each different event within rodeo has a different “money shot”, so it was a lot of studying exactly what that would be. I started the videography after a couple weeks of shooting and quickly learned that I love the video side of it more simply because I can be so much more creative with it. I started doing more “candid” photos and filming every run eventually. It is a lot of work to go through all of the videos- just think: in the barrel racing alone, there are over 100+ contestants within the Ozark Region! In February of 2023, I booked what I would say was my first “big gig” and was able to shoot at the Roping Futurities of America in Abilene, Texas, which exhibits the next generation of rope horses. Breakaway roping, team roping, and tie-down roping were all part of the event. I rented my dream camera for the event to see how I liked it and ended up purchasing it a couple weeks later. I finished out the season with the Ozark Region before accepting a position with Jackie Crawford, a 20-time World Champion Breakaway Roping. I am currently travelling with her and doing her social media, content creation, and filming every one of her breakaway runs. We are now approaching the third Wide Open No Fear Rodeo in memory of Wyatt, and I look forward to getting content for those who come to compete and support the Wyatt Cole Memorial Scholarship Fund!
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 wasn’t brought up in the sport of rodeo, but I have always been a fan. I love the grit, determination, and work ethic that the sport requires. I specialize in rodeo and equine events, so having knowledge of the sport really helped me start photography simply because, as I mentioned previously, getting the money shot is different for every event. You really have to pay attention and know what you’re looking for (all while making sure a bucking horse isn’t coming your way!). I really want to tell the story behind the sport of rodeo, for those who are longtime fans as well as those who need to be educated about the reason why people compete in the sport. I have some upcoming series that will feature some comeback stories, as well as a series that will breakdown each event. Along with photography and videography, I offer my clients social media management as well. Social media is the main way to connect with an audience especially if it isn’t at the time the event is going on. I create graphics, commercials, videos that highlight results, and post these to their page.
One thing I want people to know about my brand is that it is a one woman show! I film, photograph, edit, sort, and deliver every single video or photo myself. I crop, edit, and touch up whatever is needed in a photo, edit, cut music or voiceovers together, and so much more.
A question I get asked quite frequently is, “So is your degree in marketing or media?” in which I typically laugh and respond, “Nope, it’s in exercise science!”
I started my business during my last year of college and haven’t ever taken a class that has anything to do with my business. Everything that I do is completely self-taught!
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The best way for me to gain new clients is through my old clients. I have clients that have purchased from me time and time again, ones that have scheduled multiple sessions, and ones that share my work whether they are featured in it or not. Building a clientele can be really hard, especially in an industry such as photography. Thanks to my wonderful clients, I have a long list of repeat customers that have helped me build from the ground up. Any like, share, or follow on social media is a huge help as well
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, the most rewarding feeling is when I receive compliments on my work. Sometimes, it’s hard for me to believe that this is what I do. I’ve had some big brands share a lot of my work, and some brands that reach out to purchase some of my content as well. I know there are tens of thousands of people who are seeing my work that way! Now that I am working in the professional circuit, it feels even more surreal to be piecing together content from those events. I see improvement in my work every time I edit a video and the difference in my videos from a year ago to today gives me a lot of hope and confidence in where I might be in a year from now!
Contact Info:
- Website: alaynapearleimagery.pixieset.com
- Instagram: alaynapearleimagery
- Facebook: facebook.com/alaynapearleimagery
- Other: TikTok: @alaynapearleimagery
Image Credits
Personal Photo credits go to Hailey Rae Photography