We were lucky to catch up with Alicia Khmelev recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Alicia, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
As a wedding photographer, I primarily do weddings. So when a parent reached out and asked me to take photos of their baby’s birthday, I was caught off guard. My immediate reaction was to tell them no, and advice I received from others in the industry suggested that I politely reject them as well since that is far from my niche. The general thought was, since they don’t seem to care about what I am good at, they won’t be good clients. However after giving it some thought, I decided to go against everything i’ve known and go ahead and book them. That turned out to be the cutest, most stress free and fun session I’ve done. They paid well and loved the work I gave them. It was rewarding. This was the turning point for me in realizing there are people out there who have all kinds of needs and most importantly, love my work as well.
One thing that I do differently with my photography is that I really try to connect with each and every single person that I meet. It is not so much to be about having one niche that I stick with. Every wedding client may not be my client. I may not be the photographer for each and every single family out there in the world. It’s about being versatile, good at what you do and really finding my people, no matter what their needs are. I’m happy to work with them and create memories that last.
Alicia, 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?
Hey everyone! My name is Alicia Khmelev and I am a wedding & family photographer based in upstate South Carolina. I am the proud face behind the instagram account @aliciakhmelev! I grew up with a dad who was very passionate about all things photo/video. It quickly became a hobby of mine. After taking photography in college it became SO MUCH more. Photography is now quite literally my lifes work. It’s how I make friends, connect with people and share stories.
As someone who has a family of her own and LOVES love, I know how moments of life pass us by. My mission is to capture these moments for you to have and to hold, forever.
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
Photography started off as a hobby, developed into a side hustle and became my main career.
I remember I did my first ever solo wedding for $300. I was 19 years old and felt like I had the whole world in my hands! My first year I made $8k. The year after that, it doubled. You can guess where my story goes after that!
The BIGGEST key I can say into making a great income is persistence and TIME. No one is going to make six figures their first couple of years. You learn your work, become good at it and find your clients.
Before you know it, your business will be well off. It just takes some time.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Honestly, just being a good person who takes great pictures. I make a point to be kind, NEVER gossip about my clients or other photographers. I always refer work to others and deliver my photos in a timely manner.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.aliciakhmelev.com
- Instagram: @aliciakhmelev
- Pinterest: aliciakhmelev