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

Alyssa, appreciate you joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I think there are several factors that can make you successful! One of the factors would be recommendations. This is how I get the majority of my photography clients. Marketing and promoting myself helps, but if it weren’t for word of mouth, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Also having returning clients is a huge honor. It is encouraging that people would trust me enough to capture their most important moments, such as their engagements, weddings, births, family portraits, and other events, and continue to request I be with them during new exciting moments. Watching their family grow and getting to know them not only on a professional level but also on a personal level helps me capture their family better.

Capturing a family with small children can be challenging, however, being a mom of two little ones has allowed me to be able to go with the flow and freeze time in the best way. Being relatable to them has allowed me to be successful in pursuing my passion. The crazy candid moments you think will turn out horrible make some of the best photos.

I wouldn’t be in this profession if I didn’t love every moment of it and if I didn’t have my support system. My family and friends have been there to encourage me in my moments of doubt, and support me in my moments of growth.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am the owner and photographer of Alyssa Orr Photography based out of Kansas City, MO. I have always been interested in photography, however I started getting more serious when my son was born. I wanted to capture all of the little moments with him. I had no idea what I was doing but I just kept practicing and trying. I knew I wanted to do this, I wanted to freeze every moment in time with him that I could since you blink and time is gone. I knew I wanted to freeze that time for other families too. When my family told me how good my photos were getting, my sister and husband encouraged me to take a leap of faith and start my own business. I started out photographing families and have expanded my profession to include engagements, weddings, births, newborns, senior photos, and boudoir. I am extremely proud of how far I’ve come in the industry. When I first started, weddings weren’t even on my radar and I could have never imagined that people would be booking me months in advance. I love capturing the candid moments that make life real. I love watching kids be themselves, newly married couples take each other in, and the raw moments of emotion in each session I do. Not only am I your photographer, I am also your friend, your hype girl, and the one who helps you in moments of need.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

I am a photographer based out of Kansas City, MO. I have always been interested in photography, however started getting more serious when my son was born. I wanted to capture all of the little moments with him. I had no idea what I was doing but I just kept practicing and trying. I knew I wanted to do this, I wanted to freeze every moment in time with him that I could since you blink and time is gone. I knew I wanted to save that time for other families too. When my family told me how good my photos were getting, my sister and husband encouraged me to take a leap of faith and start my own business. I started out photographing families and have expanded my profession to include engagements, weddings, births, newborns, senior photos, and boudoir. I am extremely proud of how far I’ve come in the industry. When I first started, weddings weren’t even on my radar and I could have never imagined that people would be booking me months in advance. I love capturing the candid moments that make life real. I love watching kids be themselves, newly married couples take each other in, and the raw moments of emotion in each session I do. Not only am I your photographer, I am also your friend, your hype girl, and the one who helps you in moments of need.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

I think my goals have always been changing. My first goal was booking clients, then it was getting 500 hundred followers, now I am over 1700 facebook followers, my schedule is booked and I photographed two weddings a month for the past 6 months. In order for your business to grow, your goals have to grow. My current goal is reaching more people, getting more followers, and continuing to be booked to support my family.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I don’t think non-creatives fully understand the hard work, dedication and cost to run a creative business. Sometimes I wish it was just as easy as pointing a camera and clicking the shutter button. Instead I spend a lot of my time doing the behind the scenes work that the client doesn’t always think about. I pour my heart into my photos which means researching and finding the best locations, outfits, and poses, thinking on my feet during a session, going home and importing thousands of photos and finding the best ones to edit. The majority of my time goes into hours of editing and creating a look that the client will love. Then you have to think about the cost of the camera, lenses, computers, and other equipment we need as well as living expenses, insurance, taxes, and other business expenses. The client sees just one side of things, and so it’s my job to make them love the side they see in order to keep business coming back. Of course that is when dedication and hard work really are put into play.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alyssaorrphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssa_orr_photography/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/a.orrphotography/

Image Credits
The Everly KC The Brim The Legacy at Green Hills