We were lucky to catch up with Angelika Krug recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Angelika, thanks for joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

I used to think success came to those who worked the hardest. Though I still think there is a lot of truth to that, the longer I run my business the more I believe that success happens to good people; good people who seek to do more good. I believe it takes seeing the client as a human being, having empathy and compassion and putting yourself in their shoes as you service them. On the more practical side I believe it takes drive, focus, creativity, flexibility and good leadership but ultimately those things don’t stand without good morals and strong business ethics.

I can recount an occasion when a company hired me as a freelance contractor where I was severely underpaid and felt very used in the process. The company grew and did amazing work but I never wanted to work with them again because I didn’t feel seen as a human being. Years later I heard stories from others who had similar experiences and shared that they weren’t doing so well. I can’t help but feel that cutting corners and not treating their workers with that dignity caught up to them.

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 name is Angelika (like Hamilton and the Rugrats!) and I’m a wedding and lifestyle photographer and videographer in Orlando, Fl. I’ve been in business for about 8 years and have had the honor of shooting hundreds of weddings in Orlando and other Destinations. We’ve been to Paris, Colorado, Georgia, Italy, Arizona and lots of cities in Florida capturing love stories and I can honestly say I love every second of my job!

I started getting deeply interested in photography in a high school graphic arts class. Then in college I learned more of the video side during an internship and fell in love with that too! While I was mastering my media skills, I was also double majoring in Dance at the University of South Florida. Right out of college I was simultaneously running my business and dancing in town at the different theme parks. To this day, I attribute a huge part of my business success to my background as a dancer. Why? Because weddings are a production in itself and I know a thing or two about how to put on a great show. Since the age of 3 taking dance classes, my eye has been trained to look for little details, I know how to help posing look natural and effortless, and I can keep us on track and at “curtain call” during a busy wedding day.

I believe that a single frame can tell a story; that all it takes is one still moment to unveil a piece of who you are. I believe in the magic of love stories, in the promise you make and in all the little moments that go unnoticed. I believe that how you tell your story matters. When you consider choosing me to come along on your wedding day, you’re not just handing a girl a camera. You’re hiring me for who I am as a person-the heart I have for love stories, the 8 years I’ve been celebrating my couples and the 3 years I’ve spent leaning into my own marriage. I have the honor of understanding first-hand the importance of your wedding day and I promise to never take that lightly.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Early on in my career I thought you should always give all of yourself to your client. Though I still admire the sentiment, it’s not realistic and it doesn’t set a good precedent for work/life balance. I still like to pour my heart into my weddings and feel like I’m walking alongside my couples on the journey but I have realized that the best way I can do that is if I set better expectations and boundaries. The more I took this approach the more free I felt in my work and the better my work was!

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I definitely wish I had jumped on the social media bandwagon a little sooner! I missed a great opportunity when it was starting to create a stronger following. Today’s up and coming photographers have this down to a science! I also wish I had know the power of a client management system like Dubsado or honeybook. This has been a true life saver and have changed the game when it comes to organization and workflow!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.Angelikakrugphotography.com
• Instagram: @AngelikaKrugPhotography
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/PhotographyByAngelikaKrug