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

Hi Bailey, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Learning photography is unique because not only do you need to understand your camera, but also how to pose, lighting, locations, angles, etc. I learned through consistent practice with my camera and through amazing mentorships from other photographers. I began by just taking photos on “auto” mode while slowly introducing myself to manual mode, and I offered sessions for free or at a very small price. I also became observant of the other photographers I worked with and tried to ask them as many questions as I could think of.

Knowing what I know now, I could’ve sped up my learning process by diving into shooting and editing courses that were put together by other photographers. A few years into my hobby, when it was a hobby and not my business, I invested in a course that helped me to understand those essential parts of photography better. It was expensive but it completely changed how my photos looked and boosted my confidence in my ability.

I think the most essential skills are confidence and being malleable. Just being confident in what you DO know is essential. I live by a quote from Maya Angelou, “do the best you can until you know better. When you know better, do better.” Until you learn more, be confident in what you do know! But don’t forget that there is always more to learn. Knowing that there’s always room for improvement and being able to consistently grow will benefit you in any practice.

Time and money are always the biggest obstacles to learning more. It never feels like there’s enough time in the day to delve into the settings of a camera or an online course about lighting, but to learn and get better you must make time to improve. Besides time, it also takes money to invest in those courses and in your craft. But being in a place where you have time and money, investing in yourself is always worth it.

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 Bailey McKarns and I am the owner of Bailey V Photography LLC! I started my business when I was in high school in 2017 and my yearbook staff needed some sports photos. Yearbook photos turned into working for my hometown newspaper as a sports photographer, soon after a second photographer for local wedding photographers, and then into Bailey V Photography where I offered senior photos, family photos, weddings, etc.

I offer wedding and elopement photography! I love working with couples who are deeply in love and want to capture an incredibly important moment through photos. Within my wedding photography business, I offer engagement sessions, boudoir photos, and drone photography, Drone photography is my new obsession and I love the versatility it brings to a wedding gallery. That aerial view is unmatched.

I love to be hands-on in my client’s wedding planning process! I love helping to solve timeline problems, planning outfits for engagement sessions, or working with other vendors to ensure a smooth wedding day. I send wedding timeline guides as well as outfit planning guides for engagement sessions. Having five years of experience in the field and over 40 weddings under my belt, I have a lot of knowledge that I am happy to share with my couples!

Something that I think sets me apart from others is how deeply I care about my clients. I truly want my presence to feel warm and safe, and I always want my clients to know that I am there to serve them! I think it’s important that my clients feel completely in control of their day, but educated on their options, to ensure that their big day is everything they’ve ever wanted.

I am most proud of being a 22-year-old with two college degrees and a full-time LLC owner. I graduated in 2020 with my Associate of Science degree and in 2022 with my Bachelor of Science in Education! I decided during my student-teaching that I wanted to pursue my business full-time, and after I graduated I hit the ground running with my business.

The main thing I want my potential clients to know is that I am dedicated to being the best I can be to serve you in a loving and purposeful way. I am a people person and I love to be the person you feel comfortable coming to for your questions and concerns. I so deeply enjoy being creative and allowing that to be a big part of capturing your memories in a special way.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is seeing those risks pay off and my clients loving my artistic choices. Being a creative can be scary at times because it’s always possible that your choices could flop and that’s a tough feeling to confront, but when those choices soar it feels like you are on top of the world! Having my artistic choices be praised by my clients or followers makes my heart so happy and it truly pushes me to be better every single time I am behind the lens.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source of new clients for me has been from my past clients! I invest into WeddingWire and TheKnot where I am better able to market myself to new clients- that helped me to really build a strong clientele. But so many of my new clients and inquiries are family members or friends of my previous clients! It truly makes me SO happy when I see that I made such a positive experience for someone that they trust me to provide that experience for the people they care about.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.baileyvphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baileyvphotography_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baileyvphotography
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/baileyvphotography/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@baileyvphotography?

Image Credits
Sydney Shadbolt Photography & Veronica Lynn Photography