We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christina Hodges a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Christina, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

As a child my mother had albums and albums of pictures. I didn’t have a close relationship with my moms side of the family and didn’t know my fathers family, so these albums were like a peephole into my past. Who were these people that I either didn’t know or didn’t know well. As I got older, I found myself collecting photos and albums myself. People I didn’t want to forget, memories that would stay forever. As a young adult and having my first child, I wanted to capture every moment they had. You know how a memory can fade? Like what did you childhood home look like on the inside, what did your mom look like when she was your age, memories that become foggy over time. I just wanted to make them clear so that when they become foggy, I can see it clearly in front of me. Then as my child became older and I had more children, I wanted them to have fabulous photos! How creative can we get with these? My children became my models. Excited to put on a fancy dress, pose for unique photos and show all their friends! I really enjoyed capturing all these moments and learning how my camera worked. I learned more about editing and how to really make a photo look different than just a snapshot. After many years of taking photos of my kids and enjoying the process, I started noticing as I would walk down the street and think to myself, “Oh Wow! That person has such a unique look! I wish I could take their photo.” Thus, an idea was born. I could do this for a living! I could do this as a creative outlet! I could be happy doing something that brought people joy!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a 43 year old married mother of 3 children. I have and 18 year old, 15 year old and 3 year old. My husband is an electrical engineer. We have been married for 3 years. and we share our youngest together. We have 2 Chinese Shar-Pei pups! Our home is usually pretty busy and pretty loud. My 18 year old is starting their first year of college and loves fine arts. Usually belting out a show tune at the top of their lungs through the house, they have been in the theatre for a long time, choir, marching band, jazz band and orchestra. They never stop playing instruments and currently can play 12 different instruments. My 15 year old is a special effects makeup and makeup artist in the making. She started showing an interest in makeup at a very young age, often showing up in the kitchen in a panda face or as Ursula from the Little mermaid. I really never know who or what I will be encountering when I come home. Talented beyond belief the two of them. My young son is mostly into superhero’s at the moment and just really loves his family. We are all his “best friends” as he often states. As a business owner, I feel it is important to support other business owners and give back to the community as often as I can. Nothing brings me more joy than being able to make someone feel as special as they are through photography. I love seeing someone’s face when I turn around the camera to show them just how awesome they are. They just light up!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I have often been told that I have the ability to make people feel comfortable. I become their friend by the end of a photo session. Really, it would be my goal to become friends with my clients. I do love interacting with people and making them laugh and feel comfortable. It is often uncomfortable in front of the camera as people don’t know what to do with their hands or how to pose. Yes, I do posed photos, but most importantly, I like to watch my client and get a feel for their personality. Personality is what makes a photo go from ok to awesome. If I can coax someone out of their shell and get loose, their photos will always turn out amazing! Being in the service industry for most of my life, I know how important it is for a client to get their photos in a timely fashion, so I always give them a time frame on when to expect their photos, and always over deliver usually before the time period is up. It is also important to me that contact is maintained. I never leave anyone hanging out there waiting for a response. I know myself, I like instant responses. So I treat my clients, how I would want to be responded to.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Word of mouth. I know, it sounds old school, but I promise it has been the most beneficial way I get new clients. Of course I still do social media ads, and have an SEO on my website, but by and far it is word of mouth that keeps new clients talking to me. Past experiences of past clients, explaining to potential new clients is the best compliment I can get.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lanikaiphotographykc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lanikaiphotoshoots/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kailaniamari/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lanikai-photography-gardner

Image Credits

LaniKai Photography
Christina Hodges