We were lucky to catch up with Eden Davis recently and have shared our conversation below.

Eden, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

When I was in the 7th grade, I started taking french at my school. My teacher was the most wonderful, giving, and creative woman and on top of being a teacher she also worked for a sports photography company. One day the owners of the sports photography company came in and gave open interviews for photography assistants. I had never picked up a camera but immediately I was interested. Two weeks later, I was hired and started training on the job. I loved the rush of being a part of a production team. The bright lights, posing the subjects, multiple cameras, and all the different types of lenses all made it feel like I was on the set of a movie. I fell in love with everything photography related and at Christmas that year I begged my grandparents for my first DSLR camera. I was gifted a canon rebel t6 with a kit lens. I started hosting photoshoots with my friends in our bedrooms or going to the park to take pictures. For years, photography was a hobby and was primarily used when I traveled. In my junior year of high school, I started to shoot every single day. I would arrange photoshoots with people in my city as practice and travel to neighboring cities for different settings. One Sunday evening in 2019 I’m sitting down for dinner with my dad and brother. I’m showing them my most recent work and they were amazed at how much I had improved over the year. They said to me “Eden, you have a talent that you are diminishing with your fear of failure. Your photos mean something and you need to share them with the world. Start a business and see how god will help you thrive” This sentiment spoke life into me. The very next day I started “Eden Davis Photography” on Instagram and Facebook. Being a Black woman starting my business in northern Kentucky, I was nervous that my clientele wouldn’t reflect my mission. The mission is centered around the inclusivity of people of color and making people look and feel amazing. To my surprise, my inbox was flooded with Black and brown people in my city that had been yearning for a Black female photographer. Before I knew it I was booked solid for 3 months straight. I was most excited to be able to offer my community quality photos and service while expanding my horizons in the photography world.

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

I am a 20-year-old portrait photographer and student at the University of Cincinnati. I have been shooting professionally for 3 years and 6 years as a hobbyist. I started as a photography assistant at a sports photography company and fell in love with being behind a camera. Since then I’ve worked on editorial shoots, weddings, maternity, and a variety of other events. I specialize in providing models of color with photos that enhance their skin tone without lightening or giving them a gray tone. I am most proud of the relationships that I have created with my clients. They have supported me throughout this journey and continue to trust me to photograph some of their most special memories. I want people to know that I will always be learning and willing to grow. I will always strive to provide an excellent quality of work but also to bring my clients’ dreams to life. A happy client is a lifelong client and that is the primary goal.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I started my business with the canon rebel t6 and a kit lens that was gifted to me by my grandparents. When I decided to start shooting professionally, I was still in high school working at a gas station part-time. I didn’t have a lot of extra money to spend on photography equipment so I had to work with what I already had. I did my first 4 photoshoots for $25 each and used the money to buy a 50mm 1.8 lens. This lens changed the quality of my photos immensely. The more shoots I booked, the more money I saved for equipment. At the end of my first year, I took money that I had saved from my part-time job and photoshoots to buy a Godox flash and 24mm lens. For the first 6-9 months of being in business, all of my money went to equipment or advertising. 9 months later I made it all back and doubled what I initially invested.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

For the past two years, I had been saving to get a mirrorless camera and new lenses. Although I am a full-time college student, I would work 20 hours on top of having 2-3 shoots per week to save more money. In June 2022, I had saved $4,000 and was nearing my goal to buy the camera of my dreams. One afternoon toward the end of June, My mother and dog were brutally attacked by 2 bully dogs. My mother was bitten several times on her arms, hands, and legs and thankfully her injuries were not severe. Unfortunately, my dog was killed. She lived for a whole day after the attack and was hospitalized. She ended up succumbing to her injuries and passing away in my arms. Coco was my best friend and one of my favorite subjects for photos. I spent every dime that I had saved on her medical expenses. Not only was emotionally devastated by the loss of my best friend but my dreams of getting a camera had been pushed back by at least a year. I didn’t know how to cope but one thing that Coco always liked to do was sit in the studio with me while I set up a photoshoot. I dove into my work and spent every ounce of energy I had left producing content. Before I knew it I had made the money back and brought my love for Coco into my work. I miss her every day and I am grateful for the motivation she continues to provide me with.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: EdenDavisPhotography and Eden.Davisss
• Facebook: EdenDavisPhotography

Image Credits
Personal photo- Nikita Gross