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

Alright, Kara thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I think my favorite projects have been the most unexpected ones. Starting out in the business, I thought the more high-profile the shoot, the more I would love the work; however, it is interesting that reality for me is the polar opposite of that expectation: in fact, the most meaningful shoots are the ones I do for no monetary value or business gain. I have come to discover that the saying, “you find yourself when you give yourself away,” holds surpassable wisdom, and it has reshaped the way I run my business by grounding my work through service and giving back.

There was one shoot in particular that unearthed this insight. A dear friend of mine faced a heart-breaking discovering that her once cured breast cancer returned for a second time, this time aggressively, and the medical prognosis was a difficult reality for all of us to face. There are an innumerable amount of hardships that result from receiving news like this, but two aspects in particular struck me during this time: first, the physical changes that occur from sickness and treatment can often result in people feeling less beautiful and like themselves, and second, there is a desire that arises to cherish moments and create memories with those who are most important.

Nothing I could do seemed to scratch the surface of making this hardship any better for my friend, but what I did have offer was the ability to unveil her innate beauty, speak truth over her, and capture this moment and memory of raw beauty in fullness of glory. It was an hour to feel beautiful and released from hardships all too present in her life. So in an attempt to allow her to feel the most beautiful she ever had before, I rented a ball gown to bring out the most exquisite aspects of herself and allow her to feel like the treasure she was.

Now ebeneezers of a memory and a season exist for all of time. A legacy that will that continue, and one that allows others to remember the fullness of her presence and innate beauty at the totality of what it was made to be.

My mission has now become to use what has been entrusted to me and return the gift to those who are most deserving, leading to the beginning stages of starting a non-profit with this vision.

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

Oh man—my story is a crazy one! So hi- my name is Kara, and I am 23 years old! I’ve been running my business for about 1.5 years now, and it has been the wildest and best ride of my life! …If you asked me two years ago if I would be running my own business as a wedding photographer, I would have told you that you were crazy. But, it’s funny how our callings come to make themselves known sometimes– in quite different ways than we could have ever anticipated. It is as C.S. Lewis states in Mere Christianity, “Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

This is precisely the nature of my story. I graduated with my undergraduate degree in 2021 from Baylor University in Biochemistry, minor in Biology. I had every intention of entering the medical field after continuing my education in medical school. However, when the pandemic hit, I had less commitments on my plate in addition to school, which in turn led me to pick up two books off the shelf, namely “Don’t Waste Your Life” by John Piper and “Garden City” by John Mark Comer. Little did I know that reading these two books would change the trajectory of my career.

These books caused me to wrestle with the question of whether or not a career as a doctor was the call placed on my life and whether this was the place where I would be stepping into the fullness of everything I was created to be and to do. Succinctly, the conclusion I came to was no: I was created for something different, something more. So what was the call on my life?

My passion ultimately is people. Loving others, hearing stories, speaking encouragement, and building relationships. And photography became the avenue where I could live this out, paired with other passions of mine- such as traveling, spending time in nature, and creativity.

I went full-time into freelance photography right out of the gates upon graduation–which let me tell you, looking back on that decision I can’t help but laugh and think to myself, “that was such a crazy decision.” Without a single client and means of paying a bill, to the outside eye it very much appeared as if I had lost my mind. But due to the peace that guarded my heart and mind during this season, I believed there was no other way to live than to fully trust in the call placed on my life.

I began to shoot photos for anyone and everyone I possibly could, even if that meant I was shooting for free, and slowly I began to build my business from the ground up. Long nights, little money, and lots of Youtube videos later, I began to understand all the different aspects that play into building a business- beyond the mere photos-, and little by little I began to see the fruit of my labor.

Now I spend most of my weekends shooting weddings and elopements, traveling to the most beautiful places, and getting to hear such special stories. Sitting in the place I am at today, I cannot help but sit in gratitude for the path that has been set before me. Does that mean it was always easy? Absolutely not. But was the sacrifice worth it? 100%. That is the beauty of living in your call: when hard seasons come, endurance will always be the resolution of your heart because there is simply no other way or place to live than in the fullness of who you were created to be.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

The best means for me to keep in touch with clients and up-to-date on their lives’ is through social media, specifically Instagram. The aim for my business is to build a personal relationship with each client, with the hopes that the friendship continues on for a lifetime rather than a moment. I want to love well and care for all those I work with, and a way I believe I can do this is by remaining invested in their lives. From keeping up with major life milestones, new of seasons of blessing, and every moment in between, I want to be present and care for both the triumphs and hardships in all of my clients’ lives.

I believe my desire to cultivate meaningful relationships with those I photograph directly plays into brand loyalty for my business, because a client will always want to return to the places they feel seen, cared for, encouraged, and comfortable. Photography is about so much more than just taking photos; it is a memory, it is an opportunity to have conversation, hear stories, share my story, encourage my clients, and speak truth over them. I am so grateful I get to have the honor of spending time with my clients to create and capture beautiful memories that display only a small portion of their story.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Building an audience on social media can be a tricky thing because there are all sorts of tips out there to gain more visibility- specifically gaining many followers- but, the reality is that not all these tips are helpful. What many people do not see is the idea that followers do not necessarily equate to customers, and the aim of growing on social media is usually targeted for this outcome. I’ve had many fellow photographers reach out to me about ways to convert impressions to bookings, and these are almost always photographers that have more followers than myself. So be aware that while growing your audience is great- not all means of going about this are successful. So what tips do make for good conversion of visibility to customer? My answer is always simple: establish your brand, and stay true to this in every part of your business- even on your social media, and post not with the aim of gaining followers, but displaying your heart. Things to think about when posting include: what part of my brand sets me apart from every other photographer? How do I show whatever that is through social media? If your goal is to be personable, then make your captions on post personable. If you want to be known as a goofy photographer, then make sure you post that content regularly. At the end of the day, what you put out there (ie. what you brand yourself as) is what you will attract, and the followers will come as you establish your brand.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://karawarrenphotography.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: @kara_warren_photography

Image Credits
Kara Warren Photography