We recently connected with Karisa Lomax and have shared our conversation below.
Karisa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
One of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken in my life was actually deciding to pursue photography as a full-time career. I used to be a registered nurse before taking on this new path, so it was quite scary to go from a secure job that I spent years in school for to taking the leap and teaching myself photography.
I began my nursing career just before COVID-19 took over the world in March of 2020. I worked throughout the pandemic and even took on travel nursing assignments to see more of our country while helping others–plus, I couldn’t complain about the great money.
However, even with the great money and exploration, I found myself so burnt out and riddled with anxiety. I felt like I couldn’t provide my patients with the full attention and care they needed due to overwhelming work demands and nurse-to-patient ratios.
I remember sitting at a desk one day while I was working out west for a travel assignment and thinking to myself, “What else is there for me? How can I still help people but also make sure I am taken care of to? I cannot care for others properly if I am not caring for myself, so I need to figure something out.” That’s when I looked on my shelf and saw my camera sitting there.
Long before nursing school, I always had a passion for photography. As a kid, I’d always be running around with a little point-and-shoot camera. As I got older, I took a digital photography class in college and even took a job as a photographer at a local aquarium before starting nursing school. The first time I applied for nursing school, I was not accepted and so I told myself “Apply again. If you don’t get in, pursue photography.”
Well, I ended up being accepted the 2nd time which led me down the road of nursing. And now I stood at the forefront of a decision that needed to be made for my career. I realized I could still help people, just in a very different way. I thought back to all the stories my patients told me and how they often ended with something like “I wish I had a picture to show you.” This reinforced to me just how valuable photographs are, and a spark ignited in me.
Even as I continued working as a nurse for a few months, I studied photography through online classes and Youtube videos. I practiced with my camera as often as I could. I experimented with the equipment I had and took the leap to even upgrade my equipment. Before I knew it, I was closing the door to nursing entirely and working my butt off to put my business out into the world.
I learned so much in that first year of business (heck, I am still learning in my 3rd year!) and I couldn’t have done it without each amazing client who took the chance and trusted me back when I was brand new to the industry. Without them, I couldn’t have taken this risk and made it into something amazing. As of today, 3 years into my business, I’ve had the honor of capturing over 60 weddings and countless sessions of all kinds. Words cannot express how grateful I am to have been apart of each of my clients’ lives.
Karisa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Karisa Lomax and I am the owner of Love, Lomax Studios. I am a wedding + engagement photographer serving the Washington D.C. metro area, as well as Tampa Bay in Florida–and of course, I am always happy to travel wherever a love story unfolds!
I made my debut into the wedding industry in early 2022 after working as a registered nurse for a couple of years. Unfortunately, the burnout of working through the COVID-19 pandemic took quite a toll on me and my mental health, so I decided to explore options outside of nursing (*cough cough* like photography). Though the work was hard, I am incredibly grateful for the experiences I had while working with patients.
It was only further instilled in me just how valuable photographs can be after hearing stories from my patients about their lives. Photos can transport us back into the most impactful and emotional moments of our lives. It is with this in mind that I knew I could help people in a different way from nursing. I could help others preserve the happiest moments of their lives through the power of photography!
My ultimate goal in working with my couples is to capture a flawless combination of the raw, candid moments of their day and to also create warm, colorful, and romantic portraiture to adorn the walls of their home (or their social media–whatever suits them!). All things color and romance tug at my heart strings, and I really think this shows in my work too!
I like to think of my working style as a 50/50 mix of documentary & editorial. I gladly guide and pose my couples when needed, but I will also capture moments as they unfold naturally and without interruption.
A common theme I find my couples saying about me is that they feel so comfortable working with me. They trust in me to make them feel amazing and well cared for, all while creating stunning works of art on their wedding day. The best way I can put it is that the experience I give and the work I create is “signed with love”, hence the name “Love, Lomax Studios”.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
There are so many factors that I believe have helped with my reputation. A big component is that my couples genuinely trust me. They can count on me to get back to them in a timely manner, they know I will give them advice or suggestions to make sure their day goes smoothly, and I will always strive to make sure they are over-the-moon about their experience working with me. I think “Excellent Communication” could be the umbrella term for why my couples are able to trust me.
Another factor is aimed at how I interact with other vendors on the team. I make my best effort to always show kindness and recognize everyone’s hard work! It is not hard to say hello and offer help to the other vendors. If I am able to, I even try to snap some photos of the vendors at work so they can use it for their business and I think this goes a long way. I also try to send the full wedding galleries when they are ready for the same purpose (only if the couple is okay with it). Additionally, tagging the vendors when sharing on social media goes a long way too.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Lately, most of my clients have been referred to me by other vendors or friends/family. Providing an amazing experience to both couples and vendors makes a huge impact in achieving this.
The second biggest has been Instagram! I don’t even pay for ads which is great. I think it helps most that I tag the location, the vendors, and the couple. I’ll even try to add them as “Collaborators” on the post to boost visibility.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lovelomax.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovelomaxstudios/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoveLomaxStudios
Image Credits
Love, Lomax Studios