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

Karizma, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

The biggest risk I’ve ever taken was starting my photography business at 18 as a Black female entrepreneur. Rather than following the typical path of attending college, I chose to pursue my passion directly, believing it would enable me to pursue my career aspirations more swiftly.. Taking that leap has been incredibly rewarding, and I’ve been fortunate to experience success in my business for the past five years.

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

My name is Karizma Chestnut, and I’m a 23-year-old creative director and studio/event photographer from Philadelphia, PA. From a young age, I’ve been passionate about art and creative directing, which sparked my journey into photography after high school. Instead of going the traditional college route right away, I decided to dive into entrepreneurship and explore my creative passions without limits.

In October 2019, I bought my first camera and laptop, and I taught myself the ins and outs of photography through YouTube tutorials. I started by practicing on family and friends, which helped me build my skills before taking on my own clients at MQ Factory. Over the years, I’ve been lucky to work with amazing organizations like As I Plant This Seed, Villanova University, and the National Youth Foundation, as well as reality TV stars.

What really sets me apart is my commitment to creating a fantastic experience for my clients. I ensure dressing rooms are clean, refreshments are ready, and I always ask about their music preferences before the shoot. I also help clients with posing ideas and offer a variety of prop options when included in their booking. Being involved in every detail is important to me, as I want my clients to feel comfortable and excited. I’m really proud of my drive and the trust my clients place in me to bring their visions to life!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My biggest dream is to be successful for a lifetime by creating stunning art through photography. I’m genuinely fueled by the thrill of storytelling and the emotion I can capture through my camera lens. Ultimately, I want to be a well-known photographer celebrated for my bold and creative photoshoots that really resonate with people around the world.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the most important lessons I’ve had to unlearn is the assumption that all clients will honor their agreements. I had an experience with a well-known reality TV personality who failed to pay for a photoshoot. Although we had an agreement for a deposit to be paid on the day of their shoot, he/she didn’t mention until the end of the session that they did no’t have the money. He/she promised to pay the full amount remaining by the end of the week but ultimately failed to follow through. This experience taught me a valuable lesson: all final payments must be completed before the studio session begins and all deposits before schudeling the session no matter who the client may be.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Allurephotography101.com
• Instagram: Allurephotos_
• Other: Tik Tok: Allurephotos_
  Email Address: [email protected]