We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Katya Vilchyk. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Katya below.

Katya, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Everything changed when my daughter was born. I could not take my eyes off her. I had to document every fleeting moment of her newborn life, she was changing so quick, my iPhone photography sucked so bad, and I simply couldn’t afford to have a live-in photographer in the house (as cool as that would be haha)

There had to be a better way.

And who would take better photos of my baby than her own mother? So I dug out my old work camera. At the time I had a full time job (that I was on maternity leave from) in marketing. I had my Nikon for years, but never took the time to learn it beyond the Auto mode. I never felt the need… until then.

And so there I was, on a mission to learn how to take better pictures of my own baby with my first dSLR. I devoured any and all blog articles I could find, researching the principles of manual shooting, learning about light, camera bodies, lenses, ISO and shutter speeds. I kept practicing, learning, and practicing more. By the time my baby was three month old, I was officially obsessed with photography and the fall following her first birthday I took my first paid client. In March of 2016 I registered my new photography business and that’s how Katya Vilchyk Photography & Design LLC was born.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a brand strategist and photographer to creative entrepreneurs and small business owners in Atlanta, GA. While I started out and built my business as a family and lifestyle photographer, pivoting into brand photography in late 2019 has helped me tap into my gifts and embrace my power. I learned that my strength was really in supporting small businesses, just like my own. It all came together during the pandemic actually!

At first, I will admit, I freaked out. I think we all did!

When things came to a stand still that day of March 13th 2020, I watched in pain as my business was falling apart, things were slipping through my fingers, refunds were going out left and right. There seemed to be no help coming to the rescue and no end in sight.

A month or so later I perked up. I started noticing where my focus was going, and I became more intentional with my thoughts. Things started to look up. That time has led me to exploring my purpose, the world of self-improvement, fitness, and thinking about my own branding. I am pretty sure the same thing happened for a lot of us in the collective, do you agree?

By May 2020 I was starting to shoot again, but there was not much out there to be shot. Usually I focused about 70% of my time on family photography; maternity, newborn, family sessions. But coming out of a lockdown a lot of that work was gone. People were afraid to leave the house, afraid to interact with other humans, they were especially afraid to have someone over to their house for a lifestyle session. In all honesty, I was afraid too.

However there was this one trend I noticed, specifically with coaches, healers, network marketers – they were trying to be online more than ever, they wanted to be seen more than ever. They were finding ways to still work, still put themselves out there, but virtually, in the online space. That’s when I started thinking about how I could safely do portraits in the new world we were living in, to help small businesses show up online.

I found a local Pilates studio, right around the corner from my house, that had a very pretty courtyard with tall windows and white walls. So I offered mini headshot sessions there, outside, in the courtyard! Everything was done outdoors, safely at a distance, and most importantly quickly.. I figured out a very simple and effective flow of posing that I would take my clients through. It always looked good, but it was unique to each client because each one of them had a different business, different goals, unique props. These were some of my favorite sessions! I was already a portrait photographer. And I had years of marketing and graphic design background. Once I started looking into all of this and tie all of my expertise together, I was able to really set myself apart in my local market.

By fall of 2020 I was ranking at the top of the first page of Google search results for branding photography in Atlanta. I knew that the next step for me would be to elevate my client experience and offer something that nobody else was offering. That’s when I knew it was time to start being intentional about the kind of experience I wanted to offer, what I could bring to the table as a spiritual entrepreneur who had the ability to see the bigger vision for my clients, support their growth and hold the space for their magic to shine through. All I wanted to do was capture the soul and essence of their brand. And I was getting so good at that!

That’s when I knew I had to level up my own personal brand. It was time to invest in a private shooting space that would allow me the freedom and flexibility to work with clients whenever and however I wanted. I tapped into my feminine energy to create an inspiring and inviting space where clients felt calm, peaceful and empowered.

In the creative field there is a reputation of under-delivery and missed deadlines, so I made it my mission to value integrity throughout my process and give as much value as I can. Be it with my time, or my energy – with me clients get a lot more than just a photographer.

If you have multiple revenue streams in your business, would you mind opening up about what those streams are and how they fit together?

I offer self paced courses and pdf downloads, as well working on a Personal Branding Photography Workshop to help new and established brand photographers claim their own power in this space and deliver unforgettable client experience. I am also a graphic designer, so I can always lean into that part of my expertise. I am also in a network marketing company called Monat and make a monthly salary off the sales that are made within my organization.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Half of my clients find me on Google, I dedicated a lot of efforts to making sure my website is optimized, ranks high and attracts the right client. The other half of my business comes for referrals and word of mouth. Both methods are organic and non-paid.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.atlantabrandingphotographer.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/katyavilchyk
• Facebook: facebook.com/katyavilchyk

Image Credits
Photo credit: Katya Vilchyk