We were lucky to catch up with Kayla Ramos recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kayla thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.

I first discovered my love for photography in 10th grade during quarantine, using my iPhone to turn ordinary pictures into art. While I struggled academically, I thrived in creative fields like art and computer science. Experimenting late at night with self-timer, lighting, and editing, I realized I could produce entire creative sets on my own. My passion grew into an obsession, leading my family to gift me my first camera, a Canon T7 on Christmas of 2020. When I finally got social media in 11th grade 2020, my artistic posts stood out, unexpectedly attracting clients. Though I never intended to start a business, my first paid shoot—priced at $300- taught me the value of my work. As bookings increased, I realized I was building a brand, transforming my love for visual storytelling into a thriving career. I couldn’t stop, because i never expected my photography to turn into something impactful. Meaningful and mesmerizing to the naked eyes of other people rather then just me alone. My art felt important, I felt important. ,me and my art felt recognized rather then just perceived.

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

Creating With Love: My Journey From iPhone Photography to a Full-Scale Creative Vision

When I first started taking pictures on my iPhone in high school, I never imagined photography would take me this far. Creating art—editing photos, transforming ideas into visuals—came naturally to me. But running a business? That was a different challenge. I had no idea where to start, how to price my work, or even what tools I needed. The only thing I knew for sure was that my talent was the foundation, and everything else had to be built from the ground up.

For two years, I booked my own shoots, styled my own sets, and managed every detail by myself. It wasn’t until I realized I always needed someone to hold my light reflector or assist on set that I understood the importance of having a team. I wanted to give my clients the best experience possible, and that meant expanding my team—not just for efficiency, but to share the creative process with others. As I grew, I found joy in collaborating, leading, and mentoring other creatives, passing down what I had learned so they could thrive even beyond my presence.

Running a business alone is hard enough, but working with a team adds another layer of complexity. Balancing creativity with business strategy is challenging, especially when you want to keep the focus on artistry rather than just making money. I constantly remind myself where I started and how much growth it took to get here. What sets me apart is my vision and purpose. Many business owners operate with a professional guard up, but I choose to remain authentic and approachable. People book with me because they trust me—not just as an artist, but as someone who truly cares about bringing their creative desires to life.

My ultimate goal has always been to expand my team into a full production service. I want to build a space dedicated to all forms of art under KillaKayMade, a creative hub where artists collaborate, network, and open doors to opportunities beyond the DMV. I believe in turning nothing into something—bringing ideas to life through passion, color, and storytelling.

Color has always been central to my work. My editing style is based on hues and the emotions they evoke. I’ve always been fascinated by how movie covers become timeless, how a single captured moment can last forever. That passion led me to start printing and framing my work, turning digital images into tangible art. I wanted people to value photography beyond just scrolling past it on a screen. Vendors began reaching out for events, and my art started making its way into people’s homes. Seeing my work on someone’s wall, rather than just on social media, was a defining moment for me.

That’s when my vision expanded beyond what seemed realistic. I realized I had no choice but to make it a reality. My passion for creating something out of nothing—purely for the love of art—has shown me the depth of what’s possible. Through my work, I want to inspire others to dream as big as they want, to create as boldly as they feel, and to know that their vision, no matter how ambitious, can be framed into existence.

In order to create, you must have love. And that’s what sets me apart—I create with love.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One of the scariest parts of being booked for photography is working with complete strangers—you never know their true intentions. In the beginning, I struggled with meeting deadlines, overwhelmed by the reality that photography wasn’t just about taking pictures. Editing, organizing files, and managing client expectations were all part of the job. Some clients wouldn’t credit my work, while others were frustrated by minor delays. I knew my talent was strong, but to truly succeed, I had to build structure and take my business seriously.
My biggest inspiration for running a business was my father. He was a barber, and I grew up watching him rent chairs in barbershops, managing his own clientele with confidence and charisma. His reputation in his field inspired me to build one of my own. He always dreamed of owning a business, and at the end of 2024, he finally achieved that goal—getting his first trucking LLC and his own dump truck. I remember the morning he pulled up to my house at 6 AM, proud and excited, asking me to go on a ride with him. I brought my camera, capturing the moment he had worked so hard for.

A month later, my father passed away in a trucking accident.

Losing him shattered me. I stopped doing photography for two months. As an artist, when you stop creating, you feel lost, empty, and disconnected from yourself. I lost my love for my craft, my inspiration, and even my business partner at the time. I felt like my father left behind a legacy that I had to finish—but I didn’t know how to move forward.

Then, one of my past collaborators, a photographer and videographer named Keys, reached out with an idea. He saw me mourning, saw me disappear from my work, and offered me a new opportunity—a chance to build something fresh, to work together, and to create a real production system with a strong foundation. Keys helped me regain my passion and reminded me that, despite my father’s passing, I had a responsibility to keep going. Some sacrifices had to be made, but my journey wasn’t over.

It’s been four months since my father passed, and I’m back to running my business, booking clients, and even preparing for my third business trip to NYC with my new business partner. This experience has made me resilient. My art, my business, and everything I create are deeply personal because they carry the weight of everything I’ve lost. But instead of letting that loss break me, I use it to build something greater.

I’m doing this for my father. Nothing will stand in the way of me and my art—because nothing ever stopped him from getting what he wanted. With minimal tools and minimal support, he made it happen. And now, just before I finalize my LLC, I realize that I’m following in his footsteps.

That’s why I’m resilient. That’s why my art is different. And that’s why I’ll keep going—turning pieces of loss into a bigger picture, one that tells a story far greater than just my own.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

A New Beginning: Meeting Keys and Rebuilding

I met Keys at Shaw Skate Park in Washington, D.C. We were both there with our cameras and skateboards, drawn to the same creative energy. After sharing our work, we immediately recognized the passion in each other’s artistry and stayed in touch. Keys would often tag along to my photoshoots, observing my process and contributing ideas. I admired his talent and knew he had the potential to go far.

At the time, I was working with a business partner, but they weren’t open to bringing a third person onto our team. Eventually, after my father’s passing, we parted ways—it was a difficult transition, but I remain grateful for what we built together.

That’s when Keys stepped in. He helped me restart from the ground up, and I applied everything I had learned from my previous partnership to build a stronger foundation. While I guided him on the business and administrative side, he brought a fresh creative perspective, pushing our ideas even further. Now, we’ve developed a seamless workflow, understanding our roles and doubling the strength of our vision. What started as a chance meeting at a skate park turned into a powerful creative partnership—one that continues to grow and redefine what’s possible.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @KillaKayMade @sweetdesire

Image Credits

@tresnegative – he captured the bikini pic of me
@sweetdesire – Keys captured our pfp for sweetdesire
@Kiara_arnolddd – woman with Afro aka the first model to book me when i was 18
@kaysonfiles – model in ice burg pic (we exchanged his tattoo serviced for my photo service)
@randialphonso – model with dominance smile and pearls (photo used for framed work)
@ozzy_fadez_ – my little brothers barber page that he continued in memory of my father
The last picture i captured of my father in his new OnR truck before he passed away.
Oscar Noel Ramos – my resilience story aka my dad