We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kelly Miller a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelly, thanks for joining us today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

2022 and 2023 are huge wedding years and with there are so many things to highlight in the wedding and elopement industry.

More unconventional and intimate gatherings are becoming more popular. I really respect that couples are prioritizing elements that help tell their story, that are planned with intention, and represent their love story. Digging deep into their passions, the things they enjoy, their cultures, and hobbies and pulling all of those things into the start of their marriage is really amazing to see. Couples are making their day an experience, sometimes even multi-day ones filled with activities for their friends and families.

When it comes to photographs of your day that is also something to consider – you want your photos to feel like YOU and all that you want to remember from that time. I’m seeing so many different artistic trends which help couples connect with photographer’s that match their personal taste and style. Shooting on film and film aesthetic, blurred images, double exposures, warmer tones, and more storytelling images are some of the trends that I’m drawn to visually.

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’m Kelly, a wedding and elopement photographer that prioritizes client experience as part of the journey! Clients will usually book me about 6-12 months out from their day and over those months we will build a deep connection and will work together to make everything fall into place to be able to capture their dream experience. We will connect well with each other if you’re detail orientated, empathetic, and have an adventurous spirit.

I’m based in Northern Colorado but travel worldwide. I’ve been in the wedding industry for about three years now and one of my favorite parts are the love stories. As sappy as that is, I think there is something so memorable and amazing about being there to capture that moment for two people. The emotions, the celebration – it’s all so great. I also love that every day is truly unique of another. I get to meet a variety of people who share different passions, backgrounds and cultures and see how they incorporate their personality into their day. I truly love being able to work with all types of people and am an inclusive vendor.

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

I’m a huge believer in a positive work life balance and have been learning how to find a balance in those two things so that I can do what I enjoy and continue to enjoy doing it. That’s something that constantly drives me to find ways to improve daily tasks and functionality in my business. Over the last three years I’ve been fine tuning how to help make my business more sustainable while giving my clients the best possible experience. The perfect workday is one where I can hang out with my friends and family, create, explore the outdoors, and get my work done all at once without stress of due-dates or missed opportunities. I’m working hard to be able to do that because it means so much to me to be able to have a career doing something I truly enjoy.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I’ve made a lot of pivots in careers and life (quitting jobs, moving industries, pursuing education) and although it can be intimidating to make big changes, I think that without those changes I would not be where I’m at today in my business. I had worked in the outdoor retail industry for a long time and loved it, but I found that it was draining me. I wasn’t motivated to go out and enjoy the things that I wanted to do and was beginning to bring those stressors home. I switched careers and the freedom that it gave me ultimately was what allowed me to grow my business and invest in myself. It brought me back to my passions and enjoying all that I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: kellymillerstudios.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/kelly.miller.studios
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelly.miller.studios/

Image Credits
Personal Bio Photo taken by Karalyn Radford Photography