We were lucky to catch up with Kelly Rhoades recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kelly, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think it takes to be successful?

I think being successful is about more than just making money. People love consistency, and consistency establishes trust. Finding cohesiveness in your brand, regularly posting on social media, and even uniformity in style and editing all make people feel like they can trust you. I think this is absolutely crucial. I’ve spent years trying to create that consistency in my brand, while also trying to stay fresh. It’s definitely a balance. I try to avoid leaning too heavily into trends, especially with editing. After 15+ years in the business, it’s easy to see how editing trends come and go, and can quickly make your work look dated. Being a presence that people can rely on is so important, and I believe that is key to success.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I stumbled into the photography world rather unintentionally. After my first child was born, I was inspired to learn how to better capture him in the pictures I took. When I got my first “big” camera, I thought it took decent images in auto, but I wanted more control of the end result of the images. During any free time I had, I found myself researching settings and studying all I could about shooting in manual. The more I learned, the better I became, and it wasn’t long before friends started asking me to take their pictures. Before I knew it, I was filing for a business license and creating price lists, and my hobby became my career.

In those early days, I hadn’t yet discovered my niche, so I took on nearly any job that came my way. I enjoyed expanding and honing my skills doing all sorts of different shoots, but through the years, I found that my passion really lies in photographing high-school seniors. I find myself able to connect with them, and I love witnessing how they are discovering and becoming their own unique person. Capturing these moments as they are finding their true selves makes me SO happy. Allowing them to feel comfortable in front of the lens is such a privilege. I’m not asking them to be anyone else, and I work hard to help them express their own true personality.

Eleven years ago, I began a senior rep program that has grown into what I now call my Senior Team. I start accepting applications for my team in January of their Junior year. Those who are on the team have the chance to participate in a couple group sessions, but they also receive a full individual session during the summer between their junior and senior years. Watching these young adults meet and connect with one another is awesome. The group sessions really build camaraderie and are SO much fun! I think I look forward to this as much, if not more, than my clients!

Building the Senior Team has been the highlight of my career. Knowing and focusing on my niche has allowed me to really perfect and deliver the consistency that clients value so much.

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

When I first started in the business, I really struggled with pricing. I was initially pricing my products and services too low, and quickly learned I had to readjust. I joined an online forum that consisted of some really amazing female photographers from across the country. I found their support to be invaluable. We would bounce ideas off one another, and they really helped me find my value and price myself accordingly. I understand the appeal of charging less, and trying to bring in as many clients as possible, but for me personally, I found myself spread too thin and not able to provide my clients with the high-end experience I believed they deserved. Raising my prices gave me the space to spend more time editing, therefore delivering a product in which I can be proud. I’m able to afford gallery sites, booking sites, etc, that all add to my clients’ experiences. I am a now a firm believer of knowing your value!

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I have a love/hate relationship with social media. Since the majority of my clients are high school seniors, social media is my primary source of marketing. While it is a fantastic tool for sharing and communicating, the fact that it is ever-changing can be exhausting. My biggest advice to those who are trying to grow their businesses via social media is to be consistent. There’s that word again! Consistency in brand, style, posting…all of it. I recommend posting to your stories daily. Sharing about your business is good, but clients also want to feel like they know YOU, not just your business. Be sure to include little things from your personal life in addition to your work life. Include calls to action. Ask followers to answer questions. Request their input or opinion about things. People want to know that they are heard! Providing routine content will result in showing up more consistently in follower’s feeds, too, giving you more exposure and engagement.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kellyrhoadesphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notorious_kel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellyrhoadesphotography/

Image Credits
Portrait of Kelly Rhoades was taken by Requiem Images. All other images are credited to Kelly Rhoades Photography