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

Hi Kelly, thanks for joining us today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

Balsam Business Photography started March of 2020 during the lockdown. We were living in Fort Worth, Texas and my husband, a fine furniture maker, worked in the garage next door. Since my office work was being down at home, I would walk over on my breaks to watch him work. His attention to detail and him hand cutting every dovetail joint had me wanting his clients to see what I was seeing. I had a small background in photography and started capturing the behind the scenes of the final products, highlighting his passion and skill set. I fell in love with the action shots and the ability to tell the story his business through photographs. It was then that the idea for Balsam started to form.In July of 2020, we traded the metroplex for mountains and moved to my hometown of Hendersonville, NC.

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

From the beginning, photography has been creative outlet that I wholeheartedly love. I spent my college years photographing portraits of friends up on the Blue Ridge Parkway. After graduating with an Interior Design degree, I started my first 9-5 job. I remember racing home after the workday to capture a friend dancing in a Texas sunset. I would plan shootouts with friends on the weekends to have the opportunity to all shoot together. For years, and honestly to this day, photography was what I did for fun.

Balsam offers portraits, headshots, product shots, behind the scene actions shots, and video. I feel each client and business has a new angle or need which pushes me to work in a different way and learn something new. I enjoy a challenge and figuring out how to convey the client’s image in their head.

I have had the opportunity to work with farmers and growers, craftsmen and artisans, skin care, health care, restaurants, coffee shops, and so many other small business. I love going to a new shoot because it always feels like a field trip. I watch as these business demonstrate their skills while asking them questions and learning about how they turned this passion into their career.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Balsam started as a side hustle with the plan to sale it to a full time position. Upfront I invested in marketing and a logo package. I spent weeks with a graphic designer honing in on the look and feel I wanted Balsam to have.

Before Balsam was launched, I had to build up a product and business based portfolio. My work prior to then was mainly portraits along with my husband’s furniture business. I made a plan and sought out businesses I wanted to work with. Some shoots were pro bono, others were trades. I would spend Saturday mornings at craft fairs and farmer’s markets photographing the various vendors. This became a great way to network and talk about Balsam with businesses. All the photos I took were posted on social media where I tagged the businesses featured. This not only gave me content to post but also shared their products and linked them directly to my portfolio.

Another way I kept growing Balsam and its clients is going door to door and offering my services. Portraits, product shots, and behind the scenes, or anything else they might need for their business content. Some politely declined while other’s set up a shoot date then and there.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Western North Carolina is a hub for artisans and craftsmen. I have always had a deep love and appreciation for these people and their talents and wanted Balsam to work with all of them. So when my husband and I moved to my hometown of Hendersonville, the possibilites for Balsam came flooding in. When someone buys local and handcrafted, there is a reason that price tag says what it says. Balsam photographs not only the beautiful products we buy, but also the hard work and expertise needed for that end result.

The pandemic changed the way people live, work, and shop. It is so easy to shop online and get an item with the lowest price tag, but that is where that money stops. My goal is to have Balsam’s work to encourage people to shop local and support and fund our own communities, our own friends and neighbors.

It doesn’t matter the size of your small business, you deserve beautiful photographs that tells your story. I want the people of our community to know what they have right here in their backyards.

Contact Info:

• Website: balsambusiness.com
• Instagram: balsam_business_photo
• Facebook: BalsamBusinessPhotography

Image Credits
For photo of Kelly with the camera, credit Wild Marie Photography