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

Kesha, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

If you observe the origin stories of successful people; in particular self made successful people, there are themes. The themes that resonate with me most relate to mindset. 1. Trust. Successful people have vision. Having vision can be a lonely walk because it often entails the ability to see potential in things where others don’t. The ability to trust yourself and be unwavering in that trust even in the face of doubt is a superpower 2. Perseverance. The ability to keep going even after experiencing failure or disappointment. Where others stop successful people keep going. 2. Discernment. Knowing when to stop. Having the discernment to know when to keep powering through setbacks and knowing when it’s time to implement another plan 3. Community. People that have a village have an advantage. If you don’t have a community, find one or build one. Belonging to a community where everyone is personally invested in, and feels a sense of pride in, seeing a member of its community succeed creates a an ecosystem of opportunity.

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

Born in North Carolina, the child of Jamaican parents, I’ve always been fascinated by the people and the world around me. As an introvert, photography provided a way for me to engage in the world around me without being at the center of attention. The art of observation and shaping light fascinates me, and that’s ultimately what drew me into the world of photography. Although photography has always been a a creative interest, it wasn’t what I originally envisioned for my career. I went to law school and worked as a full-time attorney after being admitted to practice law in New York. Photography was always there in the background as a creative outlet. But while I was still relatively new to the legal field and expecting twins, I found myself downsized out of a job. At the same time, photography opportunities began to open up, and it felt like a natural shift. This experience was a turning point that completely rewired my thinking about what success could look like. My story is a bit cliché, but photography went from being a hobby to a full career change because disappointment and opportunity collided at the right time in the most unexpected ways.

Today, I’m a professional photographer running my own business. I am a brand ambassador for Sony Alpha and have had the privilege of partnering with industry leading brands on national campaigns. My work has been published widely, and I’ve had the opportunity to speak at conferences across the country and internationally. My photography focuses on creating imagery that tells a story through portraiture, wedding photography, and personal projects. I believe creativity is in part the result of the unique collection of experiences we have as individuals. These experiences shape our thinking and the way we see the world. Personal experience informs my work. My background in law taught me to see things from various perspectives, while my role as a mother of three has deepened my empathy. Photography allows me to weave these experiences together to create visual stories that resonate with others. I believe this approach is what allows my work to stand out. Leaning in to these signature experiences to create work aimed at making people feel; feel seen, understood and emotionally connected to the moments captured. For potential clients, followers, and supporters, I want them to know that whether I’m behind the camera or speaking at a conference, my goal is always to inspire, grow in this craft and share what I’ve learned. I believe in the power of community and storytelling through photography, and I strive to create work that will remain meaningful for years.

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

A business lesson I had to unlearn particularly being in the creative services space is the idea that we need to prioritize learning how to become a better photographer over learning how to operate and grow a business. This is an ideology I unlearned early on. When it comes to photography education I think as new photographers it feels intuitive to prioritize learning about lighting, posing and technique. These things are absolutely important but I’d argue that prioritizing learning how to organize, operate, and scale your business is more important. Learn about licensing and marketing and lead generation so that even when outsourcing these parts of your business you know how to vet and select the right partners.

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

I have had the privilege of working with private clients, celebrities, and corporate brands. These opportunities opened through a number of pathways but the greatest source for these opportunities has always been relationships. Especially when it comes to creative services that are personal in nature, like weddings and portraits where having a real connection or past experience with the photographer establishes a foundation of trust. Whether it’s family, friends, alumni network, coworkers, friends of friends, fellow event vendors, parent groups, religious group, social organizations, industry peers, mentors or mentees; relationships born of true connection have been my greatest source of new clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.keshalambert.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keshalambert/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KeshaLambert/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@keshalambert
• Other: TikTok: @keshaloveshats

Image Credits

Kesha Lambert