We recently connected with Keyonna Renea and have shared our conversation below.

Keyonna, appreciate you joining us today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

When I was 25 years old I worked as a wedding and family portrait photographer but boudoir photography called to me in a way that no other genre had. I quietly saved up for my own photo session for my 30th birthday and when the time came something in me became crystal clear.

I didn’t want to leave my personal boudoir experience the same way I went in.

6 months prior to my session I began to explore who I could be as I entered a new decade and so my personal inner work and healing journey began. In those moments all I knew was I didn’t want to continue to judge or hide my body. Thoughts that I carried for 10+ years had become so heavy and I wanted to be free. I lovingly examined my insecurities and ideas of womanhood.

After that session, I felt completely transformed from the inside out and didn’t recognize the young woman I saw in those photographs.

My first thought was “Every client deserves to experience this!”. At that time I didn’t know I was creating a framework that would forever change the way I ran my business and added value to the lives of those that came into my studio.

Keyonna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Photography found me at a young age. For as long as I can remember I’ve loved the powerful stories a photograph could tell. I was the kid walking around with a camera, on the yearbook staff in high school covering stories, and then moved halfway across the country (from Kansas City, MO to Santa Barbara, CA) to study photography in college.

Today I help my clients find peace in their reflection by owning who they are and defining what sensuality means to them. I’m Kansas City’s most transformational portrait + boudoir photographer specializing in modern black and white imagery.

Clients come to me for a full experience that transcends taking “pretty pictures”. I’m proud to say that a lot of my clients either experience their boudoir and portrait sessions as a catalyst for self-exploration or use their experience towards greater embodiment.

To further support our clients I host the Uncovered Podcast where I hold space for conversations around the mind, body, relationships, sensuality, and health. In 2023 I will be offering sensual somatic online courses for women, connection courses for couples, group coaching, and in-person events.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

By creating a nurturing client experience. There’s a lot of power in listening to your clients and using what they’ve shared to make them feel supported and valued.

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

5 years into starting my photography business I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease Multiple Sclerosis. I had to unlearn the hustle and grind of entrepreneurship. I learned the hard way that having “no days off” often leads to the type of burnout and sickness that can be life-changing. I was never taught to rest or check in with myself. I often put everything and everyone before my own well-being.

The gift of the diagnosis helped me realize that I have to prioritize and take care of my mind and body. I can’t serve my purpose the way I envision if I’m unwell. I’m transparent about what I’ve experienced in hopes of normalizing a healthier definition of the entrepreneur’s journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: CopperKeyStudios.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/copperkeystudios
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keyonna-renea-664b5040/

Image Credits
Podcast image by Rachel Cohen.
All other images are by Keyonna Renea.