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

Kierston, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I take a risk each and every time I pick up my camera and show up for a shoot. I risk all the unexpected. I risk facing failure. It is all a risk really. Will they like me? Will everything go as planned? No matter what all of my sessions leads to growth. Showing up for them, showing up for me and the future me leads to good. Every time I show up for a shoot I leave with automatic endorphins. I remember why I am here. I remember my purpose. Risk equals reward.

The biggest risk I have taken was moving here to Georgia and starting over. I had a photography business in Louisiana with a book of business and relationships that made my clients like my best friends and family. I was able to photograph my high school seniors grow up, get married, watch children grow up, families add additions and on and on. I was close to all of these clients. They became a special part of my life. I took a risk and moved to Georgia to be close to my mother and brother. When I did this I thought surely I may never be able to be a photographer again. I had to teach survival swim until I could network and get photography clients. I must have told each and every student’s parents, “Oh by the way I am really a photographer!” The more I practiced and found new areas to shoot at… I all the sudden looked up and realized I could finally get back to doing what I was born to do.

Geographically moving myself was risky. But I did it and now I am no longer scared to do it again. No restrictions! If it is scary… if it is risky… These days I say make the change if you want to do it. I no longer feel like I have to stay in one place. I am now doing weddings in Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina, Indiana and Florida. In my opinion risk= reward. I can not say it enough. It’s always scary. I’ve learned to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Even if it is failure the reward is knowledge in knowing what to not do next time. I am thankful for these lessons. I am still learning every day I am thankful for courage I had to take the risks I have taken.

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?

My name is Kierston Parks. I became a photographer when I was in my early twenties. I remember walking through the halls at my high school seeing senior portraits in a glass case. I remember wanting senior photos so badly. These girls in the images were so fabulous. So beautiful. Every time I would walk past this case I would stop and stare as if I had not already completely checked them out. Somehow my desire to want photos of myself turned into me begging all my friends to do photos of them. I took my best friend to all the spots in town that I had once thought “That looks magical”. I made my best friend and her mom cry tears of happiness when she saw her photos. I loved that I could show someone how I saw them and pull emotion out of them. Happy emotion. I have always felt things big. So I loved that I could feel big with people. Using photography to become intimate and giving them the best compliment ever, showing them how beautiful I see them. That is how I got into the photography industry.

I opened a studio in West Monroe, Louisiana and it was a total fail. Granted I was young. I did not understand overhead. I also did not have any of the business side of things down. I realize now that I am older that it is completely okay if you can not do everything on your own. You are better with help. Every failure has lead to new knowledge. Growing pains, I have learned to become comfortable with them.

I am now located on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia. I am still pushing and striving to get my photography business off the ground. I provide portraits for high school seniors, weddings and family sessions right now. I am moving into product photography, headshots and subscriptions for businesses to always have a photographer on board. I personally do not have my own personal brand. My motto is… Your brand is my brand. I like to meet my subjects and photograph them as they are. If you are light and airy then that is what you will get. If you are dark and moody some how it just happens.

What sets me apart from other photographers is I have not settled on a brand or one preset. Every time you shoot with me it will be different. My main concern is that you see your photos and feel great about the images you walk away with. I am proud of this. None of my clients leave me unhappy. I have a great standing relationship with anyone that has worked with me. I take pride in my work. If my client is pleased then I have succeeded.

The main thing I would like my clients to know is how thankful I am for them that I am able to do what I love. To my potential clients I want them to know that I am not a particular style. I will showcase them how I see them. The more we shoot together the more we get to know one another. A true portrait is not posed or fake. Once we have a relationship I can capture you just the way I see you and when you get THAT image it will be your favorite. It will not be the image where you bring the chalk boards and the balloons. It will be a raw image of you unposed and unexpectingly letting every wall down for my camera. These are my favorite images. These are my favorite types of photoshoots.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

One of my favorite sales stories is actually recent. I LOVED all of the girls at my local Medspa. I thought to myself I want to take all of their photos. I want to work with these ladies! They always put me in a good mood, they all make me laugh. I was new to the area. When I entered their Medspa  (Timeless Medspa of Atlanta) I felt I was visiting my friends. Every single time I walked in their doors for a facial I would offer them free photos. I would message them on instagram. I did it for a year at both of their locations. FINALLY one day I did not even realize it but the ladies at the front desk… It was the owner and her daughter. It was early in the morning and they mentioned photos and I immediately woke up and said WHEN do you want them, I am your girl! They reached out that day and scheduled a shoot.

It was a full YEAR almost two… I finally got their business. Not to mention I did such an amazing job for them they said there was no way I would do it for free and they gave me a huge credit at the Medspa. Which was wonderful! I had already decided in my head that I was going to get their business. They have now asked me to do product photography for them. I am doing engagement photos for their daughter and several nurse practitioners that work there have hired me to do family sessions.

My constant reminders that I wanted to work with them and for them eventually worked. So it was a complete success. I literally chose my client because I loved their spirts and their personalities.  Now I am working with all of them. I am very proud of this story. It made me realize… If you want it, go get it. Believe it and it will happen. You just have to keep showing up letting them know you want their business

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

Funding photography. WHEW did I learn the hard way or what! With photography you MUST have great equipment all the time. From memory, to computers, to lenses, cameras… I mean hey these days the list goes on… Drones, video, continuing education…ALL THE THINGS.

Funding my business- I am still learning how to do this. I will share good tips I know for now.

I have learned all about renting pieces I do not use all the time so that I do not have random equipment laying around collecting dust. I have purchase the items if I have rented them more than 5 times. If I am every shopping I always rent first to do a test run. But the main thing I had to learn on my own that may help someone else is to always be saving. You have to update your equipment no matter what. I use KEH or B&H to trade in my old gear for new gear. I always have back up gear. Always set aside a % so that you can invest in new equipment.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kierstonparks.com
• Instagram: kierstonparksphotography
• Facebook: kparksphoto
• Linkedin: Kierston Parks
• Twitter: kierstonparks

Image Credits
Kierston Parks