We were lucky to catch up with Kimm Tha God recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kimm, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?

If I could change anything about the education system, it would definitely be the curriculum. I bring this up so often in conversations! When I look back on my middle school/high school years, I was never taught how to fill out a job application, how taxes work, how to fill out a W-4/W-2 application, everything that’s actually required in everyday life. We were taught so many things that never come up in conversation, but not the most important things. If the education system could make things that are relevant the school topics, that would help our future so much. The importance of health care and taking care of your body, career training, how to build income and build your credit, those are the things that should be taught in schools. Not the pythagorean theorem…

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

For those who don’t know, my name is Kim, but I go by Kimm Tha God. I’m from Staten Island, NY but I’ve been living in Atlanta, GA for a little over 2 years now. I got into photography/videography when I was about 16. My older brother taught me how to take photos and I also had a photo & digital class in high school which was really fun! I wasn’t really doing photography/videography until I moved to Atlanta. I was working at a recording studio, and there was a really great camera laying around that wasn’t being used, so I picked it up and started photographing the engineers and interns around the studio, until people started offering me money to actually come take pictures/videos of their sessions! After a while, I had my own camera (Canon M50) that I wasn’t really using at home, so I picked up my camera, started buying more equipment, and started expanding my own photography business.

The photography services I provide are endless! I can shoot any event, headshots, in-studio shoots, sports, children, families, you name it! The most common problem clients come to me with is they pay so much to other photographers and get so little in return. I try to keep my prices reasonable, and make sure you get the most out of the shoot! I take pride in editing and creating, and I bring my personality to every shoot, and I think that’s what separates me from most people.

I’m most proud of how much I’ve done in such a short amount of time. Especially since I had no intentions of doing photography when I initially moved to Atlanta lol. I’ve met so many people and been places and around people I never thought I’d be. Picking up a camera probably saved my life honestly.

I want everybody who follows me and supports me to know…this life is NOT easy. Not just the “photographer life”, life in general. And I want you to know that there are days when I feel like giving up, when I don’t want to even pick up a camera, where I feel like nobody supports me like I want them to, but even with all of that, NEVER GIVE UP! You are not alone, your “friends” won’t always support you, not every opportunity is going to be a paid one, but don’t let any of that discourage you! This system wasn’t designed for us to succeed and as long as you remember that, and never take every loss to the heart, you will always be able to keep moving forward!

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

Photography/videography definitely started out as a side hustle. I was making a good amount of money in such a short amount of time; it became so easy to rely on just photography. But the reality was that I still had bills to pay, and photography wasn’t always as consistent as I needed it to be. So, I started searching for jobs in the photography field. I ended up getting a job with a company that takes school photos for preschoolers and daycare students. It was completely different from what I was used to shooting, but I love it! I’ve learned that kids are probably the most difficult but most fun subjects lol. They don’t always sit still or say cheese, but when you capture the right photo, it’s the best feeling ever! So now, no matter what, I’m always doing what I love. Whether it’s my “9-5” or my own photography business.

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

I want to travel and do this full time. Get paid to travel and take photos all over the world. That is my goal. And every day that I have to wake up early and drive in this Atlanta traffic, motivates me to complete that goal! Lol! But seriously, I don’t feel I’m where I want to be. I’ve moved around so much in my life that I’m not used to being in one place for too long, and I’m okay with living my life that way. Always traveling and capturing every moment as I go.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://kimmthagodcreations.square.site/
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/kimmthagod.creations
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/kimmthagod
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaeAZI1L_f2VT1EAVD2kIKQ

Image Credits
Mario, Glorilla, T-Hood, Chris Brown, 21 Savage