We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kristen Dunahoo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kristen below.
Hi Kristen, thanks for joining us today. Everyone has crazy stuff happen to them, but often small business owners and creatives, artists and others who are doing something off the beaten path are often hit with things (positive or negative) that are so out there, so unpredictable and unexpected. Can you share a crazy story from your journey?
My craziest story is actually how I got started with photography in the first place.
I think I’ve always loved photography but never thought that I could actually make a career out of it. I had a digital camera back in high school that I used to carry around everywhere, taking pictures of anything and everything. I was also the Varsity Basketball & Soccer Photographer my senior year of high school. I got to ride the bus with the players to games and cheer them on at every game.
After high school, I had a million different jobs. I would literally work anywhere that would give me a paycheck every week. I was a server, bartender, daycare worker, cashier at Victoria’s Secret, and also a Baker at the Cheesecake Factory. I kinda got sick of working for nothing and being treated like crap by bosses who didn’t care about anyone but themselves. I really, really enjoyed working with kids at the daycare, so I eventually started Nannying full time.
One year on New Year’s Eve, I was babysitting for a family down in Atlanta. The parents were supposed to come home at 1:00AM but didn’t show up until 4:00AM. They were very drunk and I could barely understand the slurring of words. When I told the dad how much he owed me for the night ($300), he went into his office, I assumed he was grabbing cash, instead he comes back with a Nikon Digital Camera in a box that looked like it had never been opened. He asked me if it was okay that he pay me with a camera… because he didn’t have enough cash. I told him I could come back the next day, but he insisted on me taking this camera as payment. He told me I could use it or sell it for cash.. I literally thought this man was crazy.. I ended up taking the camera home and my intention was to sell it to make a quick buck because I hadn’t been interested in photography since high school.
I didn’t touch the camera for a while. Probably over 6 months before I found it again in the back of my closet. So I got it out and took pictures of my cat and then decided to ask a friend if I could use them as a model. This was nothing serious, just more of a hobby if anything. Then that December, my cousin Tori (who is also a photographer) found out she was pregnant! This was the first baby from all of our cousins so everyone was really excited.
A few months later, I got the opportunity to take Tori’s Maternity photos and that’s the moment I fell in love with the idea of being a full time photographer. So naturally I became obsessed with it. I read, creeped and stalked other photographers on social media. Trying to figure out how the heck they got actual clients to pay them money for their artwork. I knew that if I was this passionate about doing this as a career that it wasn’t going to just fall in my lap, even though the camera did.
Here I am today, after loads of hard work and money, working my dream job as a Full Time Photographer. Looking back now, I am very proud of how far I have come. I’m proud of myself for never giving up even though I have tried several times.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I went to college for a number of things before finding that spark in photography. I went to hair school, got my certificate for phlebotomy & even wanted to be a radiologist at one point. But not one of those made my heart glow & feel complete like photography did. I jumped in head first after my cousin Tori told me that I would be great at it. In 2017, I started taking photos of everything. Birthday parties, dogs at the park, newborns, maternity, & lots of family members and friends. When word started getting around by word of mouth from others, I started booking sessions and actually being PAID for them. My calendar started filling up, every weekend, all day long, I would be taking photos of all these random strangers who TRUSTED me?? It blew my mind honestly and it was A LOT of work. Now, my calendar is filled up consistently with sessions & I’ve actually found a niche that suits me! I absolutely love that my job consists of meeting new people everyday & telling their love stories through my lens. it’s a dream come true
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of this job is sharing all these incredible moments with my clients and being able to freeze their memories in time forever. The looks on their faces or the sweet messages they send after receiving their gallery is the most rewarding aspect of my job. It’s the emotion. Emotion is everything when it comes to photography.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
There is one thing that I struggle with, and I hope that one day all the non-creatives will understand is that being a photographer isn’t as easy as it looks. I feel like a lot of people just assume that we just click button for a few minutes, upload your photos and then just send them over. Seems easy, right? Wrong. there is SO much that goes into creating that beautiful gallery for you. We aren’t just robots with cameras. We spend countless hours to make sure that you, the client, are completely happy with everything during your experience with us. Our entire business is based on YOU and YOUR happiness. We don’t do this for a paycheck. We do this because capturing your emotional and raw memories that you get to keep forever, is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kristenlaphoto.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristenleighannphoto
Image Credits
Kristen LeighAnn Photography