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

Kristen, appreciate you joining us today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today.

I have been in this business for around 14 years. I started for fun, photographing my friends and family. I remember photographing my first wedding for $700. This included traveling 5 hours to Orlando. I will never forget the friends and family who saw my potential and stuck beside me. I look back at how far I’ve come and how much I have learned over this decade and I am so proud of where I am. I definitely could have gotten here faster, and would be further along in my career had I changed a few things. Not to say I regret where I am, because that is not true. Advice I would give to new artists is to ask for help. This industry is constantly changing and its hard to keep up. I was so shy and afraid of what other artists would think of me that it kept me from growing. I never wanted to second shoot a wedding or take an educational course because I didn’t want to embarrass myself. Looking back, if I had just let my guard down and realized that those artists were there to inspire AND help smaller artists like me, I know for a fact I would have reached this point in my career much faster. Don’t be afraid to learn from others who inspire you.

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

I have always been a creative person, even when I was a kid. I had a hard time knowing what I wanted to be when I grew up. Most of my friends already had passions and a clear idea of what they were going to do in their career…doctors, teachers, lawyers. For me , I knew I didn’t want to do any of that, but I was never sure of what exactly I would do. What started as a fun hobby in 2010 grew into my lifelong career. I would do photoshoots for my friends for $40. Their friends would see them and I started booking people I have never met. One referral after another and I never looked back. I went on to college because I thought everyone should have a degree, which looking back I don’t feel that same way. I had so much fun and met some lifelong friends, but a degree in studio art was not totally necessary. I met my husband while photographing a wedding , we married at the same venue 1.5 years later. We have two beautiful daughters who inspire me to keep going. I would never have what I have now if it wasn’t for photography. I want to leave a legacy for my children. I want them to look up to me and be inspired to live their dreams. I truly love what I do and I pride myself on my client relationship. Being a wedding photographer is such a huge honor. I feel like it’s more than just taking photos. When booking your wedding photographer you need to make sure you LIKE the artist you’re booking. I don’t just mean their style of shooting, I mean their personality meshes well with yours. I am most proud of my connection I make with my clients, and I have so many clients turned friends. When I meet people who trust my creative vision, it allows me to flow freely and create some of my most favorite work. My brand is all about that connection and making photos that you can feel with your heart. One of my new goals is to travel more with photography now that my kids are a little bit older. I think that being a mom and a business owner is all about work/ life balance and I have struggled finding that balance in the past. My husband is active duty military and is gone more often than not so on top of raising strong independent girls I have been trying to nourishing my business as well. I started traveling in the states last year and hope to do more in the future.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I have some of the most loyal clients. I know that once I feel that connection that they will return time and time again. Of course, this doesn’t apply to ever single person I photograph, but I really do pride myself on my relationships with my clients. I find that really truly getting to know the person and showing interest in their lives really builds a strong bond. Being photographed can be really uncomfortable and its my job as their photographer to make them feel comfortable with me so in turn they’re comfortable having me take their photos.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I think the most rewarding aspect of my job is seeing my visions come to life. Whether its a concept I’ve been stewing over for a while or something I think of on the spot- when that comes to fruition and becomes something beautiful, that is the most rewarding feeling. Sometimes its easy to doubt yourself in this industry, but it’s all about finding that confidence and knowing that you are truly doing what you are made to do.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kristenstonephotography.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristenstonephotography
• Facebook: @kristenstonephotography