We recently connected with Kristen Willden and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kristen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I took a photography class, an art elective, in college, which was also when I bought my first DSLR Nikon camera. People started asking me if I could take family photos for them and started tipping me. Then, I realized I could do this as a business. I was going to college and working part-time, so I was already busy with everything and didn’t put a lot of thought into photography as much as I would have liked to. I did go job shadowing or still took photos when people asked me, but looking back, I wish I had started earlier. Also, I wish I reached out to other photographers sooner. I didn’t know how to reach out to other photographers or if know if it was appropriate to ask others photo-related questions. I am so glad I have my people now!

Kristen, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Kristen and my middle name is Lisa, so that’s why I decided to call my business “Kristen Lisa Photography.” I was born in the US, grew up in Japan, and came back to the States when I was in high school. I am currently a lifestyle family photographer in Chicago. I specialize in in-home sessions, meaning I go to my client’s home and take family or newborn photos in their own home. I believe every house is beautiful because your favorite people live in there. A house can tell so much about the personality unique family story that no other background can replace, so that’s why I love in-home sessions. Of course, I offer outdoor family photos as well. At first, I took a lot of different types of photos (as many photographers start that way). One time, I saw a family picture at their own home. I immediately fell in love with in-home sessions and I am so glad I found this niche. Not-so-posed photos are my go-to. I love these storytelling photos because they bring out the connection and emotions of each family.
My hope is that my clients feel like a play day during the photo session. I want them to feel like themselves because I strive to capture natural, authentic moments.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I had invested in myself earlier. There are so many free resources out there, but you don’t learn what you really need to know until you buy courses or hire a coach, which was my case. At first, I couldn’t get myself to invest because I thought I could do it on my own. My photos look much better after I took photography courses and my business is running more smoothly after I hired a coach. Also, it’s important to find your community. My photography journey has become more enriching through friendships. The photography business can be lonely sometimes, as you do most of the work alone. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and reach out to other photographers. My photographer friends will be my lifelong friends and those friendships are irreplaceable.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

As I started to take on some clients, I made websites, invested in good cameras and lenses, and job-shadowed other photographers. At the beginning, I didn’t really have a goal and was trying to copy what others were doing. There is nothing wrong with that, and I fully enjoyed my work as something I do during my free time. Having a baby totally changed my mindset. I valued my time at home more and wanted this business to be more worth my time and money. I realized then I wanted to take my photography job more seriously. That’s when I invested and learned more. I’m grateful that I have a job I love. Having a family has strengthened my outlook and given me a clear purpose: to create unique family memories because I love spending time with my own family.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kristenlisaphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristenlisaphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kristenlisaphotography/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfqT3-5LXRnG_WgSk4GafCA
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/kristenlisaphotography/

Image Credits
My headshot by Nessa McCormick The rest of the photos are taken by me, Kristen Lisa Photography in Chicago