Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kristin Bendigo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Kristin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

Being able to make a living and supporting my family and future as a creative is amazing!

I started off building a portfolio by photographing couples and families for severly discounted rates; I basically took any gig that was offered to me or shoot anyone who volunteered to model. As my portfolio grew, so did my understanding of the business side of things, as well as the market.

My bookings continued to increase and as they did so, I continued to raise my prices steadily. Eventually, I got to a point where I was shooting 5 days a week during the “off season”, and daily during the “busy season;” I had to set boundaries for myself and scale back, which is when I knew I had developed my business into exactly what I wanted it to be.

As a military family, a major milestone I was afraid I was going to have to tackle was when we would eventually move; would my business continue to be as successful as it was? Luckily, when we did move, my portfolio was able to speak for itself and I connected with some amazing clients who referred me to their friends and families who continued to connect me to theirs and so on and so forth!

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?

I’ve been a professional photographer for more than 5 years, but I’ve always had a camera in my hands!

I used to work in healthcare in the behavioral health field, but when I married my husband (a pilot in the US Air Force), I knew I needed to find a job I could pick up and move with easily and to be honest, I was tired of working for someone else doing a job that didn’t bring me much joy. So I decided to turn a hobby and passion into a career.

I started as a lifestyle photographer, shooting family, maternity, and couples sessions. But when I found out we would be stationed in Arizona for a long time, I made the transition to weddings happily! I’ve been photographing weddings for a little over 2 years now and have over 50 of them under my belt … I have been so fortunate to work with the most amazing couples!

I pride myself on my ability to bring a lot of fun to my brides and grooms on their wedding day. Not only do I provide a good product, but the service should be top notch too, so I strive to make sure they remember their experience with me in the most positive light. If I leave their wedding or engagement session feeling like family, then I know we made that positive connection that is part of my brand!

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I don’t have a cofounder or business partner, but I have MANY second shooters that I work with who are like family to me; all of my packages include second shooters for my weddings to provide my couples with the best experience possible, so it’s important that I have not only a good working relationship with them, but a personal one as well.

And none stand out more then my best friend and wedding photographer, Stephanie Padhye.

We met when I was recommended to her to be an associate shooter for a wedding. What was supposed to be a quick 15 minute engagement at a coffee shop turned into a few hours of conversation, tons of laughs, and a few cocktails … I don’t think we talked about the wedding at all!

It’s been over a year since we met and she’s now my best friend; she second shoots probably half of my weddings, we talk daily, and my kids love her!

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Referrals! These have been the number one contributors to my new client pool. And it’s an awesome feeling to know that someone had a great experience with me and wants their friends and family to have the same!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kristinbendigophotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinbendigophotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KristinBendigoPhotography
• Other: https://www.weddingrule.com/directory/wedding-vendors/kristin-bendigo-photography/

Image Credits
Kristin Bendigo Photography LLC (all my images)