We recently connected with Kristina Graff and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kristina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

My whole reason behind starting a photography business is two-fold: I want to bring attention to small and simple moments, and I want people to know how amazing they are. Our world and culture is so busy-everything is always go, go, go. Our worth is often based on how much we accomplish, how many activities we stuff into our lives. There’s always this admiration for people who are so busy, we always ask, “How do they do it all?” But I’ve found as I’ve gotten older and with each subsequent kid that all the little things that really make a life full, that really make life worth living are often overlooked in our busy lives. I started noticing when I was photographing my families all the little things that I missed with my older boys, and it started making me pay more attention in my own life. The conclusion I came to is this: we often talk about and look forward to all the big things like recitals and achievements and vacations. But what really makes all those things worth it is the small, everyday things that we often take for granted. It’s the way your toddler, without even looking, reaches his hand up to you because he knows you’re already there, hand-outstretched, ready to help him. It’s the way your almost-teenager is still excited to tell you about something that happened at school. It’s the way your kids love when you joke around with them, the sound of laughter filling your home. THOSE are the things I want to remember and help others remember.

Another thing that’s really important to me is to try and show people how amazing they are. Because of social media and our very online world it’s SO easy to compare yourself to others and feel like you fall short. During my sessions I see so much joy and love with these amazing parents doing amazing jobs, and then often they’ll turn to me and say something disparaging about themselves. And I get it! Getting your picture taken can be uncomfortable and it can bring up some insecurities, but it makes me so sad. I wish I could explain to them how I see them in just the short time we’re together. That I see how they’re the center of their kids’ universe, how happy they are to be around them, or how they’re a safe place for their kids to not be happy. That it’s ok to struggle, that they’re stronger for it. I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many amazing people, and I just want to shout from the rooftops how different and amazing they all are.

As cheesy as it sounds, I want people to walk away from one of my sessions feeling uplifted, feeling seen, and feeling loved.

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.

I got started in photography like a lot of other photographers-through wanting to have decent pictures of my oldest son. It was just a hobby for a long time, I even set it down for awhile, before I finally decided to get serious and that I wanted to really better my skills. I had friends ask me to take family photos because they knew I enjoyed it, and after awhile I decided to try and start a business. I never went back!

I mostly photograph families, but I’ll also occasionally do graduating seniors and couples. I love to do large families especially-give me a family with six kids anyday! I also love to do all ages-I think it’s so important to still document your family even when your kids aren’t little and changing so fast anymore.

The thing I’m most proud of is my drive to become a better and better photographer. I love to push myself creatively and try and find new ways to express this beautiful mess we call family. Photos are so so important, and it’s important that parents get in the frame with their kids. They’re not going to care about how you look, they’re going to care that you were there. So get in the picture, even when it’s hard.

I know family photos can be stressful, but if you find the right photographer they will alleviate as much of that stress as possible. So many times at the end of a session I’ll hear a surprised, “That was fun!” and it’s my favorite thing ever. I also provide help with outfits because I know that’s another major stressor of getting photos done.

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

I thought at the beginning that I needed to figure everything out myself. Now that I’m a little further down the road and have invested in masterminds and business coaches, I wish I would’ve invested into my learning and business a lot sooner! Take the opportunity to learn from others who have been where you’re at, and don’t avoid learning about something you’re not the best at because it’s not as fun and shiny as another aspect of your business/skills. If you’re a photographer looking for good education sources Illuminate Classes has sooo many good classes including the very well-known Magic of Light Course by Summer Murdock. Brooke Schultz and Sabrina Gebhardt have also been very good mentors. There are sooo many options out there though-really investigate which course would be best for you at this time. If you’re looking for a business coach, make sure you get someone you know you’ll work well with.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Unpopular opinion on this one-it’s ok to build slow. I still don’t have a huge following, but I know that everyone there actually wants to be there. I was tempted multiple times to buy followers, but I’m glad I didn’t. My advice would be to just be yourself-don’t try too hard to be something you’re not. Do what you enjoy so you don’t burn out and quit. Connect with local businesses and support them without asking for anything in return, and make connections with your audience by sharing what you’re comfortable sharing about your life. Getting featured in online magazines has also helped grow my following a bit. The biggest thing is to make sure your clients are tagging you every time they post a picture you took on their socials-it’s like handing out business cards so make sure you educate your clients when it comes to that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kristinagraffphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinagraffphotography

Image Credits

Sabrina Gebhardt Photography