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

Hi Lex, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I have taken my fair share of risks when it comes to career choices and my current one, to most, will sound like no exception. But each risk has taught me resilience, and I think for those of us in creative industries we understand how each challenge has strengthened our ability to step forward with greater confidence. For many, taking that first leap happens when we go to University. I remember hearing a statistic when I was graduating high school: that my generation was most likely to have 5 careers over the course of our lifetime. Well I’m somewhere on my 3rd or 4th at this point so… let’s see how I got here.

I graduated high school thinking a career in film and television would be “easier” than one in fashion design. Who knows, I could have been the next Balmain but I decided to pursue acting in New York and Los Angeles instead! So I finished University, went to a conservatory, and happily struggled for the better part of 10 years. It was gritty, and dreamy, and it was a risk. All of it. A major one. And through it all, I was lucky to have supportive family and friends. But even after moving home, succumbing to a 9-5 for financial stability and benefits, while still going on auditions, the joy of that work faded. It had felt too hard for too long. So I knew I needed to make a change.

I first picked up a real film camera when I was 16. I’d had point-and-shoots for years, and still have boxes of poorly exposed disposable camera photos that make up the majority of my adolescence; but that’s when I enrolled myself in a film photography class. I thought it would be a cool thing to learn so I could document an upcoming volunteer trip to Thailand. Had I known that that camera, and that course, was to mark the beginning of my career as a photographer, my life would have looked wildly different by now! But from that point on I photographed events for fun: friend’s celebrations, Burning Man, behind-the-scenes on set, friend’s LinkedIn portraits, surprise engagements, etc. So when it came time to pivot careers, I knew I could build off of that experience and creative spark.

When the pandemic hit, I found myself juggling a 9-5 as an executive assistant while simultaneously providing that company social media skills. I was burnt out and miserable. Then, thanks to COVID, I was temporarily laid-off and approved for government benefits. The job market was flooded but everyone needed an online presence, so I took the risk to explore my creative work full time. I put the word out and started offering my photography and videography services, as well as my social media skills, to entrepreneurs to help them elevate their brand. And that’s how I started my own business.

It still comes with its challenges but when you’re working for yourself, relying on yourself, and you overcome an issue… it feels like such an achievement! I never really felt that way when I was working for someone else. Those little wins didn’t hit the same. But now, whether I’m learning how to fix my website or sharing a creative mood board with a client, I feel self-assured and excited by each step.

Oprah said: “… the universe speaks to us, always, first in whispers.”… “And if you don’t pay attention to the whisper, it gets louder and louder and louder.” I think about that quote a lot. Pursuing another creative career might sound like a risk to someone else, but it had been a whisper to me for years. And I’m glad I made the change.

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

I’m a city-hippie with a creative mind. I’ve been shooting photography for 10 years and I especially love to capture my subjects in dream-like states; to show them what’s possible and exquisite about themselves. My portfolio includes professional and creative portraits, branding and events. I’ve shot for big organizations and been published nationally and internationally too, with online features in Condé Nast Traveler and British Vogue coming out this month. I’ve also been an official photographer for Burning Man for 5 years.

With a background in the entertainment industry I understand the kind of impact and first impression photos can have for an individual and their business. The right image can set you apart from your peers and competition, and I help my professional clients translate how they want their audience to feel into a photograph. I also know that life is made up of a series of moments: Some wild and wonderful, others quiet and raw. I love to capture those subtleties and celebrations, and show my creative clients just how captivating they can be. All in all I relish in the more creative work that keeps you daydreaming (like my photos in this article.) I’m so proud to get to work with my clients, make them feel at ease and seen, and to capture them in divine moments that they can look back on and say “remember when…”

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I have a number of friends in corporate jobs (think wealth management, legal, data analysis, etc.) that require, by the very nature of their work, more logical or regimented thinking. They go from task to task to reach an objective goal. It’s not to say that their jobs aren’t nuanced, of course they are, but my creative work and worth are measured differently so it can be hard to relate.

Creatives are valued for their ability to ideate, translate and create something (often out of thin air) for a subjective goal – a photo that makes you feel a certain way about a person, product, or brand. Even though I’ve been a professional photographer for 10 years, the mental and emotional drain that comes from turning a creative shoot idea into a final image is hard to explain. And working with clients, communicating the vision to someone who isn’t a creative, can be a real challenge. Ever had a client say “I know what I like when I see it”? Yeah. Try satisfying that brief! Creative work also looks different day-to-day; it’s not a typical 9-5 at all. My brain is constantly observing and pulling inspiration from a myriad of things: Mid-day light through a shop window, a song in a tv show, how someone styles their outfit, etc. so it can be hard to “leave work at work,” if you know what I mean. But ultimately I do this work because it’s what fulfills me and motivates me to keep going. I hope that’s something we can all understand about our paths.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

People-pleasing. I think it stems from a number of things like: “the customer is always right” mentality and being a female. I’m also petite so people have a tendency to “cutify” me. If I had a dollar for every time someone patted me on the head, I’d be so rich! But these things have also negatively affected my career and I’ve had to make changes in order to move forward.

Initially it served me well to be nice and sweet in a manner that satisfied someone’s interpretation of me. They’d feel more comfortable with me if I was what they expected. But because I was this “cute, petite, girl” when it came time to ask for a raise or to move up in a role, I often wouldn’t be taken seriously. Bosses, even knowing my age, experience, and skillset, would hold me back and give the position to someone else they perceived as “more experienced” even when that wasn’t the case.

When I started my own business it was a double edged sword. I needed and wanted clients. I was relying on referrals. Bending and extending my services sometimes felt like the only way to get paid. I started to see how this “cute” perception of me was translating into clients thinking I could be undercut. And it was my female clients who were the worst. Even when photo packages were clearly laid out and contracts were signed I’d have clients telling me: “other photographers don’t charge for retouching” or “no one credits their photographers on social media,” etc. After a few of these clients I realized I had to make some changes. I needed to stop people-pleasing, stand my ground as a professional, and put new parameters in place.

I now have a screening process that helps me know if a prospective client is aligned with my work. I also insist on in-person meetings whenever possible and I trust my intuition if something feels off.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lexkilgour.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flexandbender/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lex-kilgour-july2020/