We caught up with the brilliant and insightful McKenzie Miller a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
McKenzie , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
I have 2 reason why I do what I do as a photographer — That is to be a light to the world and to treat everybody like a somebody. I have a bizarre job where I simply get to meet people, far and wide, and take their photos! My whole mission is to serve my clients in the way that they need, the moment they need it. Maybe that looks like reapplying a bride’s lipstick before we do more photos, changing a flower girl from a pull-up to some undies before she walks down the aisle, or holding onto the wedding rings during the day so the best man doesn’t feel anxious all day! On other occasions, it is making the shy little boy/girl at a photo session come to life by simply taking the time to get on their level and make so they’re comfortable before we dive anymore into the session. And every time I pick up my camera, it is my job to show how beautiful people are just by being themselves. In a world of Instagram filters and constant comparison — I love being the one who shows a client the back of my camera and they say “Hold up….that’s ME????” I have the absolute honor and privilege of getting to tell people’s stories through photography– I get to be part of some of the best moments of peoples’ lives and gift them photos they can pass down for generations.
My name might not be in the Photography Hall of Fame, but I always treat people as if it is.
McKenzie , 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?
From a young age I always had a disposable or digital camera in my hands! Growing up, I always dreamed of having a “big girl camera” like the one Hallie and Annie had in The Parent Trap! My long term boyfriend (now husband) gifted me my first DSLR camera for Christmas in 2013. I took in on trips and really only used it for fun when I had time. Flash to 2017 When my now sister in law was a senior in high school, she asked me to take her senior photos! Mind you, I had never done a photo shoot before or had a way to edit the photos (I ended up editing them on my phone!!) Fast forward to her graduation party months later, one of her friends loved her photos and eventually asked me to take her senior photos! She ended up being my first paying client and after her session I thought — “wow, that was fun! I wonder who else will let me take their photos?” I ended up asking anyone and everyone to let me take their photos which eventually led to people reaching out and asking me to take their photos! By April of 2018, I had officially launched “McKenzie Luree Photography” on Instagram and by 2019 I was starting “the hustle.” By the end of 2020 I was working a 9-5 job as well as running what used to be a side hustle, now full blown photography business at the same time. My husband could tell I was running on fumes but could see the passion I had for photography and could see the drive I had — He finally looked at me and said “I think you can go full time with this business. If you want to do this, quit your job and go for it. NOW is the time!” By April 2021, I officially went full time with my photography business and haven’t looked back since! I always tell people, had it not been for my husband putting a camera in my hands for the first time and pushing me to chase this dream I didn’t even know I had, I wouldn’t be sitting here today.
I am based out of Millersburg, Ohio and primarily photograph weddings and family portraits! My goal is to give my clients a full experience when they work with me. I always tell my brides that I want to be the easiest vendor they work with — especially because I am one of the vendors they spend alllll day will! For my family sessions, I pride myself on making their time with me a great time! That usually includes music, lots of laughs, precious moments between family members, and getting gorgeous photos in return to look back on.
I really pride myself on how I make people feel while they’re in front of my camera! The real secret of photography is this — you can use the best camera, be dressed in the fanciest clothes, have the #1 makeup artist in the world glam you up, and end up with GORGEOUS photos — and your client could still hate the way they look in their photos if they didn’t feel good during their session. There is a saying that I love by Maya Angeloy — “At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or what you did, they will remember how you made them feel.” That quote is one of the foundations of my business. I love when a client receives their gallery and they will say “Oh my goodness! I remember exactly what we were doing/saying during this photo!” When my clients have a good time and feel loved on, 99% of the time they will love their photos. And the way I do that is by learning their names, remembering something a returning client has said in the past, etc! Loving people is the way to beautiful photos.
How did you build your audience on social media?
When starting socials for a business, but particularly as creatives, it is so important to show your face and get your audience to trust you! As creatives, all we want to do is create whatever it is that you do, and share it on social media! But the truth is, people want to see who is behind the art. For me, I was terrified to show my face on Instagram stories or post photos of me anywhere. I was scared that people would look at me like I’m self-absorbed and would roll their eyes at me. But quite the opposite happened — the more I showed my face, the more people interacted with my content. The more vulnerable I was, the more people trusted my character! Over the last year and a half, my husband and I have dealt with multiple miscarriages and I ended up sharing some of our story. I knew people would care and would love us, but I had no idea the amount of love and support we would get! I have truly found a community of people who genuinely care not only about my business, but equally care about my heart. And had I never taken the risk to be a little vulnerable on social media, I don’t think my mental health would be where it is at today.
Another piece of advice for social media is this — the number of followers DOES NOT MATTER. Currently I have 1,931 followers on Instagram — and I still get so much engagement and I’m currently booked for the rest of the year!
Sure, it looks awesome to have 10K+ followers and have thousands of likes! But I am so thankful for 250 likes and 10 comments from people that WANT to be in my little corner of the internet! Success can and does look different to every single person and that is OKAY!
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
A misconception that non-creatives have is the notion that we don’t really “work.” I have had countless moments where people will say “It must be nice only having to work on the weekends!” When in reality, I think as creative entrepreneurs, we work harder than most people! In a typical 9-5 company, you will have a team for marketing, finances, IT, operations, HR, and most of the time a secretary. For me and many creatives – we are all that by ourselves! On top of actually taking photos and editing them — I do all my socials, I answer all calls/texts/emails, I do my taxes, I run all my books, etc! It truly is a 40+ hour a week job and I wish people who aren’t creatives would give us not only grace but also some credibility!
One way that I have made my life better that maybe can help another creative was starting to set professional boundaries. As silly or simple as that sounds, it is easy to lose yourself in your work! When I finally implemented “office hours” and stopped responding to clients 24/7, it made my mental health do a 180. I also started only working during the week, unless I am shooting a wedding, of course! My first year full-time, I worked Monday-Sunday and had no concept of taking time off — once I realized that I am the only one in charge of making sure I don’t lose my mind, my whole life changed!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mckenzielureephotography.mypixieset.com/
- Instagram: @mckenzielureephotography