We recently connected with Mikey Kulegian and have shared our conversation below.

Mikey, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Some of the most interesting parts of our journey emerge from areas where we believe something that most people in our industry do not – do you have something like that?

I think with photography there is this misconception that photos always have to look perfect and I honestly feel that’s not the case. Sure, there are certain elements you definitely want to achieve in a photo but when you break it down, it’s simply just art. We all connect and interpret things differently and that’s perfectly OK. There is no right or wrong way to interpret art. I remember a specific time when I was photographing a CrossFit fitness competition and I looked back at a photo I took that wasn’t my “cleanest” shot. It had some grain, some harsh highlights, stuff like that so I was pretty bummed about it because I thought it was a cool photo. I sent it to the athlete in the photo anyway, and she was so happy just to have it. I didn’t really understand why but then we started chatting and she told me this was her first ever competition and she had lost about 60 pounds and is in the best shape of her life now. That was the day where I stopped worrying too much about the photo and started focusing on the person in the photo. Anyone can make a photo look good, but capturing real, raw moments that people can keep as a memory for the rest of their life, (in my opinion) is what makes a great photographer.

Mikey, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Mikey and I am a creative photographer living in the Nashville area. I have photographed actors, models, professional athletes and businesses all around the world.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think it’s honestly just how I connect with my clients. I try to make the entire process simple and easy from start to finish. When I’m photographing my clients I want them to feel like we’re just hanging out and that they’ve known me forever that way they’re completely comfortable on camera. I also try to be pretty quick with delivering my photos to clients. I know sometimes that people get caught up with other things and life happens, but it blows my mind when I hear photographers take a month or longer to deliver a gallery.

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

Oddly enough, it’s not social media. When I first started out, I put a ton of effort into social media and marketing- and while I think it’s still super important, it’s definitely not where I focus all my attention anymore. Most of my clients come to me through referrals now, which is an amazing feeling because it means people are out there talking positive about my work and what I do, and I love that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mikeykphoto.com
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/mikeyk_photo