Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nande Kalenga. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Nande , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
Unrelenting effort is my personal key to success. There are many days where you question yourself and or your product but that is common, if not universally understood, by most entrepreneurs. In those moments where you doubt yourself is where the building blocks of success are planted in my opinion. Around the second year of pursuing a career in photography I went through a phase of eagerness to take pictures of any and everything, up until a period of stagnancy where I could not find the light at the end of the tunnel and actually began doubting my own vision. In that period of creativity block I was encouraged by some really cool individuals to continue my journey with the same tenacity, and because of those harsh conversations with others and even myself, I found a new perspective on what it really takes to give something your all and I started to get booked for bigger gigs. It all took time and this journey towards my vision of success is ongoing! There’s a lot more work to be done and every day is an opportunity to introduce yourself, take that photo, plan that gallery and so on and so forth!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi my name is Nande Kalenga. I’m a photographer out of the inner city of Los Angeles. I first got into photography in early 2020, I was trying to find something to do while considering college and the idea was first brought to me by another business owner in conversation. The entire conversation came about because a friend of mine was asking for help with his musical career. I started off taking pictures at my friends recording sessions and gradually progressed towards other mediums of creativity. Since then I have expanded into creative direction, videography, and art direction. As far as setting myself apart, I’ve always been very critical of my work and I believe that used to hinder my creativity. I would constantly ask outside sources for validation of my art. Over time I’ve grown in trusting my own talent and of other people. I would often take someone admiring my work as them just being “nice” and sparring a kids feelings. But after so many people tell you that you do good work you start to believe it yourself and from there I let my imagination take over. I like to work fast and jump from idea to idea when it comes to a project, I might change the direction of it 2-3 times from the initial mood board to the editing process and I think that alone is what separates my work, the ability to think and act quick and go with exactly what my mind is set on rather than look to at how another creative may have done this particular look. I think I’m most proud of myself. I know it sounds pompous but if you were to ask anyone who knew me from a adolescent age to my early twenties, I think they’d tell you just how much becoming a photographer has changed me and my way of thinking. It’s made me much more detail oriented, goal driven, and has forced me to be a passenger to life sometimes just observing. I want anyone who either admires my work or would like to work in the future to know that my work is a representation of my life and what I experience. I want them to feel something when they look at anything I have a hand in. I try to make sure that everyone genuinely smiles , laughs , and leaves feeling like they’ve grown a connection and not just someone looking to get overpaid for simple headshots. My job is to make you more comfortable and confident and in that moment we can take a picture of exactly who you are whomever they may be.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Staying true to who I am. I’m big on individuality and being the person you actually are. People can tell when you’re not genuine or when you’re putting on a persona. Everywhere I go I try to be Nande Kalenga and that is it, and I’d like to believe that being just me is the reason Ive built a reputation. It is easy to wake up and decide which character you’d like to be. There’s a million characters to choose from, one day I can feel like the Avon Barksdale of the photo community and other days I can choose to be like Ab soul, but at the end of the day when I look in the mirror I only see me so why not go and showcase who I am and give people the chance to judge me truthfully and make their decisions based on that alone instead of who I want to be perceived as. In this line of work I’ve found it to be very connection heavy and word of mouth goes a long way. So would you rather be labeled as a shapeshifter or be viewed as an actual personal who not only does stellar work and was 100% him along the way?
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Going outside and meeting people. Sure having a media presence is a great tool for success but they have to meet the person behind the screen at some point. There are millions of photographers to choose from, how do I make sure they choose me? I’ve always believed in leaving a lasting impression on people. By going outside, whether it be concerts, events, etc. , you give yourself the opportunity to force your way into doors that may have not been able to be reached through the telephone. It’s very different talking to someone in real life than just through email, and I think that’s a good thing. So wherever I go and whomever I meet, I want them to know me and know that I can offer them something that can execute and elevate their vision. In my mind to be an entrepreneur is to be a people person! And living in Los Angeles there is a vast amount of people from different cultures and backgrounds to talk to and to learn from. Embedding yourself in those conversations is a really great way to grow and sustain clientele
Contact Info:
- Website: Nandekalenga.com
- Instagram: @n9nday
- Twitter: @nvndeezy
Image Credits
Jayson Cash Damson Idris Usher Chloe Lewis Frank Arens Lea Robinson Tyshawn Myers Jacques