Today we’d like to introduce you to Kailey Edwards.
Hi Kailey, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was a 2020 Covid college graduate with a musical theatre degree and all of my contracts cancelled. I unexpectedly moved home and wanted to pour myself into a new hobby to keep my mind off of things, and decided to pick up a camera. I had always been the friend in the group who took the photos and had always wanted to learn to use a “big girl camera,” but never had the time. With nothing else to do, I bought a used camera on Facebook Marketplace, and immediately went hands-on to learn. Within three months, I had booked my first wedding for the next year, and was doing 5-7 shoots a week. I then decided to go full time in May of 2021, one year after purchasing my first camera, and the rest is history! I now shoot 30 weddings a year, 3-5 portrait shoots a week, as well as national and international weddings about 5 times a year. I am so grateful!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While it took off very suddenly for me, it was both a blessing and a curse. I entered into it (like most creatives) without any idea of the business side of it. My business is nice because I don’t have a ton of overhead; but, camera equipment is very expensive, and having to drop thousands of dollars in one sitting was definitely hard to wrap my head around at first!
I was also very cautious about my pricing and not raising it too fast. Thankfully, I think I did that very well, and built up a very strong clientele along the way, but I definitely struggled with imposter syndrome and knowing what I was worth.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in weddings, families, branding, and boudoir (I know, a wide net!). I was told early on to “niche down”…and I’m SO glad I didn’t listen. I absolutely love being able to grow with my clients, from wedding couples that then have babies, to businesses that expand and I get to keep updating their photos. I am most proud of the fact that I’ve built a trusted book of clients that keep referring me to others, and coming back themselves. I love that they trust me enough to capture these memories across all seasons of life.
I think what sets me apart from others is my personality and sense of humor. I love prompt-based/movement poses versus standstill poses, and my clients leave feeling like they had fun rather than had to participate in a photoshoot. I love that I get to know my clients and their lives, and it then gets authentic reactions that I quickly capture. I am also very fast and keep everything moving, which my clients love (especially the men!)
How do you think about luck?
Oh gosh, my entire business is based on luck! If the pandemic hadn’t happened, I would never have picked up a camera, which would then have never led to owning my own business, going international, buying a house, etc. As a Christian, I do give all glory to God and His plan for me; but, I think it’s also important to recognize that I listened to that gut instinct and just went for it. Luck means nothing if you don’t jump at the chance to use it.
Pricing:
- All pricing is on my website, I believe in full transparency!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kaileyedwardsphotography.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaileyedwardsphotography/
