Kara Reese Photography: Featured Photographer, week 5

Kara Reese Photography

Studio and Location Photographer
Online: Facebook and Website
Serves: South-eastern Wisconsin
Market: Seniors, Families, Newborns
Go to gear: Nikon D90 and 50mm 1.8

I started off being the photographer that every other professional photographer hated. No, really, it’s true – and I was completely oblivious at the time. I was just finishing up my junior year of high school in May 2009 (yep… I’m a young’n…) and was on the hunt for my own senior photographer. Now, I’m sure my parents would have offered to pay for professional portraiture as long as the price wouldn’t break their bank – I was raised to be a very frugal person – but I decided that I was going to pay for my senior photography by myself.

This seemed like a fantastic idea at the time, until I started doing research on the photographers in the area. “$400 minimum order?!” I would gasp. I could afford to spend maybe $100 total. After a few days of searching, I decided that, pfffft, I could do this. I was raised in a very artistic family. I owned a Nikon D40x (which at the time seemed like the best camera ever – I mean, who else in high school would drop $400 on a camera? I was so hardcore) and my father owned his own business as well, doing computer-savvy things. I could totally start my own photography business!

So I did. With the help of my father, I became a legitimate insurance-holding, tax-paying, ultra-cheap shoot and burner. I charged $50 for a one-hour session with 40 images, and a disc was included with ANY print purchase. I think my 4x6s rung up at $1 at the time. WOOHOO BIG MONEY. And not only that, but I was helping the families of my friends who couldn’t afford traditional photography (and that is what I pushed in the cute little postcards I mailed out to the other students in my class). So, that is the way I operated for the first two years.

I was totally unaware that what I was doing made me the scum of the photography industry, the undercutter, the sole reason why clients expect to get everything for a low price. Not to mention that my work was not of a professional quality at all – I had taken two years of darkroom photography in high school, which helped, but still. I used the Auto setting & a kit lens for everything… nuff said.

My booming biz took a break when I went to college. I had it in my head that I wanted to ultimately be a teacher, which is why I didn’t feel bad about charging so little for photography. It wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life; it was just a fun, profitable hobby to help pay for school. Who was I hurting?

That whole mindset came crashing down after I came home on break and student-taught at my old middle school for a while. I hated teaching. HATED IT. I wasn’t good at it and the kids did NOT listen. I headed back to college heartbroken and confused, and did some deep soul searching. Should I change my major? Probably. But what to? Nothing really tugged at my heartstrings. Then I thought of my photography business. Even though I was only making pennies, I truly loved it. I even liked filing for taxes for it. It made me so proud.

I sat on this idea for a few weeks, and then in January 2011, decided that I was going to drop out of school and put all of my efforts into my photography business. I am a huge fan of creating your own education– you don’t always need to go to college. I hit up Facebook groups and forums on Flickr, read books, purchased new and better equipment. I attended workshops and seminars (my favorites so far being the Sallee Nordstrom Tour that I attended in Chicago, and Rachel Vanoven’s newborn workshop in Indianapolis) and online classes. I bought “Happy Place” and redesigned my pricing structure to actually be profitable. I switched my photo lab to Millers. When my first 2012 Senior came around, I shot his session entirely in RAW and Manual (neither of which I had done the previous summer *shame*). I joined Professional Photographers of America. As of October 1^st, 2011, I also now have my own natural-light studio.

Although I certainly have a lot to learn (but do you ever stop learning?), I feel so good about how far I have progressed. I am so proud to be a part of the photography industry and I can’t wait to see where my business will be 10, 20, 30 years from now. I still have a second job right now to support my expenses, but my goal is to be making a decent salary by this time next year so that I can quit my job.  

Other FAQ:

What is the best part of photography? The hardest? I really enjoy editing the images and sharing them with the clients and their friends/family. I get such a kick out of seeing the likes & comments on Facebook. I struggle the most with marketing… I can never seem to get myself out there enough.

What is a challenge you've gone through in business? People really underestimate me or don’t take me seriously because of my age. I am nineteen and had I kept up with school, I’d only be a sophomore in college. When I tell people I’m a photographer, I usually get weird looks, or a smile & nod accompanied by a “Oh, that’s nice… so what are you going to school for?” But once they see my work and the studio address on the back of my business card, they understand that I’m for real ;)

Why did you choose the market (seniors) that you photograph? Seniors are my favorite because they’re super easy for me to relate to & joke around with. But I am also really trying to break in to newborn photography because I love how artistic you can get with newborn portraits.

So, after all that, what’s the moral of my story? 

Don’t underestimate yourself, even when everyone else does, and don’t be afraid to make drastic life changes. Ultimately, in order to be happy doing what you love, you need to follow your heart.

Visit Kara Reese Photography Website

-or- Kara Reese Facebook Page

-and- Kara Reese Blog