Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Rodriguez.
Kelly, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve been a photographer for most of my life and have always found a way to fit it in between raising two busy kiddos, moving cross country, and marathon training. My love for photography started while growing up in Miami, where I began to capture portraits as a teen. In college, I worked towards a minor in visual arts and spent most of my free time in the darkroom developing my own photographs. I started taking digital images after college and began taking clients while living in Miami. My little family (hubby and two little ones) and I moved to NYC for several years, where I captured portraits for friends through changing seasons, worked for a photography magazine, and learned more about the industry through photography conferences and trade shows. Currently located in Orlando, I started my business officially in 2020, just as the covid-19 pandemic began. Unable to take clients right when everything was shut down, I decided to begin photographing through my neighborhood for charity. I did front porch sessions for over 50 families in the neighborhood and raised over $1500 for Ronald McDonald House of Central Florida with my #frontporchproject. I now share my passion of photography in capturing unique images for local businesses, joyful moments for families, cozy images of newborns at home, and whatever fun sessions come my way.
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?
I would not say it’s been a smooth road by any means. Just about everything has made my journey of becoming a professional photographer a little more challenging. There were periods where my children were babies and my husband in medical school that I had to put my dreams on the back burner… and plenty of times where I didn’t even want to pick up my camera, even for personal photos. I would take clients on/off when life allowed but never had a full go at being in business consistently.
Of course, once life lined up for me… we settled in Orlando, the kids are a bit older, my husband is working… I got all my business ducks in a row… and BOOM, covid-19 shuts it all down. It threw me into a mode of giving and caring for others who were struggling. And I dove into my #frontporchproject photographing for my own sanity. It was the only way some of us even interacted with others during that first lockdown and all the uncertainty and giving back to Ronald McDonald House who, now because of covid-19, couldn’t accept food and volunteers. It lifted me and kept me focused on good for months. In hindsight, it was the best thing I could have done for my business as well. I met so many neighbors, some of which have become paying clients. But it was also so good to feel part of the community we were so new to as well.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I like to keep things simple and not have overly complicated sessions, pricing, etc. I tend to give more than I promise and believe sessions should be easy-going, fun, and natural. I photograph families, newborns and businesses/branding! My family portrait sessions can be anywhere! While I love photographing families in their own homes (we pillow fight and have fun)… I also do outdoor sessions… or even a cool ice cream shop can be the starting point to a fun family session. I’m up for anything that brings out a family’s personality! Newborn sessions are so so so fun. I keep things natural, simple and at the client’s home where mamma + baby can be comfy and themselves.
These sessions last a little longer for feeding times, changes, and I really like to change rooms and capture close connection and cuddles with the family. I do NOT pose newborns in bowls or anything like that – I love photographing moments that unfold before my eyes. Branding photography for businesses – there are fun images that capture the personality of a business that they can use for promos, emails, websites, social shares, etc. I think it’s so important to really capture the personality, products and faces behind a business. They are also some of the most fun and creative sessions I do! I also only take two portrait sessions a month. What does that mean?? That I work only on one session until it’s perfected and delivered. No juggling multiple clients, sessions, image-editing, etc. (I mean, moms are juggling enough already, amiright?!) that’s my full attention to one photography session from start to end… and it’s also me loving my job as a photographer and not letting myself burn out. A happy photographer = awesome photos!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I got stuck on building my business so many times because I thought I had to have it “all figured out” before I could book a client or publish my website. You can get so bogged down by comparing yourself to others it’s almost paralyzing. I know, personally, I would see other photographer’s beautiful websites, images, and how many clients they were booking and would feel like I wasn’t good enough… that I would never “get there” with my own business. Once I started to simplify, really ask myself how I wanted MY business to look, I started to let go of all that noise that kept me from just diving in and trusting the process. I didn’t want to burn out, I didn’t want a high-volume business, I want to continue to love what I do, I want clients who value their photography sessions. I created my pricing and calendar to work for me… and what works for me actually works out really well for my clients, too! They get a happy photographer who works creatively on just their session rather than a photographer juggling five clients a week. Am I good enough to dive into this business with a full heart? HECK YES! Can I always learn and improve and adjust as I go? ABSOLUTELY! Make it yours.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@kelly-r.com
- Website: https://www.kelly-r.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelly_r
- Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/kel.photo
