Today we’d like to introduce you to Kie Tate.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am the CEO of KieChey Photography, LLC based in Raleigh, NC (I do travel) I graduated from Living Arts College with a degree in Digital Photography in 2013
I obtained my LLC in the state of NC in 2021
I’ve always had a camera in my hand for as long as I can remember. A point and shoot to be exact. I would be up all night doing cool graphics to my images. That’s what I thought I was going to school for at first; graphic design.
It didn’t hit me that I was even interested in photography until I was in college for another major. I took a break from technical school because it didn’t really satisfy me. I felt like I was wasting my time there. So, I enrolled into another school, “Living Arts College”.
I started photographing Landscapes, Nature, then people came along, Portraits. I worked at Portrait Innovations and Lifetouch for a while but their systems weren’t for me, I couldn’t be creative. I had to let those jobs go. I decided to freelance.
Here we are now, present day. I’ve obtained my LLC this year and I have my own creative space! I am thriving in my business.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road but not the worst either. Building the brand of KieChey Photography, LLC started about 4-5 years ago with envisioning my own space but all I had was my living room and basic lighting. Little to no clientele and a few people to practice on. Scattered sessions booked but definitely not enough to quit my 9-5. I didn’t have the funds or the financial means to upgrade my equipment or rent out a space, so I was stuck photographing in my home or finding locations outdoors (which was completely fine with me). I used my earnings from my 9-5 to support my business. I was making progress off and on with collaborations but the money just wasn’t there. Started to feel discouraged, I took it upon myself to get out of my comfort zone and try studio lighting about 2 years ago. That’s when it all changed for me! I was sticking with what I knew; which was natural light ONLY. After that, I started getting a few accolades here and there with features in magazines, being invited to events. More sessions started to trickle on the books. I would say my biggest challenge was learning studio lighting and investing in myself but I used what I had until I could purchase more equipment.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a professional photographer based in Raleigh, NC I specialize in editorial work and I’m known for my clean and creative themed work.
I’m most proud of sticking with this journey even when I felt like giving up the business side of it.
I will never put down the passion side, I love photography itself but running a business is hard! It will be a year in January and I will celebrate myself and my brand!
What sets me apart from others is that I give my clients an experience. They have set expectations but I raise that bar, I go above and beyond to make sure that I give 110% at all times. From my energy and vibe to the customer service aspect. I take so much pride in my work and I will do all I can to make my clients look their best.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Staying Humbly Creative and Steady. Often times as creatives we look at others’ work and start to second guess our self-worth and wonder if we’re good enough. Self-doubt takes place, negative thoughts enter in, then you’re overwhelmed with digging yourself out of a hole of an identity crisis. You know who you are through your art. Stay true to yourself. Sticking with what you know is great but sometimes veering off the dirt road to build a new lane is awesome too. You’ll never know what you may accomplish. I try to tackle a fresh idea in between normal clientele to always keep my creative mind flowing. But staying steady at something is the goal. Alot of people tell me that they can point out my work and when they do, they can tell that there is passion behind it. That’s all I want my name to be. PASSION! nothing less.
Contact Info:
- Email: kiecheyphotography@gmail.com
- Website: www.kiechey.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/kiecheyphotography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/kiechey
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJdzitx69r-iuhVajMm7BtA
Image Credits
KieChey Photography
@iam22terrence_m
@_ohso_j
