May 1, 2017

Meet Karen Kelly of Karen Kelly Studios in Inman Park

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Kelly.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Karen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I absolutely love where I am in my life and my career right now. I feel as if I am a living example of the motto: Life rewards you when you are more YOURSELF.

When I graduated college, I sought out the most practical and employable career path suitable for a young mother with a BFA. I worked as a graphic designer and marketing specialist for about a decade. An unexpected layoff left me with LOT of time on my hands.

One sunny afternoon, my kids and I put together an impromptu styled shoot, just for fun. On a whim, we pulled out every prom, party, and homecoming dress we owned, big fake flowers beaded purses, and a TON of safety pins. We piled the car and drove to an old abandoned nursery about half a mile from our apartment.

Styled shoots were just gaining popularity and I wasn’t entirely sure what I’d gotten myself into. It was fun and silly and the kids had a blast preening and posing for the camera. I was delighted with the resulting images and like any mom worth her salt, I promptly posted the them on Facebook.

Within 24 hours, friends were inquiring about the possibility of having me shoot sessions for them and their kids. At first I balked…. until one friend said the magic words, “I’ll pay you.” Mind. Blown.

I couldn’t believe my ears! “Pay? Me? to take photos of your kids? Um, sure, I guess I can do that.” One thing led to another and within a month, I was booked solid. I never looked back.

Has it been a smooth road?
Of course I’ve experienced struggles along the way. I didn’t realize how blessed I’d been to see my business grow so fast and easily at first. I still lived in my hometown of Thomasville, GA. In a small town, word of mouth is the Gospel. Whether you do good work or not, everyone will know. Satisfied clients refer others: friends, church members, family.

When I moved to Atlanta in 2011, I quickly realized just how much I’d relied on my grassroots strategy. Without a network in place, I struggled to find the best way to market my business. In a city this large, being good isn’t good enough.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
The one gift that sets me apart is genuine curiosity. I understand people because I ask questions. I ask questions because I was born wanting to understand everything.

No one schedules a portrait session on a whim. Naturally, I’ve always asked clients, why did you book this session.

The why’s are generally the same: to document a moment or milestone, business headshots, senior portraits, glamour session, holiday cards, and increasingly, for social media use.

Once I know why someone wants portraits made, I want to know what message they want to communicate. What are we selling? Occasionally I actually use those words. Clients giggle. Every. Time. It’s an honest question, right? Portraits are meant to be seen. Proverbially, every portrait tells a story of a thousand words. What do you want to say to the world?

Armed with the knowledge of what and why, I dive into the how. Posing is merely cueing up the client to tell their story using body language and facial expression. Wardrobe is another easy way to communicate an idea because clothing carries all sorts of clues about the wearer. I don’t always have control over what the client chooses to wear so I have to fall back on the thing I do best. I intuitively find the best features to highlight, the most flattering angles and a background that serve the story we are telling.

The results are statement making images of you. You showcasing your strengths, silently proclaiming the very best of yourself. What good are gorgeous images that are unrecognizable?

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
It’s an exciting time to live in Atlanta. The Intown neighborhoods are chock full of creative, open minded people who support local businesses with pride. People love doing business with other people instead of faceless corporations. I’ve found the community to be very supportive and helpful.

If I could give any advice to someone just starting out I’d say, do what you love and do it really well. Whatever you enjoy doing, whatever your natural talents, whatever your personality – there is one thing you are innately suited for. The sooner you find out what that one thing is, the sooner you can being building your life. When you produce the work you were made to do, to the very best of your ability, the world will respond and reward you.

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