Today we’d like to introduce you to McKinley Hodge.
Hi McKinley, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have always had a love for photography and as I yearned to capture precious moments of my babies growing, I fell even further into it. I started my photography business in the beautiful Evergreen State after realizing that I wanted to capture moments for other families like mine. I dove into my business just before COVID collapsed things around us, but I didn’t let it hold me back. I focused on honing my skills at home capturing creative photos of my children and our life at home. When things began to open up again, I jumped full fledge into serving our community and photographing friendly subjects all around me. Since launching my business, my work has been featured in several magazines worldwide including multiple features in issues of Prestige Models Magazine, Shutter Up Magazine, and cover and body features in Chasing Light Magazine. In 2022, I also received the honor of being named Best Photographer in the Region by the Georgia Business Journal! My business has come a long way since the day it started, and it has been full of joy, hard work, and patience. I couldn’t have brought this dream to fruition without the help of my incredible husband, Josiah.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road, but every challenge has helped me to grow either as a businesswoman or as a mom. Business has been quite a learning curve for me. I love what I do, so it’s tempting to just “give myself away,” so to speak. It has taken time and pain to realize that if I want to turn my business into something that I can use to serve others but also provide for my family, that I have to charge my worth and market myself accordingly. I fought and continue to fight daily with my own insecurities and self-worth. The hardest part about marketing myself in a way that can sustain us is bringing myself to believe that my time and work truly is that valuable.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a portrait photographer. I specialize in maternity and newborn photography and continue following along in my client’s lives as their family photographer as well. I am most proud of being named the Best Photographer in the Region by the Georgia Business Journal after only moving to the area a year and a half ago. I feel truly honored to be considered so highly by my clients and peers here in the North metro-Atlanta area.
Something that sets me apart from others is my focus on client experience. I believe that photography is a luxury service, and as such, I work exceptionally hard to make sure that what I provide goes far beyond a photograph. I take time to discuss wants and needs with each client before their session so that I can shoot intentionally for what matters most to them. I also provide an in-person gallery reveal after their session so they can be captivated with every sense as they view their images for the first time.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
First and foremost, my biggest helpful resource is the Bible. My strength in everything that I do comes from Christ, and at the end of the day, every answer I need can be found in him. Aside from that, I would highly recommend finding a business mentor! I am ALWAYS learning in any way I can, and regularly spend hours researching things from marketing to shooting and lighting techniques. If you always push forward, you’ll never stop growing. Some additional books that have helped my business are “Ready for Anything by David Allen and “Feel the Fear…And Do It Anyway” by Susan Jeffers, Ph. D.
Pricing:
- Session Fee – $195
- Digital Collections from $800
- Artwork Collections from $1,150
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mckinleyhodge.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/mckinleyhphotography
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/mckinleyhphotography
Image Credits
McKinley Hodge Photography, LLC
