Today we’d like to introduce you to Amari Kelley.
Hi Amari, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
It all started during the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order 2020-21 that Governor Whitmer initiated in March 2020 due to the Covid 19 Pandemic. As many Michiganders were forced to transition working from home and limited in the activities in which they could participate in, it gave me an opportunity to sit back and enjoy the little things in life. One of my favorite activities I was able to do, that I rarely had the time to do while working in the office, was take walks. My wife and I started taking daily walks where we would discuss our future together along with some of our individual goals. One of my goals that I expressed was that I wanted to pick up a new skill/hobby. With all the free time that I had on my hands, I wanted to make sure that I came out of the pandemic better than I went in. Little did I know the Covid 19 pandemic was going to last three years.
I vividly recall going through a Sam’s Club ad for Fourth of July specials and coming across cameras. To this day, I can’t recall what in my mind made me say I want to try photography, but it was something that really captivated my attention. I didn’t know anything about photography and the only experience I had was with a wind-up Kodak camera and a Digital camera from middle school. Additionally, I didn’t have any friends who were photographers to help me decide what was a good starter camera, so I just went with the best bang for my buck. I purchased a Canon Rebel T7 kit with an 18-55mm STM lens and a 75-300mm STM lens.
Over the next few weeks, I would take my camera on our daily walks and I would take pictures of my wife, nature, and our dogs. In the evenings, when I was relaxing, I would get on YouTube and search for basic camera skills for beginners. I was introduced to manual mode and the basics of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Soon enough, I was introduced to raw camera files and editing software. Once I learned about some of the basics, I found myself outside exploring some of Lansing’s historic landmarks practicing the skills I learned. It wasn’t until October of 2020 that I first felt like I could take a stab at shooting portraits of others. I reached out to a couple friends and they were more than willing to allow me to practice in exchange for photos, which to my surprise turned out quite well and was all the motivation I needed.
Since October 2020 I have continued to invest into my photography skills and equipment. Many nights I spend watching various YouTube and Instagram videos/channels to learn new skills and techniques to ultimately improve the quality of my images. On Facebook, I have joined various photography groups which share different techniques and provide constructive criticism on things to improve on. I’ve continued to invest money into my gear which has included new high-quality lenses, flashes, receivers, transmitters, softboxes, stands, backdrops, and a professional camera. I often practice editing old images and trying new editing techniques and software to improve image quality. In my opinion, the biggest takeaway as to how I have gotten to where I am today is taking on each opportunity and understanding that I may not get another one. Additionally, I continue to invest in my all-around photography knowledge. Lastly, I’ve had an amazing support system from friends, family and members in the community who have continued to push me and promote my business which is humbling and does not go unnoticed!
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?
Throughout the past two years there have been many obstacles that I have encountered from a photography and business standpoint. I believe the biggest struggle that I’ve had is learning photography in general from the standpoint of taking pictures. I believe that many ppl think you just click a button and you get a really good picture, now I wasn’t that naive but I didn’t know how much truly went into it. As I alluded to earlier, I learned quickly that if I wanted to be able to control how an image turned out I was going to have to learn how to shoot manually as opposed to using the automatic mode. Through a lot of practice, I became better at understanding the exposure triangle which helped me become a better photographer, especially when shooting in manual or any other picture mode.
During the first year, I struggled with finding my own style. Being new at photography I spent a lot of time finding inspiration from other photographers and seeing what they were doing. Because of this, I was focusing so much on other photographers and trying to replicate what their images looked like that I ultimately hindered myself from finding my true style. It wasn’t until late spring/summer of 2021 when business picked up that I was able to truly spend more time perfecting images to my likeness and finding my style which is a Colorful/Vibrant photography style.
From the business side of things, everything was new to me as I never operated a business before. I remember spending a lot of time trying to figure out how to send pictures over to friends early on and what was the best way of doing it. Sending emails became a daunting task as it took forever to upload images especially if they were over certain file sizes. The same could be said for using Google Photos and the limited amount of storage after sending multiple projects. After doing some research I learned about CRM programs, which can help streamline the process of sharing images. Not only was the CRM program beneficial for sending pictures but it was also a very good program to keep track of communications with customers, creating contracts and invoices. Creating a website which is something I had never done and continuing to update it has been a love-hate relationship as many days I feel as if I don’t have time to. Personally, I am not very active on social media with my personal pages however, I knew that if I wanted to reach more potential customers, I needed to have a social media presence for my photography business. Trying to engage with followers and post frequently on social media has been a big obstacle but also has been one of the things that I have improved on the most while running my business.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a Lansing, Michigan-based Photographer who specializes in portrait photography. Portrait photography has a very wide range and for me consists of Traditional, Lifestyle, Couple, Family/Group, Business and Headshot photography. I’ve also stepped into the realm of event and wedding photography over the past year and currently have multiple weddings scheduled in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, I also like to shoot Landscape Photography and have taken many images around the city of Lansing and the state of Michigan. What I believe I am known for the most is my colorful and vivid style as well as my willingness to go the extra mile to satisfy my customers.
What I am most proud of is how much I’ve progressed in the past year and a half. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would’ve bought a camera let alone become the photographer that I am. There have been days where I’ve questioned if photography is really for me, especially after a couple shoots that didn’t go as I planned, as well as hearing others doubt the idea of me being a photographer. To keep a positive mindset and not let those negative thoughts grow into anything bigger is something I am truly proud of. It’s been such a rewarding process to know that all the hard work that I have put into photography is starting to pay off! At this point, there is no turning back for me as I’ve found that natural high every time I get behind the camera and I am truly excited for what the future holds for me!
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me, from a business standpoint, is that I am providing a positive experience for customers from the beginning to the end. From the initial contact and consultation that I have with a customer, I hope that I make them feel comfortable and provide them with a sense of security that whatever they’re looking for is going to be captured. It matters that I can provide open communication throughout the entire process and be easily accessible, especially on the day of a shoot. Many times, hours prior to a photoshoot, things change – for example, weather, work schedules, or location issues. Being accessible and flexible allows me to make sure that I am able to take care of customer’s needs.
During a photoshoot, it matters that I can make customers feel comfortable and natural in front of the camera, especially when posing. It has come to my attention multiple times that many individuals don’t feel comfortable in front of a camera and need a lot of guidance. Following the photoshoot, it matters a lot to me that I can deliver quality images back to a customer within the specific deadline that is discussed. Lastly, the thing that matters most to me personally, is that I take advantage of every opportunity and that every time I get behind the camera that I get better. If I can continue to get better each time, I will become a better photographer producing better quality images and ultimately meeting and exceeding customers’ expectations!
Contact Info:
- Email: Amarikelleyphotography@
gmail.com - Website: https://
amarikelleyphotography.com/ - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/ amarikelleyphotography/ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/ Amarikelleyphotography
