We are excited to be featuring the amazing photographer Kelly Klatt. She specializes in newborn, children, families and high school senior pictures.
Hey, I’m Kelly…a photographer from exotic Buffalo, Minnesota. I am happiest when I’m wearing pajama pants all day. I like watching crime shows with my husband…and I have a mild obsession with checking facebook on my phone. I love chocolate more than any sane person should…and I am constantly hiding my treats from the 3 kids who call me mom.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a photographer? I took a required photojournalism class in college (I was working on my degree in journalism)…photography wasn’t even on my radar until after that class.
When and how did you start out in photography? After that class, I got a job at Proex Portrait Studio as a lab rat. After working there a few months, they asked if I wanted to work in the camera room…I took a 2 day workshop, and voila, I was a photographer~haha! For over 9 years I worked for a studio that focused on family portraits, utilizing a style I like to call: white wicker chic. The goal there was high volume/low cost, so being creative was never really an option..heck, most of the time, I never even saw the images I shot. I never wanted to start my own business (as the numbers side of things scared the crap out of me), but in 2009 I sucked it up, bought a camera, learned PS elements (good old elements), and hung my shingle….figuratively…I didn’t plan on having a studio at that point (by the way…I have a ‘studio tour’ interview coming out on I heart faces soon, if you’d like to check it out!).
How would you describe your style? I know this tag line is used everywhere, but I describe my style as: fresh. modern. fun. I try to stick closely to those descriptions. I think the best compliment you can get as a photographer is, “I recognized your work, before I even saw your logo”. Now, does that happen to me all the time? Not always….sometimes I get a little ADD on the editing, and veer away from ‘fresh’ and take a side trip into ‘vintage’…but overall, I like to keep things clean and simple.
What’s in your gear bag? I love me some Nikon. I have the D700 (D300 backup), 24-70 2.8, 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.4, 60mm 2.8. A SB600 speed light, a few good reflectors, and a couple of alien bee lights.
One lens you can’t live without? My nifty fifty.
How did know when the right time to start charging was? I started charging from the start (I could, since I had experience behind the camera…the areas I was lacking was in editing and running a business). In June of 2009 I set my prices (just prints, I wasn’t offering digital at the time) at what I wanted to make…then I discounted everything 35%. By September of that year, I got rid of the ‘portfolio building discount’, and the money just poured in. I’m kidding….but I still remember that October when I got an order for $400 using my *full* pricing…talk about exhilarating!
How much did you charge for your first session and how much are you charging for the same type of session now? Well, I’ve gone through a few pricing changes…and I’m sure I’ll go through many more. Then: Session Fee $50 | 8×10 $12 | digital (did not offer at first). Now: Session Fee $125 | 8×10 $40 | Digital $125/file
How did you market yourself when you started out? I booked a lot of friends and family (parent’s friends, church people, etc.). After my first price change, I lost a good chunk of those friends/family, and gained new clients via facebook and referrals. That is still how I get clients. I’ve tried postcards in the mail, ads in yellow pages and booths at expos. Nothing is as good as a referral! I do have a great following on my blog…I try and keep it updated every week…and I’m always writing inappropriate stories about my own personal life…I find that a lot of my new clients are avid blog readers, and feel like they already know me (the good and the bad) before we even meet.
We are going to play a game… name the first person that comes to mind when you think of…
- Newborn photographer: Baby as Art
- Wedding photographer: Jasmine Starr
- Lifestyle photographer: Tara Whitney
- Most inspiration person: This is where I put Jesus or my mom, right? And they definitely are my 1 and 2 picks…but let’s shake things up…I love reading the bloggess. It’s an entertaining (and overly crass) blog written by Jenny Lawson…and probably shouldn’t be categorized anywhere near Jesus…my apologies. I love her for her wit and her insane sense of humor. I’m inspired by the number of loyal followers she has…her fan base is huge. The way she writes about her everyday conversations with her husband can make me laugh out loud…in true LOL fashion.
Did you go to school for photography or were you self- taught? If self-taught, what helped you the most? Oops, I guess I answered this already. I took one class in college, then worked at a high volume studio for years. If you compare the pictures I took at the traditional portrait studio compared to the work I do now, then the changes are all ‘semi-self taught’. I joined forums, go to workshops, and belong to PPA and twin cities PPA (which has some really great seminars every month).
Do you have any tips for photographers just starting out? If you are new to the biz, and don’t want to burn out 6 months in, then set your prices where you eventually WANT to be…then discount accordingly until you feel you are worth it. Much less sticker shock to your clients if they’ve seen those *huge* price tags from the get-go!
If for some reason you couldn’t be a photographer what do you think you would be? If I couldn’t be a photographer, I would still stay in this field (there is just too much eye-candy for me to go back to working in the Target deli). I could be a ‘ghost-blogger’…I could print and sell backgrounds…or maybe host a traveling ‘learn your camera’ workshop where I travel around Minnesota hosting classes for moms with new DSLR’s…as a bonus, I could throw in some line-dancing lessons.
What’s the best lesson in photography (business or shooting) that you’ve learned so far? I’ve learned that if you don’t put something in your contract…it will happen during a session. I’ve had so many, ‘lesson learned’ moments over the past 4 years…and I STILL run into situations that I haven’t covered or prepared for….It’s really hard to be ‘cool and fun’ and still have a ton of rules and strict business policies…but getting walked all over is not something that I signed up for…Okay, I think that wins the award for vague answer of the day!
What are your thoughts on lifestyle photography? Oooh, let’s see…how about lifestyle photography. My thoughts: I don’t always get it. And it’s hard to do well. And I don’t know why clients wouldn’t want to be posed, it makes you look skinnier. And sometimes people use the term ‘lifestyle’ to cover a host of sins (ie: blurry/poorly exposed/unable to find good light). Well, I’m awfully blunt today! Sigh…I am jealous of those that are masters of lifestyle photography…having beautiful, natural photographs of your family is priceless.
Kelly Klatt | Website | Blog | Facebook
Have any questions or comments? Feel free to post them in the comment section below!
