Today we’d like to introduce you to Kirsten Gilliam.
Kirsten , please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
So, I actually got my start back in 2012. I was always taking pictures of my friends and our get-togethers on a little Sony point and shoot. I loved documenting everything and we always enjoyed looking back on our memories together. I had just started working at Uchi and a fellow server, now leather handbag extraordinaire of “Hatton Henry” Vanessa Vaught, mentioned she had an unused Canon DSLR at home that I was welcome to borrow if I was interested in taking photography more seriously. I couldn’t even tell you what model it was. I had no idea what I was doing.
I ended up practicing by taking it everywhere with me, work included. I can’t imagine doing this now but at the time the Chef was so nice and would let me take pictures in the kitchen during service while I was waiting tables. It started with photographing dishes, then some work events and a pivotal moment (for me) was the 2013 Free Press Summer Fest media breakfast with Uchi, Blaffer Art Museum, and Bun B. They let me run around and document whatever I wanted. Again, I didn’t know what I was doing but knew I loved capturing all of those candid moments and delicious food.
After that, I created a Facebook page and designed my own website. I showcased what little handful of photos I had and began to book small jobs for family portraits and events. I actually started to pick up some momentum when I made the decision to move to Brooklyn to be with my now husband while he was in grad school.
My first freelance job in NYC was photographing the 2013 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. It was incredible and an experience I’ll never forget. I freelanced here and there but fell back into hospitality. I worked full time at The NoMad Hotel and honestly didn’t have time for anything else. That said, I know my experience there trained my eye for detail, proper dish composition, and has helped mold my photography into what it is today.
In 2015, we moved back to Houston. I was hired for events by a local hospitality group and later promoted to Marketing Director. Not only was I handling the PR for six concepts by myself but taking all of the photos for their social media/websites as well. When that position dissolved I took a break for a while and started traveling. For the first time in years, I actually had a moment to breathe and think about what I wanted to do moving forward.
I decided to pursue my photography full time and there’s absolutely no way I could have done it without the support from my husband, family, and friends. I say this all the time but it really is a full-time hustle and I’ve learned so much from the experience. There are moments when I look back on old photos and think “How did I post that??” That’s ok though and honestly, I hope I’m doing the same thing years from now because it’ll mean I’m learning from my mistakes and still progressing.
These days, I’m shooting a little bit of everything. I work with local restaurants, bars, and travel with Chefs Feed Indie Week. I take family photos and have even started dipping into newborn photography. I also cover events (galas, showers, parties, receptions, etc.). Maybe one day, I’ll settle into one category but for now, I love the variety.
Has it been a smooth road?
Yes and no. Ultimately it’s been a rewarding road but there’s a lot of time, effort, trial and error, money, patience, pride, commitment, and sacrifice that goes with it. It’s been challenging at times, but having people around that support you and encourage you to be better makes it so much easier.
My biggest struggle has been being a one woman show and work/life balance. Obviously, I chose this path for myself but there’s so much more that goes into it than taking pictures. I’m in charge of responding to emails, creating estimates/invoices, marketing myself on social media on top of shooting, editing, and getting completed photos and paperwork over to clients in a timely manner. Some people think I have it
easy because I get to work from home. Yes, of course, it’s awesome (haha) but it’s also a 24/7 job. I may not change out of my pajamas most days but I promise you it’s because I don’t step away from my computer/phone from the second I wake up to the second I go to bed. Sometimes (all the time), I feel like I can’t justify putting on makeup because I’d rather just get straight to work. I’m not saying that’s how it should be, there definitely needs to be a balance, but when I have people depending on me I don’t want
to miss a beat.
My advice to aspiring women is to be patient, observant and humble. Be efficient, professional, reliable, and articulate. Ask a lot of questions, reach out to other photographers that inspire you and figure out what sort of style interests you. Yes, social media is important but don’t base your success on how many likes or followers you get. Don’t feel like you’re failing if you’re not getting the immediate feedback that
you want. If you’re putting your work out there someone will see it, I promise, so just keep at it.
Also, remember that at the end of the day you’re just taking pictures! Something that you did as a hobby you’re now pursuing as a career and it’s fun! It’s an incredible way to connect with people, visit new places, support local business, travel, and see things from a different perspective than most will never experience. The rush that I get from finishing a shoot and the satisfaction I feel from turning in a project seriously makes it ALL worth it.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Kirsten Gilliam Photography story. Tell us more about the business.
I’d say, that I specialize in food photography followed by family portraits and events. I absolutely love working with chefs and capturing their style. It feels like Houston has a new restaurant and/or bar opening up every week so I love getting a behind-the-scenes look, having the place to myself for a few hours, and spending one-on-one time with the chef/bartender. Something that sets my food photography apart is that I use natural light. I also really like taking detail shots and giving the viewer a closer look. The more
texture the better!
These days, I feel like I do a healthy mix of everything though. It’s mostly food and beverage, but I take a lot of family portraits (especially for the holidays) and I’m becoming more confident with my newborn/children’s photos as well. It’s always a learning process but thankfully I have plenty of friends and family with kids to help me practice!
As a freelancer, I’m most proud of my growth. I’ve worked really hard to get to where I am today and I don’t take any of it for granted. It can be overwhelming and scary at times, but once I’ve completed a challenging shoot or project I’m so happy that I pushed myself to do it.
Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
For sure. My mom’s house is filled with probably a hundred photo albums and all are packed full of pictures. Our lives were documented from day one and those memories were very important to her. We always looked forward to dropping off our film, picking up the 4×7 prints at the grocery store, and assembling them in albums as a family.
I think being constantly surrounded by our memories instilled the desire to document special events. Keep the tradition going. As an adult, I appreciate all of those candid moments, family photos, and pictures of friends throughout my life. It’s something that I’ll carry on professionally and for my own family.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.kirstengilliamphotography.com/
- Email: kirstengilliamphotography@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KirstenGilliamPhotography/
Image Credit:
Kirsten Gilliam
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