Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Schaefer.
Kristen, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
From a young age I have always loved telling stories. It really began on stage as a dancer. I loved being able to tell a story without speaking at all. After college I became a TV news reporter and delivered local news story daily to our viewers, through video/or live on air images during a broadcast. This is where I really discovered how impactful images are in telling a personal story. It was until after the birth of my first child that I really connected storytelling with my camera. Every day I woke up wanting to capture my growing little one, and this drove me to learn everything and anything I could to do it right. I’ve been fortunate to have several close friends and family members in the industry that helped guide me in the process, and an online community of photographers I instantly connected with through a photography class. Capturing moments and freezing them in time quickly became a passion. Within a year I opened up my official business, and about six months after that my first photography studio on Main St. in downtown Humble. Photography has been a God send in my life, and something I am truly grateful to be able to do.
Great, 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?
Owning a business in general is not easy, and definitely not for everyone. I own another business (a dance studio) in addition to my photography studio, and juggling both can be a challenge. I spent years growing my photography business, and I’ve been super fortunate that I have been able to support my family on it solely several times over the years. When I opened my second business though I had to re-learn how to make time to not only get everything done, but also make sure I have enough time to be present with my own family. It’s a growing process, and I learn more about being an entrepreneur everyday.
Nestalgia Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a story teller. Whether I am capturing the first few days of a sweet new baby, or running around with kids playing at a session, I love capturing moments and freezing them in time. In my Newborn work, I’m known for customizing my sessions to fit my client’s personalities, and in my family and children work capturing genuine smiles with them and just having fun.
I really like to get to know my clients, and be by their side from the beginning of the process to the end. We plan the session together, discuss locations, outfits, and then walk them through the selection process of choosing prints, ordering wall displays and more. I have an awesome Assistant who is great about working with families to create custom artwork for their homes.
I want the families I work with to leave my sessions having had fun, but more importantly at their image reveal seeing the beauty of that moment in time, and cherish it for years to come.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Over the years I have had several moments that really stand out in my mind. The proudest I have been though is when I opened my second photography studio. I went from a quaint shared studio space, to within two years a space nearly six times the size of my original space. The extra space allowed me to create different spaces for my clients. We now have a full bedroom in the studio, which we utilize for nearly every newborn session. We have a parent lounge for parents to relax during a newborn session and watch TV. We have a full prop and accessories room available for our clients, and we have a selection room where we do reveals for our families with a custom slideshow. The space has also made it possible to host our annual Santa sessions which have become a great yearly tradition we look forward to every year. The space has meant growth for my business, and made it possible for me to serve my families in a new way. I still love driving past my first photography studio (on the same street), because my experiences there is what made it all possible. It’s a leap of faith opening a studio and I encourage anyone considering it to really pray about it and see what doors opens for you.
Contact Info:
- Address: 301 East Main St.
Humble, Tx - Website: www.nestalgiaphotography.com
- Email: nestalgiaphotography@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nestalgia-Photography-343976775618724/
Image Credit:
Photo of me: Darien McGuire Photography
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