Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Kayne.
Hi Rebecca, 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?
You could say it was meant to be. My grandparents on one side of the family were wedding photographers, and my dad is a landscape photographer. My other grandmother was known for her penchant for photographing everything- and then mailing out copies of the photos to family and neighbors near and far. She would even take photos of each family that would trick-or-treat at her house, and within a matter of days those families would be blessed with a printed copy of their halloween portrait.
My senior year of high school I received my very first NICE camera… a film Canon camera- which I took to my photography class where I learned all about lighting and composition and developing photos in our high school dark room. I continued to enjoy photography as a hobby through college and my first years as a mother.
My husband joined the military part way through dental school, and we were stationed in a little town in the middle of nowhere… friends started asking me to take their family photos, and I realized how much I truly loved capturing these special moments for others. I splurged on a better camera, dove into some online coursework to brush up on my photography skills, and created my photography business.
It’s been the perfect way to meld the things I love the most- families, connection, continuous learning and improving, and creativity. As a mom of six kids, I know how fast those early moments go by and I find it so rewarding to help other families create beautiful memories and keepsakes for their home. (And getting to snuggle a bunch of newborns is the icing on the cake).
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has had some bumps along the way. With a MBA under my belt, I thought I’d have the business side figured out and it would be smooth sailing, but it hasn’t always been the case. It’s incredible how much time goes into managing the business- keeping up on SEO, the ins and outs of social media, advertising, and the ups and downs of the economy can really change what my business looks like from year to year.
I’m always on a journey trying to find the perfect way to serve my clients, so there is some trial and error that goes into making sure my business aligns with what my perfect clients are looking for.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a photographer and I specialize in photographing bump to birthday (Maternity, Newborn, and Cake Smash Sessions).
I have a cute studio in the basement of my home, and it’s filled with backdrops, props, wraps, gowns… everything you could ever want to use during a session. I joke that the hardest part of being a newborn photographer is wanting to spend all the money I have on newborn outfits and props. I just love all the cute little lovies and layers and teeny baby clothes.
My mission is twofold- I want to create a simple, relaxing session experience, and provide timeless, luxury products to my clients.
In order to keep the session experience enjoyable and relaxing, I provide everything I can so that parents don’t have to worry about a thing. For maternity sessions, this means I have a full client closet for mom-to-be which includes luxury maternity gowns chosen to flatter her new shape. For newborn sessions I have a closet full of props and wraps and outfits for baby. And in my deluxe sessions I even provide a hair and makeup artist so mom gets a little extra pampering and looks and feels amazing for the portraits.
I also think it’s so important that every session ends with a printed product for the home. We have enough photos stored on our smartphones- it’s time to make sure we have wall art and portraits and albums that our families can see every day. I love watching the joy on my own kid’s faces when they look through an album of their baby pictures or our family photos. It’s just a different level of connection than when we scroll through photos on a phone. And once those photos are printed, they’re there for everyone to enjoy for years to come.
So to that end, every session package includes a print credit that goes toward the luxury print items I have access to as a photographer. I also have samples of all these products in my studio for clients to see and feel, so they know exactly what they’re purchasing for their own home.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
My advice to other creatives starting out would be this: while creating your own business seems glamorous, it takes a lot of mundane work behind the scenes and a lot of investment to get a new business up and running. Don’t get discouraged if things don’t take off as quickly as you were expecting. Invest early on in making sure your product and experience are top-notch. Don’t waste time creating a lesser product than you’re capable of.
Don’t be afraid to do things differently. When everyone is creating the same type of product, or the same experience for their clients, you can get lost in the crowd. Find your passion, create your own niche, and others who love that will find you and love you for it. If you find joy in creating, it will come through in your work and it will stand out as something special.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rebeccakaynephotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccakayne.photography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccakaynephotography
