Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Krist.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have to thank graphic design for introducing me to my love of photography. I studied graphic design in college and had to make a lot of my own photos for various design projects. I soon realized that I liked the picture-making aspect of the design process much more than the actual designing itself.
After college, I moved to Boston and got a job in design, but was slowly starting to build my photo business on the side. It’s been 7 years since I moved to Boston and all 7 of those years have included super hard work and dedication to growing my business. I was able to go full time with my photo business in 2014, after 3 years of working 2-3 other part-time jobs to make it happen.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I don’t think there’s ever a smooth road when you are starting and growing a business. There’s no easy or guaranteed formula for success. It takes a lot of trial and error to figure out what works for you. For me, one of the toughest parts of being a creative business owner is the self-doubt and comparison. Thankfully my husband and close friends always pull me out of the comparison trap and remind me to keep persevering.
Please tell us about Stephanie Rita Photography.
Since 2011 I’ve photographed primarily families and weddings and I like to say I’m a photographer of adventurous humans. A lot of past clients have told me that it was easy to feel natural in front of my camera, and that’s a feeling I really work hard to create during my sessions. I’m a kid a heart, so photographing kids is really fun for me. I love making them laugh and catching those natural connections between kids and parents.
On the wedding side of things, I’ve been really lucky to photograph so many kinds, creative, laid back, adventurous brides and grooms over the years. It’s seriously a privilege to be part of weddings! And lastly, recently, I’ve started working with awesome local brands to help them make honest content to grow their businesses. This has been an unexpected addition to my biz and one I can’t wait to expand on.
Honestly, one of the proudest moments of my photo biz career was in 2015 when I simply made the decision to not give up. 2015 was a hard year for my biz and in general, and there were so many times when I wanted to throw in the towel and finally ‘get a real job’. But I’m SO thankful I didn’t, because these last few years have been some of the most rewarding for me, and I would never have gotten there if I just gave up!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Oh, this is an easy answer. I would have taken business classes in college. Yeah, I run a creative business, but it’s still a business, and learning those skills have definitely taken the longest out of anything!
Pricing:
- 2018 Family Session: $399, including files and printing rights
- 2018/19 Weddings: starting at $3,199, including files and printing rights
Contact Info:
- Address: 2 Summer Street, Natick MA.
- Website: www.stephanieritaphoto.com
- Email: stephanieritaphoto@gmail.com
- Instagram: @stephanie_rita
- Facebook: facebook.com/stephanieritaphoto
- Twitter: @stephanie_rita
Image Credit:
Nicole O’Neil
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
