Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristina Smith.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kristina. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
It seems like just yesterday when I was first discovering my career path into Photography. I grew up a horse crazy kid that always thought I’d be a horse trainer one day. Sure, I took pictures and enjoyed photography, but never once did I think of it as something I could turn into a career! At 18, I went to a wedding on a mission to capture some great moments from the day (I needed the images for a wedding gift I was putting together for the bride & groom). I noticed the photographer and began to use her as inspiration to capture the images I needed. I may have been using a simple Sony Cybershot point and shoot camera, but at the end of the day, the images I captured were such a success! At that point, I just couldn’t wait to share what I had captured with the happy couple!!!
Fast forward to delivering my crafty gift (looking back, I think it came out quite good!) and the bride & groom were blown away. Right then they said to me, “You should become a photographer!” That was my light bulb moment. Photography? Really?! The next day I was looking online at entry level DSLR cameras and photography courses. At the time, I was working full time and looking to find some classes that could provide flexibility. I began taking a few evening classes at the New England School of Photography in Kenmore Square. For me, sitting in a classroom wasn’t going to make me a great photographer. I was simply using them to help me understand how to use my camera. My next biggest focus was shooting. Getting comfortable behind the lens shooting all different types of subjects (mainly my horses :P). Regardless of what I was shooting, I was always brought back to the excitement of shooting at that wedding. I began focusing my vision for the future on being a Wedding Photographer. I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it…I mean, how do I get someone to choose me to shoot their wedding – I certainly wasn’t experienced! I knew I had to begin making some connections in the industry.
My next step was finding an internship! I reached out to a well-known studio in Boston – Elevin Studios (a portrait and fashion studio) with the very talented Eric Levin and scored myself a 6 month internship. I became a sponge to any and all experience I was offered. I remember in my interview sharing how I wanted to be a wedding photographer. Now, this wasn’t a wedding photography opportunity at all but this opportunity taught me so much from booking a client, prepping for a shoot, shooting in studio and on location, editing and retouching to final delivery. However, my biggest takeaway were the connections I made at the studio. Shortly after my internship ended, I was asked to assist on a wedding with Alicia Savage – Boston Fine Art Photographer (formerly of Ryan & Savage Wedding Photography). I continued assisting some weddings for Alicia and her business partner Nick which then expanded in working for other photographers and eventually second shooting on weddings.
Once I booked my first wedding in 2012 (June 2013 wedding) it really kicked off Km Smith Photography! One wedding led to two and then next thing I knew, I was no longer an aspiring Wedding Photographer…I WAS a Wedding Photographer. What a feeling it was to be able to say that out loud when people asked me what I did for a living. While shooting weddings, I did continue with other portrait work such as Family Sessions, Newborns, and Senior Portraits etc. I realized that my business was so much more than a business. I was capturing timeless moments for couples, new and growing families and documenting milestones like graduating high school or celebrating a birthday. My vision for my business shifted from Wedding Photographer to wanting to be that Photographer that captured all of life’s most treasured moments.
Now 6 years later, I’m continuing to do what I love by seeing my clients time and time again as their lives expand and grow with love, little ones and moments meant to be celebrated!
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?
Oh absolutely not!
Early on there was a lot of fear and there still is at times! Taking a leap into a new path can be intimidating. I think my biggest struggle early on was confidence. Having the confidence to book my first wedding and thing “I CAN do this”. Then having to actually show up on the wedding day and be able to take charge and get it done. The confidence guiding someone that isn’t comfortable in front of the camera. The confidence to network with other professionals that have been in the business so much longer than myself. What really helped me gain the confidence I needed has honestly been my clients. Seeing them so happy to have worked with me at the end of a wedding day sends me on cloud 9 as I leave a venue (often resulting in music blasting, dance party car rides home!). Referrals have also been a huge confidence booster for me. If someone was so happy with their experience and their images to then send business my way – there isn’t anything more special a client could do for me! Over time I’ve just become more and more confident in my work and know that what I’m delivering on an experience level is what I am proud of as a photographer and a person.
Another thing I’ve struggled with a lot is time management. I’ve always been a person that has a lot going on. I get really excited to be a part of a lot of different things and have also struggled with saying NO to things. Not saying no when a client wants a specific date but my schedule is already crazy. Not saying no to a friend that wants to hang out (and I do too!) but I have too much editing to do. Trying to juggle everything has been and still can be one of my biggest challenges. I’ve tried really hard to set aside specific time for each item on my to-do list so that my available time is very clear to me. I’ve also started breaking up my work load so that it is more digestible to accomplish. Learning to say no has also been so important for me. I am a people pleaser and I’m telling you…as much as we want to – we can’t do it ALL! However, if we have great time management skills, we can do a lot 🙂
Please tell us about Km Smith Photography.
Km Smith Photography is a Wedding & Portrait business that I started in 2012. I am the primary photographer but do bring in a second shooter and assistant as needed. My biggest focus for the first 4 years was my Wedding clients but overtime my business has expanded to include all kinds of portraits – from Children & Family sessions to Senior Portraits and Professional Headshots. I’ve also recently expanded my business to include Behold – a Beauty & Glamour brand. I now only take on a select number of weddings per year and the rest of my time is spent on location or in my Rockland based studio.
I really have such a passion when I’m behind the camera! I’m constantly inspired by my subjects and my surroundings and tend to make even the uneasiest of subjects have fun being in front of the lens. I’d like to think that my sessions are more of an adventure than a portrait session!
My primary goal as a photographer is to capture moments instead of creating them. I encourage my clients to be themselves in front of the camera. I help to guide them as we’re working together, but I do not overly pose my subjects. My clients should recognize themselves when they look at their images. It’s my job to tell your story!
I’m proud that all of my clients feel like friends to me. At the end of a wedding, I always say to the rest of my team that I want to stay and party with everyone! After 8+ hours, we are no longer just the photographers and the bride & groom is no longer just our clients. They’re never just a job. I always want to get to know them and their families. It’s always such a joy when I’m able to continue capturing their most precious moment’s way past their wedding day!
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I grew up on a 12 acre horse farm from age 4-19. Their honestly isn’t just one memory that stands out to me – all of those years were incredible.
Instead of being at the beach during the summer, I spent my days mucking out stalls and grooming horses. As I was old enough, I’d help with the summer camps we would run and teach the little kids how to care for and handle the horses. On warm summer days, we’d take the horses out in the woods for trail rides where we would gallop through the trees and stop off to let the horses splash in the pond. We lived on a river and used to play on the other side of the bridge where we could hang out by the water and look at our property. In 1998 we put up an indoor riding arena and I remember my parents wouldn’t let any of the boarders ride in the arena until I had ridden my pony in there for the 1st time. Playing hide and seek in the barns and hay lofts! It was a carefree and magical time growing up there.
Those years were full of fun, excitement and adventure which for sure has played a huge role in my life and my business.
Contact Info:
- Address: Located within The Sandpaper
83 E Water Street
Rockland, MA 02370 - Website: www.kmsmithphotography.com
- Phone: 508-397-5180
- Email: kristina@kmsmithphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kmsmithphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kmsmithphotography/
Image Credit:
Personal Photo by Sweet Reverie Photography
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