I’m super excited to bring you today’s She Launched It interview, which combines some of my favorite things: entrepreneurship, women helping women, passion, social media savvy. This one’s got it all. Adrienne Kay Photography is a business that offers traditional services like wedding and portrait photography, but Adrienne is also one of the few photographers in the Omaha area who specializes in brand photography.
With her brand photography services, Adrienne helps women entrepreneurs promote their businesses. She does this by helping them build a bank of high quality images that offer audiences an authentic peek behind the scenes. Along with human subjects, these images might show a flatlay of a workstation, a favorite coffee mug, or a beloved pet. They tell the story of a day in the life of the business in a way that ties in with the brand’s overall aesthetic and messaging.
Prior to these sessions, Adrienne consults with clients to plan out each detail and make sure that not a moment of the shoot is wasted. This initial planning allows for outfit, hairstyle and setting changes to tell different pieces of the client’s story. In the end that client walks away with 30-90 high quality images, of which she has full commercial use to promote her business across social media.
Brand photography for women entrepreneurs
Adrienne says she knows that promotion can be a learning process for other women entrepreneurs like her: “I know the stresses of social media; it’s very stressful! I’d like to help other women know that they can have it taken care of. They just need to put words with their pictures.”
I also know firsthand how intimidating social media can be! Conflicting advice is all around. How frequently should I post? What kind of content will my audience value? Add all of this to the juggling act of balancing work with family, and it can feel overwhelming at times. As a mom herself – to 5 year old Annabel and 2 year old Lucas – Adrienne gets it.
That’s who I want to work with. I feel like I really understand what moms and women entrepreneurs are going through and what they want to say. I get that they want to include their families, because that’s what their business is for. That’s why they’re doing what they’re doing. I can really connect with moms in that way.”
Adrienne’s love of photography first developed (heh) in high school, when she signed up for a darkroom class. In college, her focus shifted to business and marketing, but she still pursued photography classes to hone her craft. After graduation, her passion for capturing authentic images evolved into a business. For the past eleven years, Adrienne has continued learning and evolving her brand, and with the rise of social media, she’s carved out a niche for herself in brand photography.
How has Covid-19 impacted your business?
Adrienne tells me that with added safety precautions like distancing and wearing a mask, she’s been able to maintain some level of normalcy. “You can stay back and be able to accomplish the same thing. There’s no reason why you can’t do it. That part’s been great; it’s more of a lifestyle thing — I don’t necessarily need to interact. This year has been challenging, but we can make it work.”
What has surprised you most in 11 years of running your own brand photography business?
“I just feel like I’m always changing and evolving and growing and learning; I’m like a perpetual student,” Adrienne says. “I really like keeping that knowledge going. From the beginning to now, a lot has changed in the industry in general. Moms with cameras are everywhere now, which is great! I actually want to start doing an online course to help moms with their cameras so they can take better pictures. There’s so much I want to do to work with people and help people. The friends I’ve made doing this have been so great.”
I can absolutely relate! I’m in awe of the people I’ve gotten to meet doing this work, and I haven’t been at it for nearly as long as Adrienne has. Already, some of the most rewarding aspects of building my own business have been getting to know other people. I love seeing their perspectives and processes, and getting to promote other women while making connections.
What would you say to another woman who’s thinking of launching her own business?
“Definitely get yourself a coach! Don’t reinvent the wheel; find somebody who has gone before you,” Adrienne advises. She tells me that when she first started out, resources for startups were harder to find. “Especially in photography, back then, people were holding onto their information. I think it’s a much different culture now; it’s a sharing culture. We want to lift people up and help them along, because it helps everyone that way.”
Grab a free copy of Adrienne’s Ten Must Have Brand Shots, and visit adriennekayphotography.com to learn more and book your own brand photography session!
RELATED POSTS: If you enjoyed Adrienne’s story, read about more fabulous female entrepreneurs like Deandra Hennemann and Betty Gulko in my She Launched It series.
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