Rising Stars: Meet Kaley Kaylor

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaley Kaylor.  

Hi Kaley, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I knew I wanted to be a storyteller at the age of 10 but I quickly learned words were not how I would be able to get my stories told. It was an art project in fourth grade that led me to Dorothea Lange. A female photographer had probably the biggest impact on how we can still feel the emotions of her subjects in the Great Depression. It was that school project that led me to believe I could make a difference in people’s lives by telling their stories. 

I started taking my business seriously at 18 when I graduated high school, asking friends and family members if I could photograph their families, children, pets, whatever I could shoot I would back then. Then I had people start asking ME instead of the other way around so I started charging, $50 for a two-hour session, editing in photoshop so add on another 12 hours of ending for a gallery of 50 photos (which was delivered on a CD back then). 

It’s fun to look back on how things have evolved over the years and how my goals have changed. I hope to shift my business from lifestyle family sessions to documentary style. I’d love to be more of a fly on the wall and watch the magic of the day-to-day unfold naturally. I feel like I have spent the past ten years trying to create an extraordinary experience (thanks to social media and the need to keep up with the Kardashian) when now I just want the ordinary moments. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I live in Ohio, there is no such thing as a smooth road for a photographer with the cold winters, dead grass, and lifeless trees. Winters are hard.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I try my hardest to personalize each session. Really get to know my clients beforehand to help me tell their story most accurately. This year I have focused on creating images that I want and doing photo shoots that energize and excite me! My husband has a friend with a motorcycle and a sidecar for his dog- I called him one day I got off work early and asked if he could meet me downtown Delaware because I had a vision and I needed his help. That photo shoot right there was my favorite thing I’ve ever done! Knowing I was able to provide him with a photo memory of something he and his dog do all the time- that’s why I do what I do. 

So maybe we end by discussing what matters most to you and why?
Love. Because we as humans need love to truly thrive. I don’t care what or who you love, when you think of that person or thing don’t you immediately smile or get a warm feeling? I want to document and bring that feeling out with each photo. And I believe if we just loved each other a little more, the world would be a kinder place. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: theofficialkaleykaylor
• Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/kaley.donnelly.35

Image Credits
Katie Denton