Hidden Gems: Meet Kelsey Allen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey Allen.

Hi Kelsey, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in West Virginia and got my first point and shoot digital camera in high school. Those were the days of myspace, so I loved taking pictures and editing them throughout my early days in college before cell phones even really had cameras. I graduated from West Virginia University in 2011, moved to Ohio not long after, and I’ve been here ever since! It was when I had my first baby in 2017 that I bought my first DSLR camera with the intentions of capturing quality images of him as he grew. I absolutely fell in love with photography, having the ability to preserve the fleeting but so precious moments of infancy and childhood. It meant so much to me to have those memories preserved that I decided to start working with other families too and that’s how I started my journey with photography. After about six months of doing photography as a weekend hobby and working full time with the USPS, I decided to leave my job with the post office to focus on my family and photography. It was such a terrifying choice to make with the loss of my income, but having the ability to stay home with my kids and do something I love was worth it. That was four years ago, and now I am more fulfilled with my business than I ever imagined was possible. I get to work with the most amazing people doing something I truly enjoy, and I have the ability to spend most of my days with my kids.

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?
It has been a long road to get to where I am now with a lot of learning and growth that hasn’t been easy, but it has been worth it. I started from scratch and learned through trial and error. It is very difficult to learn the different editing tools that are available, not to mention learning everything there is about your camera and how to use it. Different types of lighting, aperture, shutter speed, ISO it was all new and foreign things for me to learn on my own. There were a lot of challenges, and there still are, but that is how you get better and I am so thankful for the opportunity to constantly improve.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I specialize in lifestyle family photography, but I also offer maternity, engagement, senior sessions along with occasionally shooting weddings. My sessions are all an entire experience. From the moment I connect with a client, I spend time getting to know them and we work together to style them to make sure they feel comfortable and confident during our photoshoot. The photoshoots are all about connection, capturing the natural interactions between families and loved ones. I don’t just pose my clients to take their pictures, we have fun during our sessions. I let the kids run around and play, they all dance, blow bubbles and have fun. That is how I get the magical images that they will cherish for a lifetime.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I believe luck has been an integral part of my life and my business. I am an optimist, and a hard worker, so I think that a combination of the two has allowed me to be at a place in my life and my business where I am happy.

Contact Info:

• Email: kelsey@kelseyallenphotography.com
• Website: www.kelseyallenphotography.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/kelsey.allen.photography
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/kelseyallenphotography