Today we’d like to introduce you to Karly Otis
Hi Karly, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my business in 2017, offering photo sessions to graduating seniors of Clemson University. I was greatly under charging for my time but I felt such a passion for documenting this milestone for my classmates and firmly believe that financial standing should not stop anyone from receiving memories of their favorite parts of their college experience. I continued on through the spring of 2018, approaching my graduation date as well. I quickly fell in love with not only the creativity and technicalities surrounding professional photography, but also the personal storytelling aspect of it as well. I loved getting to connect with each client, learn who they were and what made their college experience special for them. Getting to know them helped me to understand which locations would fit them best, how to make them laugh and feel comfortable, and how to capture them in ways that were flattering and made them feel as beautiful as I was able to see they were with the naked eye. Thought my experiences with all of my peers, I began to form a pipe dream: maybe *this* could be my big girl job.
Knowing that life costs money, I quickly understood that the best way to support myself as a photographer was to be a part of the wedding industry. But how did I even go about breaking into that field? As graduation approached, I continued my hunt for a position in corporate America because, well, a girl’s gotta eat. I ended up, after to applying to what felt like 500 jobs over the course of my senior year, receiving two job offers; Both of those jobs were in Cincinnati. I didn’t know why life was taking me to Ohio of all places, but I had a feeling that was where I was supposed to be.
My now husband and I packed up our apartments, moved to Cincy, and started our adult lives together with not a single clue as to what we were doing with them. It took less than a year in corporate America to realize it was absolutely not for me and I turned back to that pipe dream with new inspiration to figure it the heck out. I joined local photography Facebook groups and put myself out there for any and all work- free, paid, whoever would let me take their photos.
I ended up slowly landing assistant and then second photographer jobs working in my dream industry: weddings. I will forever be indebted to the photographers who took a chance on allowing me to shadow them, assist them, and then eventually help play a crucial role in their clients wedding days. These opportunities allowed me to build a portfolio and gain wedding clients of my own.
In January of 2020, I decided to take a leap and take a chance on myself: I filed to create Karly Christine Photography, LLC. I opened my business bank account with the tiny amount I had in savings to fuel any expenses my budding business acquired. I vowed to put all of the money I earned from my business into that account and not touch it until I had a years salary built up. At that point, I would leave my marketing job and trust that I was capable of making this pipe dream my full time job.
I worked tirelessly at what became two full time jobs for over two years. Navigating a global pandemic and how that affected not only my business but my day job as well. I put in long hours, late nights, and gave up pretty much every single weekend to either work my own weddings or continue to build my portfolio assisting other photographers. All I did was work, and I was exhausted, but I loved every minute of it and would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
In March of 2022 I took my biggest leap yet: I put in notice at my marketing job and officially started living my dream as a full time wedding photographer. I navigated the ups and downs of the wedding industry, building lasting relationships with clients that have carried me through all seasons of their lives: wedding, anniversary, pregnancy, babies, yearly family photos. I get to see so many stories through so many life stages and it is my greatest joy. It is these relationships that have helped me keep my business alive as my husband and I made the move from Cincinnati to Columbus. The confidence and support my current clients gave me fueled the fire for me to establish myself here in Columbus. I now happily work in both cities, telling stories all across the state.
All the way back in 2017 I found immense joy in getting to know my clients and their stories. I continue to take awe in my ability to give them memories that I know would hang on walls and in photo albums, that sticky 5 year old fingers would point to and say “is this you mommy?”. Last hugs with grandparents, the first kisses of forever, all their favorite people sharing in a few hours at the start of a lifetime- the immense joy. I immediately recognized the honor and the privilage this job is and vowed to never ever take it for granted. I get to be a photographer because these people trust me to be one, and that’s part of what makes me me. I could not be more thankful.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Building this business has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I started with such a small amount of money to my name and knew I had to fight tooth and nail to build this into a career that could support my family and the life we want to have together.
My first big challenge came, as is the story for many people in the world today, with COVID. I was just starting the uphill climb of really making a name for myself in the wedding industry, and now weddings can’t happen anymore? And I also found myself without a full time day job? It was stressful and uncertain and scary, but I was clinging to the future I saw for myself and the world. I brainstormed ways to pivot and put myself out there, marketing myself to clients who didn’t want to put a pause on their forever. I worked with other industry professionals on techniques to be able to safely give these people memories without risking spreading the virus. I practically lived outside, in my mask, with the heaviest and longest lens I could find. I hustled and continued to work towards my goal, building my portfolio and confidence in myself to make this work.
After COVID, the ever changing wedding industry became a challenge in and of itself. One year weddings would book 18 months out and I had a pretty much guaranteed yearly income at the start of the new year. The next, weddings would switch to book 3-6 months out and I had no idea if I would have to get a second job or not. Then don’t even get me started on the changing nature of social media and how that channel of marketing works. With each year I had to continuously be on top of the nature of booking, how people waned to find out about me, what they wanted to see from my work, and how to be sure my messages reached them at the right time.
I’m now currently in the midst of another challenge: moving my business to Columbus from Cincinnati. Changing my marketing, brainstorming ways to build more lifelong clients in this city, traveling back and forth from Cincy to maintain the clients I love there- it has been a whirlwind. I’m pretty proud of what my efforts are amounting to. I am exactly in line with where I expected to be for this year and am on track for where I waned to be next year as well, so it’s encouraging to see my marketing efforts working out.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in wedding photography, but I have also found so much joy in other aspects of my clients stories, from professional headshots, pregnancy announcement, newborn photos, family photos, and even boudoir sessions. I photograph things in a lifestyle manner with notes of editorial and documentary elements. I want my photos to showcase life how it happens: the magic of a family of 4 playing in their backyard together, the romance of a couple enjoying a minute alone on their wedding day, the positivity radiating as a woman after she finishes a photoshoot all about her.
I edit my photos in a true to color, vibrant, slightly contrasty style. I want my photos to look how things actually looked while I was taking them. I want the colors my clients choose for their wedding day to be shown accurately in their photos so they can remember their day accurately for the rest of their lives.
I think the thing that sets me apart the most, at the core of things, is the relationship I build with my clients. I find so much value in getting to know them and their story and using that throughout their wedding experience to be sure I’m documenting them exactly how they are. I have worked very hard to understand important elements of lighting, framing, and most importantly: posing. Through the relationship I built with them, I am able to quickly adapt to each client/their relationship with their partner to guide them through gentle posing that helps showcase who they are. Throughout all my sessions I hype them up, tell them how beautiful they are- and I really truly mean it. I’m able to see my clients and their relationship so beautifully and I have made it my mission to make sure they are able to see themselves that way too.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I am loving all the little nooks and crannies of Columbus- all of the beautiful structures like the Art Museum, the library, and the Statehouse, as well as all of the amazing parks that all offer something different. Chasing my clients through the historical streets of German Village one day, then strolling with them along the Scioto Mile the next- every day has been something different and fun to learn. The only thing I don’t like is that Columbus isn’t closer to Cincinnati so I could have the best of both worlds more easily.
Pricing:
- Portrait Sessions Start at $350
- Elopements Start at $950
- Weddings Start at $3000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.karlychristine.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karlychristinephotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karlychristinephotography
