Member Spotlight: Kristen Reed of Kristen Reed Photography

This week we had the opportunity to chat with Kristen Reed of Kristen Reed Photography located in Jackson, Tennessee.

Tell us a little something about yourself please.
I’m happily married to my best friend and we have three precious children, a girl and two boys. We have a bunny named “Honey” and a puppy named “Neely”. We live in Jackson, TN (in between Memphis and Nashville). After being here for three years, we are happy to call Jackson home.

Describe your area of expertise.
I absolutely love newborn portraiture. I could photograph newborns all day long. I decided to specialize in newborn photography sometime last year, but still find time to sneak in sessions with my ”first year” babies and children.

How did you come to specialize in this area?
Newborn sessions bring along with them so many new beginnings. A new life, new parents, new grandparents, a first photo shoot….witnessing that is truly a great experience. I love setting up for my newborns and having my clients arrive to tell me the exciting story of baby’s birth and how the first week at home has been. It reminds me of bringing my three home from the hospital and makes for fun conversations, too! Capturing the newness of these sweet little ones for their mom and dad is priceless. The first few weeks go by so quickly and I don’t know one single person who doesn’t cherish their baby’s first portraits.

Please share with us your absolute favorite photograph you’ve ever taken and tell us the story behind it, why it speaks to you, etc.
This is REALLY hard. So many come to mind, but I’m pretty sure this shot of my son will always stay up high on my list of favorites. This was taken in the spring at the beach. This is my sweet boy out at sunset catching crabs. When he caught the first one, he lifted up the net and just stared at it, amazed at his accomplishment. This is a canvas in my living room. I’m pretty sure I’ll always love it.

How would you describe your style?
Hmmm, I like to think my style is clean, crisp and real. My newborn work~warm and pure.

What gear is in your bag?
Canon 5D mark iii, my backup 50D, 85mm, 50mm, and 35mm. I’m a prime girl, for sure.

If you could only use one lens what would it be?
Probably my 50mm

How do you stay motivated?
I work with so many great families and word of mouth is a huge part of my business. I very much hope for each of my clients to love their images, so much that they become focal points in their homes. This keeps me motivated. Providing families with photographs that double as memories. There is just nothing like it!

What makes your job easy?
I love learning, trying new things and taking pictures. That about sums it up!

Do you prefer to work in the studio, on-location, or both and why? Because I shoot so many newborns, my studio is such a big part of my daily routine and I love it. Having everything right there with me, knowing (and LOVING!) the light and having the sweet babies all cozy and warm make the studio “my comfort zone”. But, I do love location sessions. I have a few favorite spots where the light is just oh-so-yummy. Getting me away from those locations for older babies and children is no easy feat.

What sets you and your work apart from other photographers in your area? This is a good question and one that I would encourage every professional photographer to consider often. My relationship with my clients is something that I feel is very different. Every client that hires me becomes a friend. I love really getting to know my families. Truly connecting with the babies and children I photograph is something I strive for and honestly, it’s the only way to achieve ’real’ images. When I think about years down the road, if I ever stopped working, this would definitely be the part that I miss the most.

Do you use a Mac or PC? Mac!

Tell us about your image processing style and the software you use.
I like to think my processing is pretty clean. I’m all for getting it right in camera. Some sessions, I upload directly to Photoshop, touch up the skin and print away!

Tell us about your long-term goals.
I have a lot of them. Right now, we’re in the process of building a new studio. This has always been something I’ve wanted to do. A simple studio with light streaming in exactly the way I want it with locations outside to take advantage of as well. My vision is only months away from being complete and I’m so excited to share this with my clients.

Best advice for new photographers breaking into the business?
Take your time. Practice, practice and more practice. Becoming a professional in this industry doesn’t happen overnight. And it shouldn’t. Just when you think you know it all, you have lots more to learn. Take this and run with it…oh and practice some more If you were not a photographer, then…I’d probably be an attorney. I went to law school with my husband. Picking up the camera shortly after was the best decision I ever made. This is my passion and I can’t imagine doing anything else.

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Diet Dr. Pepper

Finish this quote: When it rains…we go outside to jump in puddles!

Who do you love? The Lord, my sweet husband, my beautiful babies and my family. Oh, and photography.

Morning or night? At some point in my life, I would have definitely said mornings. But with three kiddos that are up early and don’t stop until after 9pm, nighttime is when I get most of my work done.

On my day off…
There are days off? With three kids, I don’t have many days off. A day with no sessions equals a day at the lake or our land with my husband and kids.

So great getting to know more about you and loved looking at your beautiful images.

Email Us | Find us on Facebook | Subscribe to our Blog | Tweet with us