Interview with Michelle Kilander
Well I promised that you would start seeing some interviews soon and here we go with our first photographer!
Meet Michelle Kilander of Heirloom Photography! Michelle has kindly offered a 25% discount on any of her templates until the end of the month for Senior Solutions readers! Simply contact her heirloompics@yahoo.com and tell her you were sent from Senior Solutions!
You can view all of her templates here http://www.heirloomphotography.blogspot.com/
How long have you been a photographer and how did you get started?
One of my very first jobs was in photography. When I was 18, I worked for PCA. I am sure there are many of you that are saying “me too”!
I really wasn’t into photography before but thought I would give it a try. After about a year there, I really began to love and appreciate my job. I think, for the most part, it was a wonderful feeling capturing that special moment for a family. Whether it was a newborn child or a senior graduating high school, it became a part of my life and continues on to today.
I have worked for so many other photography related businesses within the past 13 years that it really kinda stuck on me. After I had my first child, Tiffani, I would never put down my Canon 35mm camera. I had so many pictures; I didn’t know what to do with them all. Three years had passed and I gave birth to my son, Nicholas. It was after that moment that I really felt I wanted to do this as a career. Many of my family and friends encouraged me to start my own photography business and in February 2005, it officially began. It has been 3 years now and I am still going strong adding more memories to my life and the lives of my clients.
Tell us how you got started working with seniors?
I did not start off wanting to do high school seniors at first. I did do a few for family and friends but really nothing more. In the area I am in, the high schools have a contract with a local photography company to do all the yearbook pictures. It wasn’t until last year that I really wanted to get involved with doing high school seniors. I thought that just because they have to use that company did not mean that they had to buy them so I gave it a whirl. I created the Senior Idol Contest for all the high school seniors that come to my studio for their senior portraits. After their session is complete, they can pick one image from their proofs to add into the Senior Idol Contest. Towards the end of the school year, the voting begins for anyone and everyone to vote for their favorite Senior Idol. The winner gets goodies and their name and portrait recognized as Tucson’s Senior Idol. It has done very well so far and expect it to be bigger and better this coming school year.
Do you have any tips for new photographers just starting out?
Follow your dreams. Not only is it hard to be in business, it is hard to be a good photographer. We all aspire to be good in what we do and many of us will become great.
Work hard at what you love doing and learn from your mistakes.
I am a huge Walt Disney fan and love the movie, “Meet the Robinsons”. There is a great quote from Walt Disney himself and the end of the move:
“Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious…..
And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
Keep Moving Forward.
What are some of your favorite vendors to use?
I have many places I just love using.
Printing Services:
WHCC www.whcc.com
Mpix www.mpix.com
Frames, Albums, Folios and Presentation Packages:
Albums, Inc. www.albumsinc.com
Additional Frames:
Frames by Mail www.framesbymail.com
All Barn Frames www.allbarnwood.com
Canvas Printing:
Simply Canvas www.simplycanvas.com
Pixel2Canvas www.pixel2canvas.com
Easy Online Prints www.easyonlineprints.com
Proofing Site:
Printroom www.printroom.com
Photo Purses:
Snaptotes www.snaptotes.com
Business Cards and postcards:
VistaPrint www.vistaprint.com
What is your favorite camera and lens to use when shooting seniors?
Since the beginning I have always been a Canon girl.
My first camera I got for the business was a Canon Digital Rebel with the kit lens and used that for about a year. When I started getting into doing many weddings, I needed a back-up so I bought another Canon Digital Rebel. My second year, I purchased a Canon XTi and sold one of my other Canon Digital Rebels. Now my camera bag consists of the following:
Canon 5D
Canon XTi as a back-up
Canon 24-105mm Lens, Canon 85mm Lens, Canon 35mm Lens, Canon 70-300mm Lens
Tamron 28-75mm Lens
I love using the Canon 85mm lens on my high school seniors. That is my favorite lens by far.
What is the strangest thing you bring with you on shoots?
I am fortunate enough to have my studio and garden located on my property so there really isn’t anything I would say is strange. I do have several cases that I need a towel in the garden for when I get those “will do anything” seniors that want their portrait taken in the pond.
What is the one thing you could not live without (besides family and photo related camera gear)?
The number one thing that I could not live without would, of course, be my family and friends. But since I can not use that answer, I would have to say the computer/internet.
It is my way of connecting with my family and my clients. My clients are able to view their proofs online and order online as well. My sister sends me videos of my niece since they live so far away. The internet has given me a chance to grow in my business that I have since started selling templates to photographers so that they can use them for their clients. I would not be where I am today without the help of that good ole PC.
If you could spend one day with a photographer and ask them anything about their style, business etc who would you choose and why?
There are so many photographers that I would love to meet. Doug Gordon does amazing work as well as Kevin Kubota. If there was one person I would want to meet other than Doug and Kevin, it would be Naomi Angel. Her work with high school seniors is truly inspiring. I remember seeing her work for the first time last year and my jaw just dropped. Her lighting, exposure and post processing is just incredible and it would be awesome to meet her to say thanks for inspiring me. She is truly a gifted artist/photographer.
Check out some of Michelle’s beautiful work! Thank you Michelle for taking the time to meet our readers!
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Michelle is the greatest!! I have purchased all her templates and look to her site constantly for inspiration. I took a couple of senior girls this weekend and made sure to check Michelles site before the shoot!! Thanks for the inspiration Michelle!
Rachel
GREAT interview!!