Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Davis.
Hi Kayla, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a Nat Geo photographer and travel the world but as I got older, it evolved from taking pictures of ladybugs to taking my friend’s senior pictures as well as couples. Towards the end of college, I decided that if I could jump out of an airplane why couldn’t I start my own business; and from that point on, I was determined to try it out and if it did not work out by 30 I would join the corporate ladder and work for someone else. After college, I got an internship with a jewelry designer here in Austin and it was my mentorship through Lily Hutchinson that expanded my want to focus solely on products and fashion. As of now, I still take pictures of whatever I can get my hands on but my main focus is on products, fashion and anything involving traveling. Everything I know is self-taught but it was the constant repetition of shooting and hustling to get every freelance job that brought me to where I am today.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The photography and fashion industry is way more cutthroat than people realize. My biggest struggle was trying to find people that would help answer questions in a way without shielding the majority of the information. It has been very much “I struggled and no one helped me so I won’t help you.” Within my own family, I am the first female who started their own business and because of that, I had to rely heavily on books and google to figure out how to do it. Another huge thing that I struggled with was learning that not everyone in the industry values photographers or gives the respect that we deserve. For the first part of my career, I severely underpriced myself and let employers underpay me because I did not know the value of my art; and every situation I had gone through only validated the those skewed opinions. I just accepted it because I genuinely love taking pictures and for me, it came super naturally. The last struggle that I have to admit almost ran me into the ground was creative burnout. Most people do not understand that photography (taking photos) is only 10% of the job and it can get very demanding when you are undervalued and overworked.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I would like to think of myself as a one stop shop. I am super creative in a multitude of aspects not just photography. I am most known for my fashion/product photography but many people (besides who I grew up with) don’t know that I can draw, make pottery, burn wood, build things, etc. I have such a creative eye and honestly thrive when I am doing creative things. My photography specializes in fashion, products, and weddings (even though I am slowly moving away from weddings).
I think the thing that sets me apart from others is my ability to photograph any situation, person, product, thing, location. Most photographers only specialize in 1 thing. But I have put myself in a wide variety of situations and I think that has benefitted me in the long run because I am so adaptable and not afraid to try anything, honestly I prefer such diversity. So far, I am very proud of the network of people I have built around me and that I have been able to help so many small businesses build their brands through my photography. I know how difficult it is to start something from the ground and I truly am very thankful that I have been able to help others on their journeys and hopefully make it easier for them. Another huge thing is that I have finally started to align myself with brands that care about their employees, how their business affects the environment/animals as well as being inclusive to all walks of life regardless of their sex, shape, color, vibes or size. Honestly that statement keep Austin weird is very similar to my aesthetic and you can always catch me trying to create beauty from odd things that most can’t see a vision within.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I have learned is balance. At the beginning, I really did not allow time for myself to be anything besides a photographer and that almost creatively drained me. Over the last year, I have really tried to practice a healthy work/life balance. I never realized it but the majority of my creative ideas or energy comes from me not having my camera and actually living. For example, a lot of my filler photos are just simple iPhone shots that I took because something caught my eye while I was trying out a new food place or inside a random bathroom, lol.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@thekaylacompany.com
- Website: www.thekaylacompany.com
- Instagram: @davis.photo
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thekaylacompany?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Image Credits
Brittany Gilpin Jillian Colin Madi Fest Mayawell Morgan Zaslavsky Hillary Tatone Clay Colleen Katerina Kotova Cecilia Blanco Kristianna Garcia Hannah Lasure The Braided Life Vivian Stephens
