Today we’d like to introduce you to Kenna Porter.
Hi Kenna, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
When I was a young girl, I craved creativity. I would bounce from thing to thing, interest to interest. I searched for creativity in many different aspects of my life. However, it wasn’t until I picked up a camera that I felt truly fulfilled. It was an interest that has never left me to this day.
Growing up, my grandma would often times lend me her camera, and I’d run off to go shoot the plants in my yard, my home, or the family members inside. I remember a trip my grandma took me on to Calloway Gardens, where I took along my first ever camera and shot every and any detail I could. I always believed that everything in life was photo-worthy if you could find its potential. I felt that unlike most, I was able to find the potential in everything. Photography was the way I knew I could show God to the world. His creations and their beauty were in everything around me. I never left the house without my camera; I was hooked. I knew it was where my creativity and passion were most present. I knew God had given me an eye and the talent to pursue photography. I’d like to believe others saw that talent’s potential within me as well.
I was gifted a professional-grade camera at the age of 14 by my parents. I took it to all of my high school dances, events, outings, and vacations. I even had friends ask me to take their senior photos once graduation season came around. I enjoyed every minute of it. It was the perfect opportunity to show others what I was capable of creating.
When I left for college, I put my hobbies aside in an attempt to focus more on my career path. I struggled so badly for the first two years of college because I just didn’t feel called to the majors or career paths my college had to offer. I was left feeling unhappy and overwhelmed.
My sophomore year of college, the pandemic struck. I was left with nothing to do, no job, and a lot of time to think. In the midst of my lockdown boredom, I started playing with cameras again… learning new settings, finding my style, and exploring the different types of photography. When the pandemic started to come to an end, I began asking family and friends to practice my photography skills on them and offered many free sessions. Once I realized people were seriously happy with my work, I started charging a small fee. After many sessions, I realized how happy I was capturing and freezing people’s moments through photos. I did a lot of research on styles, posing, and editing. This all led me to begin looking into the possibility of photographing weddings for a living. I had always loved the wedding industry and felt like I had an eye for wedding aesthetics. It wasn’t until 2021 and many major changes later that I decided to create my own photography business, Kenna Corinne Photography. In October of 2021, I promised myself that if I didn’t book a wedding at all within the year of 2022, I would take it as a sign to no longer pursue photography. Not only did I book a wedding before the new year even began, I shot one that following month. I shot 20 weddings within the 2022 year, exceeding every expectation I had for myself. My business is thriving more than I ever thought it could. I have created countless relationships within this past year, whether it be with clients, other photographers, or fellow creatives in the wedding industry. I have had the amazing opportunity to travel with my job and photograph some amazing places and people. I am looking at almost a full schedule for 2023, and excited to see where my little business will take me in the next several years.
I feel so blessed to be able to live my dream. God has been so good to me throughout this adventure. I know in my bones that I was designed for this, and I don’t ever plan on stopping. As the saying goes, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” That is exactly how I feel. I plan to continue finding the potential in everything around me and sharing that with others.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Nothing in life comes easy.
I believe that if you work hard, you can make anything happen.
For me, the biggest challenge in my business has been overcoming comparison, no two creatives are the same, no two photographers edit the same. No two photos will ever be the same, even if it’s from the same moment because perspective changes from person to person. I am not in the same season as someone who has been doing this for 10+ years, so my role looks different than theirs.
I am still new to a lot of this. And of course, there are creatives that have been in this industry for years and have more experience.
So, I would say my biggest struggle has been learning not to compare my day one to someone else’s day 100. Everyone starts 0ff a beginner, and it’s ok to learn and grow.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I consider myself a “Documentary Photographer.”
I specialize in capturing moments as they are. I don’t do staged or overly posed.
I crave candid, raw, real moments. I aim to tell stories through my work. I want someone to feel like they’re a part of a moment all over again just by looking at a photo.
I am most proud of the growth I see within myself and my work, there is no such thing as perfect, but there is such a think as improvement, and I feel that I improve more and more with time and knowledge.
I am also super proud of the way I treat people. Yes, I am a business, but I understand that we are all human. I try my best to show my clients that I prioritize them over anything else. I truly care about my client’s experience and go above and beyond for them. Actions speak louder than words.
Alright, so before we go, can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I love to collaborate with other vendors in the wedding industry… florists, dress shops, caterers. I love creating and attending styled shoots and networking with creatives that way.
I love connecting with people on social media. Following along on media pages is a huge way to show support. Something as simple as a follow, like, or comment can make all the difference in our industry.
Word of mouth is also a huge help in the photography industry. The more people that hear positive things about your business, the more you will thrive.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kennacorinnephotography.com
- Instagram: @kennacorinnephotography
Image Credits
Tori Turner Photography
