Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelcee Guyton.
Kelcee, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
1 Peter 4:10 talks about us possessing a gift and how we are to share it with others. That means for those who think that they can’t do ANYTHING?!… God has already equipped you for what you are supposed to be doing in life. [We have a purpose.]
When I was in high school, I used to ask my parents to buy me cameras all the time! I loved taking pictures of nature and life-changing events. I was so grateful to witness such beauty every day. Photography was a hobby to me when I was growing up, and I never thought it would be Gods plan for me. When you’re young, of course, you never know what’s for you, so you move on.
As I got older, I just got fed up with being mediocre. Aside from my bubbly/positive personality, I was complacent. I had very little confidence in myself and was insecure. We all get to that point in our lives, but there is a time when you have to say enough is enough!
At 27, I took complete control of my life by learning how to walk more like Christ. I prayed for knowledge and wisdom on my journey to ensure I was as prepared as possible. My plan (before figuring out what I wanted to do career wise) was to rebuild myself from the inside out starting with a change of character. I asked God for forgiveness then forgave those I needed for my sake. I stopped the cursing, partying and even switched up my music choices. I became loyal, trustworthy and studied the nine fruits of the spirit in the Bible. Let me just say there’s a lot we’re doing wrong these days as humans! Go study them and see for yourself! (Galatians 5:22-23)
By the time I got done reconstructing myself, God had already lead me to pick a camera back up. I had little interest in taking pictures at first, but I was like “Okay God, photography it is!” My man surprised me with a camera for Christmas after seeing how dedicated I was to take pics of people. My parents got me more equipment after that. These were two whole blessings, back to back! I knew it was no one but the man above rewarding me for my efforts. So, here I am today, branding my business, growing and honoring God in everything I do. I am so grateful to God for giving me the ability to do what I love and share it with the world.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I started my business it was pretty smooth. The only bumps in the road for me were getting it to jump start, making websites, securing LLC’s, creating business cards, and wondering how the equipment was going to just appear in my hands. I also had to learn how to edit pictures while sending them back to clients in a timely manner. The pressure got real! It still gets tough every now and then, but that is how I learn!
Being an entrepreneur is NEVER going to be easy. In fact, they say it’s one of the hardest careers to manage. If I have any advice for women on their journey, it would be to first work on building good character within yourself through God (study Proverbs 31 woman). Ask God for knowledge and wisdom for whatever it is you aspire to be, and show him you are worthy of success through your efforts.
Remember to NEVER work so hard that you forget about those around you. The whole reason why you have a purpose is to share it with others (it’s not about you!). Learn time management and learn how to come to God in prayer before making any small or big decision. Do not worry about tomorrow. Focus on the task ahead of you in the day and let the Lord take care of the future. If you do those things God will surely see that your business is everything you want it to be! Give him the glory of all your achievements and HAVE FUN!
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
As a photographer, I specialize in capturing moments of love and happiness. I photograph families, couples, engagements, weddings, newborns, baby showers and birthdays. Along with being a photographer, I exercise being a full time believer of Christ through singing in my church choir and aspire to be a motivational speaker for women. I want to encourage others to step away from fear, come out of their comfort zone and achieve their purpose in life.
In my spare time, I like to use social media as a platform to share positive encouragement videos. I use bible verses, and quotes to share with my followers. I am most proud of the feedback I get from my audience! They encourage to keep doing what I am doing because it is inspiring and sometimes life-changing. I am also proud of myself for learning how to let God use me when he wants me to help someone else. When I’m done photographing a client, I love to build rapport with them spiritually and leave them with a positive perspective of life without worry and fear.
I told God “I want to reach millions.” Not for fame, not for attention, but to change lives. I have been given a gift of vision, and a gift to inspire those around me. It’s my responsibility and I enjoy every bit of it. I have been blessed to be able to sacrifice my time to help others get through their own personal life challenges. It’s something I feel sets me apart from others. This world seems to be every man for himself, why not come together and help one another make a change?
What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
Praying for guidance and direction from the man above, was and will always be my first important piece of advice to starting a career. I wrote down my dreams and researched any and everything I could to obtain knowledge of what I wanted to become. I also watched hundreds of YouTube videos and read so many blogs it’s ridiculous. Last is EXECUTION! What good is all your planning and research if there’s no execution? Execution is extremely important! No execution, no success!
Exposure is another great way to start your career. What I mean by that is to simply expose yourself to bigger and better things that pertain to your career. For example, I exposed myself to the most beautiful sites of nature in Mexico while visiting.
Along your journey realize you can pick other peoples brain for their experiences throughout their career, but you do not need anyone else’s confirmation for what you are doing. God will find clever ways to reward you. Therefore, he’s the only one you need confirmation from. He sees how hard you are working!
At the end of the day have fun, go places and don’t stop when things get too expensive or too hard! Keep going, make investments and push through!
Pricing:
- Special offer to my readers who visit my website and book with me! (Only $175 a session)
Contact Info:
- Website: kng.photography
- Email: kguyton00@gmail.com
- Instagram: @k.n.gphotography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/kelceeg
Image Credit:
Kelcee Guyton
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