Today we’d like to introduce you to April Klein.
Hi April, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
In the fall of 2011, I had some friends get engaged. I had recently gotten a “nice” camera and offered to do some engagement photos of them. I had had my second daughter in 2009 and when she was born, she was born with some extra needs over the course of two years, we had countless surgeries, one of which was an open-heart surgery when she was five months old, doctor appointments, and physical/occupational therapy. I needed something for me to engaged with someone other than doctors, nurses, and children. So, on a freezing day in December 2011, I took photos of my friends. I was so new to the photo world that my friend’s fiancé had to tell me what the settings should be set at…
I have always been a dreamer. Always imagining and creating and in February 2012 I became an official business. An official business that I NEVER thought would take off. I always say I am grateful for the patience, grace, and love of those clients I met in my first few years-they helped me learn so much. As the years went on my business continued to grow and I continued to add people to my team until finally in 2021 we, as a team, shot over 65 weddings. I say weddings and love are what I love but as I have grown, I think what I love most is meeting new people, telling stories, and making people feel loved, safe, and create a space for them to truly be themselves. I consider it an honor to get to take photos of anyone and do my best to capture who they are. Not only on the outside but who they are on the inside.
With the growth of my business came some setbacks too. My marriage ended in May 2020 and I found myself in a very unhealthy relationship. One that I was drowning in. One, that did not allow me to become the best version of myself, nor bring out the best version of anyone else that surrounded me. Due to choices, I made I fell into a pit of despair. And I can recognize now that it was no one else fault but my own that I became so despondent, depressed, and broken. There were many nights spent on suicide watch. I had hit rock bottom when the relationship that followed my marriage ended.
And yet. Yet, once the relationship ended, I was able to see how incredibly unhealthy I had allowed myself to become. I grew up in the church. I knew Jesus. But I found I never REALLY knew him. I knew him in a sense of obedience but not love. In March of 2020, as the world was shutting down, I was introduced to a Pastor Robert Madu when he was on a podcast I was listening to. And then November of 2020 went to a Women’s Night that hosted Pastor Taylor Madu where she shared her testimony. To say that the Madu’s were an influential part of my life is quite the understatement. So, when my sister, who has lived in Dallas for 10 years started talking about this church she was involved in and loved I was intrigued. And yet-I was still so hurting that I ran from hope for a while. I wasn’t ready to change. I honestly don’t think I was ready to heal.
Spring of 2021 my sister invited me to visit her church, Social Dallas. I sat in the front row and for the first time, in a long time, I let hope and love fall over me and into my heart. I had been listening to Pastor Robert and Taylor but nothing prepared me to visit a house of belonging and a house of presence. I found Jesus again. But as an adult. I found the Jesus that is human and love and kindness and mercy. The Jesus that bottles all my tears and heals my heart. Over the course of the summer of 2021, I visited Social as often as I could to hear messages of hope, and finally in the Fall of 2021, I knew it was time to start serving using my gifts that I had learned in the close to 10 years of photography.
What had been a once every two- or three-months thing turned into 7 AM flights after shooting weddings in Minnesota, buying more black than I already owned, staying with a sister full of grace, kindness, a nice bed, and getting to be a part of a team of people that loved people so well and welcomed me in with big, open arms.
I learned over the last six months that “never” is a very strong word. I thought I would *never* love anywhere as much as where I grew up in the Midwest. I *never* thought I would love shooting (with my camera) anything other than weddings. Then, I met new friends that wanted to hire me to photograph their up and come brand of clothing that spreads love and hope. It was then that I discovered how much I loved getting to tell all kinds of stories and share emotion in such a broader level.
I *never* thought I could grow to love the heat. Or be in two places that felt like home. And yet here I am. A year ago, if you would have told me that I could be healthy, whole, loved, at peace, and surrounded with such amazing people I would have *never* believed you. But God. His faithfulness literally saved my life. His love quite literally rescued me from death. I told some friends that had it not been for the grace of the Lord, the messages of hope, healing, and love, Social Dallas and the ministry of the Madu’s, and the love of people that had no reason to love me-I would be dead. Once you lose all hope death seems to be the only option. But over the course of the last year, I have realized no one is too far gone, no one can destroy your life without your permission, and that Texas drivers are the craziest drivers.
I am not sure what my future holds. I know the desires of my heart. I know I want to continue serving at Social, making friends and memories and help everyone I meet-whether for business purposes or life purposes to feel loved, valued, and seen.
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?
I think I referenced this in the first question but yes. With growth comes being uncomfortable, making mistakes, and to be honest a lot of tears.
Although my business was succeeding, my marriage was not. Although I continued to see growth in so many areas, I continued to slide deeper and deeper in unhealth in my body and my mind. I spent nights begging to die and days staring bleakly out of the windows where they kept me on suicide watch.
After my heart being broken in January of 2021, I struggled to get out of bed much less edit the photos I had taken. And after shooting and serving 65 couples I realized that no one can do that well. No one can take on that much and give the service that I feel everyone deserves. And then ending 2021 being sued by a contractor I had hired I very much believe that burnout is a thing.
And yet. Once again, I wouldn’t change any of it. Because it has made me who I am today. The brokenness lead me to Jesus. The sadness gave me more empathy than I had before. Had none of that happened who knows where I would be today. So, for that, I am incredibly thankful for all the hard. Because without the hard there would be not as much strength.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
What do I do? As a creative, I think that is hard to pinpoint. I can tell you what I hope that I do. I hope that when people meet me, they instantly feel safe and loved. I hope that when I take someone’s photo that I am able to capture the sparkly in their eye and bring out some of their personality.
I specialize in that. Capturing the heart of a person in a split second on my camera. I have made a very successful career photographing weddings not only because I love light and shadows. But because I love to serve those I get to photograph. I love to tell their story AND carry their dress. I want to share who they are AND be the seventh bridesmaid that gets poison ivy burns every summer because she chooses that everything is worth the shot.
When I first started, I was told that people half hired me for my work but mostly hired me because I had a good personality. And that is probably very true. I have always had a gift in genuine laughter and finding the best sunsets and using light in a warm, inviting, romantic way.
Throughout the last ten years, I think I have a few things I am most proud of. I am proud that I was able to build a business from the ground up with no training outside of google and YouTube. In fact, I tell my clients often that I almost failed my photography class in college. (I was also a horrible student but that is neither here nor there.)
I am most proud of that at almost every wedding/shoot I am a part of people leave saying that they had fun. That they felt comfortable and valued with me. I am proud that although I had some major setbacks in my personal life *most* of my clients and couples never even knew. I am proud of getting back up again. Proud that I didn’t quite therapy or the work even when it was so uncomfortable and scary.
I am proud that I didn’t give in to death. That I got healthy and strong. That I have shown my girls that we can do anything and to dream big and go after all that you have in your heart.
What sets me apart from others? I think in the past I would have said how well I serve my people. How good people feel after they are with me. And now, although I do think those are amazing qualities and are a part of me, I also can recognize that what truly sets me apart is that I KNOW to the deepest part inside me that I am loved. I am chosen. I am worthy. I KNOW and love Jesus and KNOW He knows and loves me. One of my friends told me today that you shine different when you are happy, healthy, and full of joy. And that is true. I have a side-by-side photo of me almost a year apart. January 2021 to January 2022. I don’t even recognize the girl from January 2021. But boy am I glad to know the girl of January 2022. She has big goals and dreams and knows that big things are ahead. She is a girl that is excited for the future and can’t wait to see the surprises God has in store for her.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I feel my industry is constantly evolving. Because that is what creators do. They evolve into new trends and move from one thing to another. But to be completely candid I think that the creative world, specifically photographers, will go back to the past in picking up film again and capturing stories where you can’t immediately see the result and have to spend time with the images for them to develop. I think cameras are going to become sharper and clearer than ever before which, in turn, will lead my clients asking for photoshop even if they never would have in the past. I think photographers will come and go because in a creative industry, or a service industry like weddings, burnout happens so fast. One can only take so much entitlement for so long. One can only take the crazy hours, the competitiveness, and pace for so long.
Pricing:
- Weddings start at 4,000
- Portraits start at 600
Contact Info:
- Email: april@sophisticatedgracephoto.com
- Website: www.sophisticatedgracephoto.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophisticatedgracephotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophisticatedgracephotography
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SocialDallas
- Other: https://socialdallas.online/
Image Credits
Sophisticated Grace Photography
