Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaitlyn Bullard.
Kaitlyn, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
The first thing you might notice about my photography business is the name – it’s a little unusual. In 2014, I started blogging about Texas artists, entrepreneurs, music and food. I’d always been intrigued by the idea of owning my own creative business, so I wanted to learn from others first. What drove them? What had they learned? How did they get to where they are? So many people I was inspired by had overcome a lot to earn their success, and they were shining a light for others as they went – like a star in the night sky, if you will. That idea, coupled with my deep love for my home state, led me to the name The Big and Bright. Yes, like the stars at night, deep in the heart of Texas. It just stuck!
It wasn’t until 2015 that I became really interested in photography, though. My parents had given me an old Canon film camera back in high school, and I enjoyed taking a few shots every now and then, but my true passion was writing. I picked up a camera again to do some photography for the blog and asked my cousin if I could practice taking photos of her daughter. After that, I was hooked. Something about photography lit a fire inside me – it challenged me and gave me so much joy. I worked at a marketing agency and took photos on the side for friends, and friends of friends, until slowly my business grew to the point that I was essentially working two full-time jobs (and not sleeping very much). I walked away from my marketing career in January of 2018 and have been relishing in business ownership ever since. My blog has shifted directions, but I kept the name The Big and Bright for the photography side of things too, because I’m still capturing stories of boldness, just in a different way.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
My photography centers on couples and brand-new babies. Bold love and a beautiful life, as I like to sum it up. These are what I’ve found the most joy in capturing, because both marriage and bringing a newborn into the world are such life-changing, love-filled times. My goal is to always capture authenticity in emotions and relationships with photos that evoke a feeling. My style is warm, bold, bright, and heartfelt – timeless and true to you.
The wedding industry has changed immensely over the past decade, and I think now more than ever, couples can easily get caught up in the planning, and staying on trend, and hosting a wedding that impresses people. I want my clients to know that none of that matters more than their marriage. We’re going to capture the pretty things, but I hope, more than that, we’ll capture the emotions. So, whether it’s a couple on their wedding day or parents with their brand-new baby, I want them to know that the only thing they really need to worry about is loving each other and enjoying the moments.
The sterotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?
Charge what you’re worth. They aren’t your ideal clients if they’re not willing to pay what you’re worth. Decide how much your time and talents are worth and don’t lowball yourself. This is one of the biggest lessons I’ve had to learn as a business owner and it’s taken me years to be confident in my pricing, but you can’t invest in your business – in education and in better equipment – and ultimately in better serving your clients, if you’re not making any money.
On that note, don’t rush the side business phase. Truthfully, I was really insecure about only doing photography “on the side” at first. I didn’t feel legit. But building my business while I still had a steady income to count on made more sense than struggling to make ends meet or taking on debt. It took a lot of sacrifices, slow growth, and late nights for months upon months doing both jobs, but there’s no shame in being able to pay your bills.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I’d love for them to take a look around my website, www.thebigandbright.com, or follow me on Instagram @thebigandbright. I try to stay active on Facebook (facebook.com/thebigandbright) and occasionally share some helpful tips on Pinterest (pinterest.com/tbbphotos)!
Even with social media, word of mouth is still the best tool for lots of small businesses, including mine. I truly appreciate each and every referral and for the rest of this year, I’m returning the favor of a wedding referral with a free session!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thebigandbright.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/thebigandbright
- Facebook: facebook.com/thebigandbright
- Other: pinterest.com/tbbphotos
Image Credit:
Headshot by: Alexa Vossler
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
