Today we’d like to introduce you to Kasey Vaitekunas.
Kasey, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am the owner of One Sweet World Images. I am a Jersey gal, who grew up in Florida, started college there majoring in Theatre and finished my BFA in Technical Theatre as well as my BA in Marketing at California State University, Sacramento. After college, I moved back to Florida where I became a marketing high school teacher. After our marriage in Key West, Florida, my husband received a job offer that moved us to Texas in 2009 where I became Theatre Technical Director at Mansfield High School – Mansfield, Texas
One Sweet World Images was founded on the beach is St. Lucia in 2011 while on summer vacation with my husband. While there I was taking photos of various couples on the beach with the incredible sunsets as the backdrop and my husband asked, “Why aren’t you doing this? It makes you so happy.” I had always loved photography and did it for my department and fiends, but never thought to make it a business. It was a great question to ask. Between his curiosity and reading the book, “A Place of Yes”, by Bethanny Frankel I came back to Texas with a fire in my belly. I immediately registered for the University of Texas, Arlington’s Photography program. I practiced on the stage with my students taking archives and portfolio shots and then began using them as models. I was becoming a professional photographer and loving every minute. Over time my incredible students and parents were needing family portraits, engagements, weddings and more!
In 2013, we decided to bring a little bit of our Florida flair to Texas and introduce the world of underwater photography to DFW! There is nothing more angelic and surreal than being weightless underwater. From seniors in trendy clothes, to trash the prom dress, wedding dress, flower girl dress, to cosplay, to character shoots, to boudoir, there is no limit to capturing your fantasy world with One Sweet World!
In 2014, I had my boy/girl twins and my amazing hubby aka “pool boy” (lol), said that I could retire from teaching and stay home with our babies. Which I did, but was not willing to give up the incredible relationships I had through my students, so this is the same year that I began my senior modeling program. I love working with students from all over DFW to represent their class. They have the opportunity to do three photo-sessions with me. An underwater mini-session, their senior session and a large group styled session of all of the team. It’s a great way for them to receive a discount on senior photos as well as an opportunity to earn money for referrals. It also gives me an opportunity to follow them on their senior year journey that one day turns into their wedding journey and later their family journey – I love staying part of my client’s lives!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Definitely not! LOL! Balancing a theatre/teaching 12 hour day and processing shoots made for some long days in the beginning.
Then when I began my underwater venture not having a pool was my next challenge. Using other pools was tough because we could not control the environment. When we put in our pool we could control it as well as pick the color of the pool, lighting, foot-ledges to help my clients in the water, and so on.
My next challenge came in a package of two, our twins! I love every moment with them, but sometimes balancing them and my business can be hard. I find that when I make them part of it, they love it and it becomes time together instead of work. I edit on my own, but they help me package, clean, make my YouTube channel and provide me with all the hugs I need on long days!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the One Sweet World Images story. Tell us more about the business.
I am proud to be specializing in underwater portraits, engagement portraits, boudoir portraits, wedding photography, and senior portraits.
I am most known for my senior portraits and underwater fantasy sessions.
I am most proud of our space and dynamic. Love that my husband helps with all of my underwater sessions and that my twins help me in my office and keep that yard nice for our clients so that my small business has become a family business and is a fun and rewarding part of our world.
What’s special about One Sweet World Images is that you not only have beautiful portraits, but you will receive an experience and a friend.
We invite our clients into our home, our pool and our lives. I love seeing all of my favorite clients on their journey through life.
How do you, personally, define success? What’s your criteria, the markers you’re looking out for, etc?
My success is defined by my clients. Each year that they call and honor me with the joy of capturing their memories and important moments or refer me to a cherished friend or family member is my most successful moment. To be called “our families photographer” is my proudest moment.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1306 Greenrock Court, Midlothian Texas 76065
- Website: www.oswimages.com
- Phone: 9542587488
- Email: oswimages@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oswimages
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OSWImages
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/oswimages
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTA1qiOpdC6ZO8YSxzkYasA?view_as=subscriber
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.
