While I just recently started to pour my heart into building Kyla Shattuck Photography, I’ve been laying the foundation for it for the past decade! Little by little, the dream of becoming a wedding photographer began to take root in my heart. And little by little, I began to take steps to make it happen. If you enjoy reading stories as much as I do, you’re in for a treat!

Part 1: Where It All Began
Part 2: The Magazine That Changed the Game
Part 3: Friendship and Opportunity
Part 4: Unfinished Business
Part 5: Becoming a Bride
Part 6: A Big Dream in a Little Apartment
Part 7: A Leap of Faith

A Leap of Faith

After borrowing a friend’s camera to practice, I knew it was time to purchase one of my own. It felt like a leap of faith because, as newlyweds, we were on a really tight budget. We were doing the envelope system and had just signed up for Financial Peace University. Even so, Dillon has been entirely supportive of my dream from day one. As a result, that Labor Day, we bought my first camera. It was a simple, used DSLR camera body and a beginner lens, but it was perfect to learn and practice with.

I started bringing my camera with me everywhere I went to practice getting proper exposure and focus. I photographed headshots for friends and senior photos for my youth group girls. On more than one occasion, I photographed Dillon in the little yard outside of our apartment after dinner, eager to practice. One Sunday after church, I pulled out my camera and snapped photos of my family in the most unlikely of locations: a Taco Bell parking lot. I was hungry for experience. 

A little-known fact is that I photographed my first wedding on that camera, and my first three weddings with that lens. I started second shooting with that lens. I took that initial $400 investment and used it to earn money to buy better gear. Above all, every single thing I’ve purchased for my business, every piece of equipment, every bit of education, has all stemmed from that initial purchase. It’s certainly one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

To be continued…