Hi I'm Kylie
Female Gaze
by a
Female Gay
Here's the thing, I've always been an overachiever.
Always looking for ways to improve efficiency, effectiveness and the overall experience for everyone involved. In school, this served me very well, but once I got into the workforce it caused quite a few issues. In my experience of working over 15 jobs, corporate America doesn't tend to like the overachievers. My potential was being overlooked because they wanted things to stay the same. That's why I decided to take on my photography business full time. I have a passion for making people's experience incredible (whether that be at a coffee shop or a ski resort).
You deserve someone who cares about you that much. Someone who cares about your experience. Someone who gets to know who you are. Your quirks. Your insecurities. Your strengths.
You deserve someone who will fight to make your vision come true. Someone who will answer all your questions before you even ask them.
You deserve an overachiever.
What is the Female Gaze?
Peep the camera that started it all. This photo was taken trying on homecoming dresses for 9th grade, I believe. I didn't end up choosing this dress, though I don't know why because it looks amazing on me!
Wow. Look at that motion blur. Can't believe I was so skilled at my 8th grade choir concert that I achieved this trendy look. Guess I'm just a trend setter ;P
This one actually isn't too bad! My brother, being 12 years younger than me and my all-time favorite person, was naturally one of my best models.
The people behind my inspiration
As early as I can remember, my dad took my mom and I out for photoshoots. We were constantly at the park taking photos together and clearly, I LOVED it. I learned the importance of posing from my earliest days which gives me a natural edge to helping create photos of people that they love.
I've been posing with my mom for decades. Now, I take that knowledge from years of being a model, to help you create images of yourself that you will look back on fondly, like I look back on these.
(You don't see her here because she doesn't like to be on the internet lol. Is your mom the same way?)
Why do you need a photographer who has been in front of the camera?
You deserve a photographer who understands the importance of mutual vulnerability.
Being in front of the camera can be a scary, intimate experience. That's why you want a photographer who knows how it feels. How can you trust an empowerment photographer to capture your vulnerability without being courageous enough to do it themselves? When I book a photographer, I make sure they have experience having their photo taken because I know they'll understand what specifically makes someone nervous before their session and what specifically can help ease those fears. I learned a lot from the first time I had my photos taken. Here's my experience:
My Approach
Like most other women, I don't love the way I look. Therefore, I don't love the way I look in photos. Or so I thought. Before stepping in front of the camera, I had only ever had photos of my ADULT SELF taken by my mom who swears up and down that zooming in on and iPhone "isn't even noticeable." Crooked, blurry, zoomed in photos of myself. And a lot of my clients relate to this. Before stepping in front of the camera, I wasn't sure why my clients raved about how their photoshoot with me changed the way they see themselves. "They're just pictures," I thought. But that couldn't have been farther from the truth.
An empowerment session isn't about getting pretty photos. It's about finally feeling seen for every version that you are. The brave, the timid, the loud, the soft. It's about seeing yourself the way you see other people. It's about noticing the small things about you that your loved ones notice. The crinkle in your nose. The freckles. Those funny little baby curls by your forehead.
I never understood this until I found a photographer who saw me the way I see other people. And just like that, after years of searching, I finally understood it. The why. The feeling my clients describe. Being completely seen as the truest form of yourself. The urge to print every photo and plaster them on every wall. Shit, I’d rent a second apartment to cover the walls in these photos. I want to look at these photos every day.
What does this mean for you?
Because of my experience with other photographers, I know how it feels to be completely left to fend for yourself when planning a photoshoot. I've worked with some photographers that stop communicating with you once they get that payment. Then they show up and make little to no effort to make you feel comfortable in front of the camera.
Because of this experience, I have designed my photoshoot with these fears in mind.
The process:
I. The Guides
I will send you a Welcome Guide detailing what to expect next. You'll receive an in-depth style guide making sure you feel prepared for your photoshoot. This guide will walk you through what to wear, what to bring and will answer all your burning questions like "should I shave or not shave?" I'll even send a posing and expressions guide so you can stop stressing about what to do with your face.
II. The Styling
We will attend a style consultation together at my favorite local boutique to discuss wardrobe options. Every session includes professional hair and makeup. Once you arrive at the makeup studio in Green Lake, you and I will sit together chatting and playing a get-to-know-you game while you get glammed up. After you've approved your hair and makeup style, I'll drive us to our photoshoot location.
III. The Posing
I'll direct you in each pose and I'll always make adjustments if something isn't flattering on you. Each person is different which means each session and posing is different. You'll leave your session feeling more pampered, more taken care of than you have in a long time- maybe ever. You'll feel relaxed because I'll show you some photos in the back of the camera as we work. You'll feel seen because I took the time to get to know what sides of you, you wanted to show off. You'll leave your session with a new friend, and a newfound belief that you are in fact-art.