We had the good fortune of connecting with Kamryn Nichols Engberg and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kamryn, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
At the time photography was just a small side hustle that I mainly did for fun, but word was getting out and I started getting more clients outside of just my friends and family. I was enjoying it so much and started thinking that it made sense to pursue it as a career due to the success I was already having with it. I’d started working at a photography studio about a year before the COVID pandemic, but I was furloughed shortly after the lockdown. At that point I was basically forced to rely on my photography business as my sole income. It was then that I started working towards making it official, and by January of 2021 I’d made it my full time job! I always liked the idea of working for myself and having a flexible schedule, and to this day it’s still the best decision I have ever made!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Throughout the last eight years I’ve tried just about every kind of photography out there, but what really stuck with me was photography for graduating high school and college Seniors! My own experiences in both high school and college were not ideal and left with me with very low confidence which later sparked a passion for building confidence in young adults through photography!
My business really started when I was 17 years old, at about the beginning of my Senior year. At the time and for a few years after I was told by many adults (including professors in the university where I was taking photography classes) that I should never expect to make a living off photography, especially if I wasn’t willing to be a wedding photographer. I was told my work was “too commercial” and what I wanted was a pipe dream.
It wasn’t easy by any means, especially at just 17 years old and having no clue how to run a business, and it’s taken a long time to get where I am. I made plenty of mistakes and some days still face large challenges, but through hard work, investing in my own education, and taking risks, I was able to build my business into what it is today. I’ve learned that nothing happens overnight and if you want something you really have to put in the work to get there. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices, and you can’t rely solely on others to get you where you want to go.
One thing I remember hearing early on that really stuck with me was that success looks different for everyone, and you can’t measure your own success against someone else’s. I always try to keep that in mind especially in times of frustration or setbacks, and remind myself of how far I’ve come and what I know I’m capable of.
I truly strive to make a difference in my client’s lives and leave them with a true sense of beauty and confidence in themselves. I believe everyone has a story worth telling and their individuality deserves to be captured and celebrated, and that is what Kamryn Nichols Photography is all about!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve always been a big fan of the Pearl district so that’s where I would start! Get a drink at Hotel Emma, have dinner at one of the many incredible restaurants there (Down on Grayson is one of my personal favorites), and end the night at Jazz TX! Go a little further and spend some time at the Riverwalk; take a boat ride down the San Antonio River, catch a show at the Majestic theatre, and have dinner at the Tower of the Americas! There’s always something happening downtown and it’s not hard to find good food or music wherever you turn!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Leslie Kerrigan of Seniorologie was and still is an incredible mentor to me. She played a big role in my transition from general portrait photography to now specializing in high school and college Senior portraits! She also helped me to build and launch my Senior Spokesmodel Program! I owe her a lot of thanks for where my business is today!

Website: https://kamrynnicholsphotography.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kamrynnicholsphotography/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kamrynnicholsphotography/

Image Credits
Headshot of myself on pink background: Annakyi Photography

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