Meet Kristen Sudge | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristen Sudge and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristen, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I believe that taking risk is the biggest way to grow and succeed. If I never took the risk in starting my own business and investing in quality equipment, I would not be doing what I love today. Of course, I had my doubts when starting my business. I questioned if I would ever gain enough clientele, or if people would even like my work. Overcoming my fears, being confident in my abilities, and taking risks have all led me to doing what I love- creating!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a portrait and lifestyle photographer based out of North Georgia focusing on seniors, couples, and weddings. Sometimes it seems there are photographers all around my area, state, and even the world. This thought often overwhelms me. I can easily compare my work to others, and question it’s worth. Although this is not hard to do, I continue to remind myself that people choose to book me and my services for a reason. This reminder has helped me flourish professionally to be where I am today. I am passionate about getting to know people’s stories, what makes them happy, and how they got where they are. I like to learn about my clients during their session because I am genuinely interested in them and who they are. I believe this is something that sets me a part from other photographers. I don’t want to just show up to a session to take someones photos, make them smile and leave. I aim to be intentional with my clients, laugh with them, share stories together, and leave feeling like we are friends. I think interacting with my clients this way has taught me an important lesson about relationships. Just because a client hires me in a professional setting, doesn’t mean I don’t have the space to care about them as people. If the world could know anything about my brand, I would want them to understand that I love nothing more than being trusted to capture peoples stories, milestones, and most special seasons of life.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love spending the day walking around Ponce City Market to shop around, or walk the BeltLine. My favorite place to eat in the city is at Tiny Lou’s in the Clermont Hotel. The atmosphere, aesthetic, and overall experience is so much fun! I know any of my friends would love to spend time there. The rooftop bar at the Clermont Hotel is super cool and a nice place to go after dinner at Tiny Lou’s. Anytime I am in the city, I always stop for dessert at Jeni’s Ice Cream because there is just truly nothing better!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I love listening and learning from The Heart and Hustle Podcast. The host’s Lindsey and Evie are creatives with so much knowledge to give. I always find myself in my car, tuning into their podcast. From photography tips, social media advice, and even just life stuff- I truly love learning from them. They continue to challenge my growth as a creative, and I am always inspired to try new things after listening.

Website: https://www.kristenelisephoto.com/

Instagram: @kristenelisephoto

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristensudge/

Facebook: @KristenEliseFineArtPhotography