What began as an investment for a class turned into a business for one University of Indianapolis student. Freshman pre-nursing major Kaylarae Delp has managed to turn her passion for photography into her own business, called Kaylarae Photography.
“It was junior year. I was taking Photoshop and photography [classes] in high school and I bought a really expensive camera, so I was like, ‘I’m not going to just use this for class,’” Kaylarae Delp said. “So I picked up on things and taught myself with YouTube.”
Kaylarae Delp said she began locally with family and friends in the early stages of her business. However, once she began to branch off from her family, she said she began picking up more clients. While looking at potential clients, Kaylarae Delp would always meet up with them beforehand. Kaylarae Delp said she found clientele through family and friends referring her to them.
“And then that’s where [clients] reached out to me, and they would just ask me questions and just tell me what they wanted and then I would text them back,” Kaylarae Delp said. “I never really reached out to anybody. They always reached out to me.”
Kaylarae Delp said that her business is not entirely out there, yet. However, she made a post on the UIndy app about her photography business.
“With that, I just made that [advert on the UIndy channel] because with family, my prices were a little bit lower, so I just made that to meet new people also on campus… I don’t have a job, so this is kind of my job,” Kaylarae Delp said.
A previous client of Kaylarae Photography, Kaylarae Delp’s sister Kyrstien Delp said she used her sister’s services for a shoot earlier this year. She said she had used the services of other photographers in the past but noted there was a difference with Kaylarae Photography because of the photographer being a family member.
“I have had other photographers that I’ve interacted with, like my sister-in-law, [at] her wedding, I met that photographer and then [for] my prom pictures, who was actually really good at it,” Kyrstien Delp said. “It felt more comfortable doing it with family than it did with a stranger.”
Kyrstien Delp has helped with networking her sister’s business, much like other members in her family. This has allowed for future clientele to reach Kaylarae Photography for other occasions, such as birthday parties.
“I know Kayla[rae] has gotten a lot more successful lately than she used to be,” Kyrstien Delp said. “It was just for family or she was doing it for me or my mom or sisters, but now she’s doing it more professionally where she’s getting paid from people other than just family because she always went cheaper with family.”
Kaylarae Delp said she sees photography as something on the side to her future career. She said to anyone who is planning on starting a business, it will be hard to get clients at first. However, she said to never give up on the business, even if the business has to be put to the side.
“If you really want to have a passion for something, just learn how to do it, learn the steps and do it,” Kaylarae Delp said. “You don’t know where you’re starting, so you have to research. Just go for it.”
