Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey Nevell
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Photography always came naturally to me. School assignments and assisting with yearbook photos initially sparked my interest and soon enough I was the friend who always brought her camera around to document everyday life and friends. Later in high school I purchased my first DSLR camera and started to teach myself the technical side of things through creative lifestyle photo shoots with friends and experiment with Lightroom and Photoshop.
I never intended to get into photography professionally until college friends started to reach out for graduation sessions and as a shock to me, wanted to pay me for it! In the years since, I’ve had hundreds of paid photo shoots, built a client base, and moved all around California. In 2019, I moved to San Diego and started to associate shoot weddings I knew I found my niche! After a lot of trial and error and finding my style, in 2022 I co-founded Tangerine Weddings with two friends focusing on authentic, fun, true-to-life wedding photography and videography. We’re currently based in San Diego and San Francisco and it’s been a fun ride so far!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I feel like a small business is never a smooth road. I’ve moved around a few times since I started professionally shooting in 2016, forcing me to rebuild my client base several times. When I moved to San Diego in 2019, not only did I have to find new clients, I also had to pause most of my work due to the pandemic. When it was finally time to safely work again, I made the shift from portraits to weddings! It’s been a huge learning experience working at various venues, assisting other photographers, and trying to stand out in a saturated market while staying true to the brand. But it’s all a necessary part of the experience!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Tangerine Weddings specializes in full wedding coverage that is authentic, fun, and true to the couple and the wedding day as it happened. We want couples to feel as comfortable as possible on their big day when it comes to posing and the flow of the day. The goal is to give some prompts for posing but ultimately let the couple take the lead so the photos and videos will represent them instead of an overly posed couple on a magazine cover.
When I’m not shooting weddings, I cover portraits and events with a similar vision. No matter what I’m photographing, it’s important that the client has fun, doesn’t feel overwhelmed, and ends up with a gallery that is authentic and represents them.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The biggest thing is to remember to not compare myself to other photographers. Everyone is on their own journey and has a unique style so it’s best to stay focused on yourself. Also, always have a good contract with clients!
Pricing:
- See tangerineweddings.com for wedding pricing
- See https://www.kelseynevellphotography.com/ for portrait pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tangerineweddings.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tangerineweddings/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tangerineweddings
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT5xGSFN3ZBd2vuoFHk0Jvg
- Other: https://www.kelseynevellphotography.com/
Image Credits
All photos belong to Tangerine Weddings
