We recently had the chance to connect with Megan Kelly and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Megan, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I just love this question! I like the idea of people having paths and following them, but I also think there can be wandering along the way. For me I really enjoy having goals and setting out to achieve them, which for me would be considered a “path.” But what I have noticed is that sometimes the path re-directs me to something new or something I didn’t expect (the wandering part). The trick for me is to realized that just because there is a little bit of a diversion, or a little “wandering” doesn’t mean I am off of the path. I really enjoy the idea of letting the path unfold as I walk it, that way I can keep my eyes open for ways to grow and learn along the way, which may actually help me later on in the journey.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Megan with Sterlingphoto. I specialize in real estate photography. I can help real estate agents and homeowners sell their house more quickly and for top dollar by providing beautiful photos of their homes. The real estate photos are the first impression the buyer will see and it is the most important! I have owned my business and photographed thousands of homes in San Diego for over 7 years and love what I do. This is not just work for me, it’s my passion and I enjoy it everyday. I have been perfecting my photography skills over time and am always using the most up to date photography gear and creative tools for editing. I photograph everything from manufactured homes to mansions! I have been published in New York Times, premier magazine, Dream homes magazine,Ranch and Coast. I am so lucky I get to work on my passion everyday and to help agents and homeowners be at ease knowing the photography will be taken care of professionally and correctly.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
For me, early on when I was building my photography business, I thought having the most knowledge and deep technical perfection would make me the best photographer there is. Today, while I do focus on being very technical, I find that using my creativity has actually made me a more desirable photographer. When photographing homes I am focused on creating a feeling instead of trying to find the most “technically” correct photo. When I come from a more creative viewpoint I find the photos to be more dynamic and interesting and of course gaining more peoples attention which is always a plus!
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
That’s a really good question! I think for me, and I’m sure for a lot of people, the struggle is what made me stronger. I look back on a lot of the difficult times in life and even in work and see how much I have grown. I know that if I had not been through some of the really challenging times, I would not be prepared for what comes next. Whenever I have been through a difficult time it has forced me to really look at what I think is important and what I value. When I can focus on those parts of my life I can see that I can get through anything, and sometimes come out better. While success is awesome, I just don’t think I would have the skills I need to maintain it along the way, unless I had been through the difficult and challenging parts to get there. The suffering is part of the growth, and has allowed me to feel a lot of gratitude for my journey and how far along I have come.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes! I think that we all tend to make our online and public presence a little more “perfect” than we are in our private lives. For me that is true, but who I am is pretty much the same in public and private. Am I going to post a photo of me in my pajamas editing photos at 2:00am? Probably not, but I think we all have that side that doesn’t necessarily need to be shared with the public. When I am with friends a family I enjoy being silly and making people laugh, and same for online as well. I always try to have as much fun as possible in most areas of my life, even in challenging situations.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
For me this is something that I have thought about a few times over the years. I really do believe I was meant to be a photographer. I have always been interested in photography and art since I was young. There is something so natural to me about photography and being part of capturing moments, beautiful homes and architecture. It truly does feel like this is where I was meant to be as far as a career. I really am so grateful that I get to practice my passion everyday. I know that one day when retirement comes, my hope is to visit other areas, and capture the architecture in a meaningful and artistic way just for fun. For me it’s more than a job, it’s really one of my favorite ways to show my creative and artistic side and I just love it!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Sterlingphoto.net
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/sterlingphoto1
- Facebook: Megan Kelly
Image Credits
Megan Kelly with Sterling Photography
