Meet Kasey Vaitekunas | Underwater, Senior and Family Photographer

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

Hi Kasey, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Niching Down! When I started my business in 2011 I was still a high school theatre teacher and loved my teens so they were my clients. Seems easy right? Well, when you decide to start a business you clearly want it to be successful and for it to become successful quickly; that’s not real life! LOL! I thought that if I was going to be a photographer I needed to do weddings, and newborns and everything that others in my field were doing. I later learned this was very untrue. I tried it all, went to college for it, took workshops, etc. I did weddings for years, loved them because those students that were my first senior portraits models were becoming brides and mamas! How fun right? It’s true, it was super fun, but the hours away from my twins were not. I decided two and a half years ago that I was no longer going to do weddings. I tried newborns years ago, yikes, not for me! I decided I was going to stay true to me! Me and my teens have a blast together! Family photography and of course, my most unique photos being underwater is where I am supposed to be. I am not saying that I will never shoot the others, but by niching down I am able to set up and fill my calendar a year in advance. I am able to spend more time with my family and that families I shoot with. I am able to be super creative with my teens and underwater sessions. In addition to niching down I feel my communication, consistency, and fun/artsy ideas have driven my business into a really unique and fun experience.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am most proud of my relationships with all of the families that I have worked with. I love that I am part of so many important moments in all of their lives. From a creative standpoint I am most proud of our underwater photography! It is too cool to create underwater floating worlds underwater and help tell their weightless story with vivid color and wild hair! It is art that is fun to do and also gives my clients a fun and memorable experience with photographs that are truly unique! I started our underwater venture in 2014 and the biggest challenge was using other peoples pools. I could never depend on clarity of the water or if the pool had tiles or if it was salt or chlorine, etc. In 2016 when we moved to Midlothian we added our underwater studio and it fixed all of our problems because we could control the environment. We made it a dark blue to contrast with skin, no tiles to photoshop out and the hubbs keeps it crystal clear! We even added a heater so that we can shoot year round

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Funny you ask! Ha! I often tell my clients this and it is the truth… I am up and shooting when the sun comes up and a homebody by afternoon so I really have no clue where to go! Club One Sweet World Images is my fav spot! But when we have family in we always make sure to hit up the Stockyards! So fun and I get to pull out the Cowgirl Boots! Depending who is visiting, Deep Ellum is always a good time! And if I am keeping it local Jalapeno’s Lemon Pepper calls my name in Midlothian!! Get patio and food, plus the bonus of outstanding margaritas!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to shout out my husband! He is the king of helping all of my crazy ideas come to fruition!! I told him I wanted to shoot people underwater and he said let’s do it! Every underwater set we do is typically together. He is the guy who keeps the pool crystal clear and low on chemicals so that my clients do not leave with burning eyes. He is also the guy that does all of my drone photography and helps me at all of my teen events. I am very fortune to have the love of my life as my partner in entrepreneurship! I would also like to shout out ALL of my Street Team and Teens of Summer kiddos and their parents. Thank y’all for letting me capture your families as they grow and keep me in your lives. Love all of y’all.

Website: www.oswimages.com
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