Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Rensburg.
Kim, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As far back as I can remember I have had an interest in photography, but did not act upon it until my 20’s. Rather than registering for photography courses in high school, I chose physics. As an undergraduate at Loyola University Chicago, Spanish and Communications took preference. I always focused in areas that I thought I should be in, rather than those I truly wanted.
After a few years working in healthcare marketing in the city, I knew something was missing. I decided it was time to listen to my heart and enrolled at Richard Stromberg’s Chicago Photography Classes where I uncovered my passion.
Shortly after, I received my first professional photography inquiry, and since that day have hustled through countless late nights and weekends, surrounding myself with other creative-minded individuals doing what I love most: photographing businesses, families, couples, bloggers, and events nationwide.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The trick has been building a business over evenings and weekends, while still working full-time during the day. It results in no available free time for brunching with my girlfriends or binge watching true crime documentaries with my husband and our little pug on the couch.
I am fortunate that my 10 years in Chicago has allowed me to develop a strong referral network across the city. But even so, it has been challenging to establish my niche and the Kimberly Rensburg Photography brand in a very competitive market. I find myself surrounded by incredible talent and have to remind myself often that playing the compare game will only bring more harm than good.
To overcome doubts, I joined the Chicago chapter of the Rising Tide Society that links me with local entrepreneurs who are in similar stages of their careers. Connecting with small business owners across the city helps me focus my priorities and recognize that I am not alone in the pursuit of success. I also learn valuable best practices for the legal and business components of entrepreneurship that unfortunately were not covered in the curriculum for my Spanish degree.
Though each day seems to bring forth new challenges, photography fills personal space for me that nothing else can and I have already accomplished more than I ever imagined.
Kimberly Rensburg Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a Chicago-based wedding and lifestyle photographer for fun-loving and adventurous couples, families, and businesses. My photography style is a mixture of editorial styling and photojournalism. Being a traditionalist at heart, I love capturing candid, unexpected moments of pure joy.
What I’ve heard time and again from clients is that my outgoing personality and infectious smile puts them at ease during sessions, bringing out their personalities and highlighting best qualities. When clients feel relaxed and fully trust me, the magic happens and we end up with truly joyful memories for a lifetime.
On a personal level my husband, who was born and raised on the tennis court in the South African wine country, and I held three very different weddings to each other over the course of one year (Chicago, Cape Town, and Detroit). I fully understand the stresses encountered during a wedding, and can therefore serve as my bride and groom’s biggest cheerleader leading up to and during their big day.
The oldest of four children, my mom documented every milestone with a family picture in front of the big maple tree in our yard. As I look back at our photo history, I appreciate the importance of capturing these fleeting moments and love being able to do the same during my family sessions.
In working with businesses, I meet with clients to conceptualize their aesthetic and then shoot, edit, and tone imagery that best illustrates their brand. The fun of these shoots is that they are like solving a puzzle, where I utilize product, food, and portrait photography to tell a company’s story.
Every day as a photographer is unique because each client brings a new and exciting opportunity that motivates me to jump out of bed in the morning.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment was when I accepted my first wedding client. At the conclusion of the day I experienced an overwhelming feeling of contentment, and drove home the entire way smiling with the knowledge that I had finally found my passion. It also marked a turning point from just being ‘the girl with a camera’ to a businesswoman capturing the happiest days of people’s lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kimberlyrensburg.com/
- Phone: (248) 703-9545
- Email: info@kimberlyrensburg.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlyrensburg/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimberlyrensburg/
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