Mastering a skill as an individual is something truly amazing, but this husband-and-wife duo tackles the photography industry together. Regis (husband) and Kahran (wife) both went from the world of marketing to capturing the essence of all things beauty within a few frames. Each of their skill sets has awarded them the chance to look out of their lenses from a different perspective.
Their approach to successfully taking the internet by storm with their ode to natural hair and kiddies makes us want to learn more about their work. BE chatted with CreativeSoul about all things photography.
Black Enterprise: How did you get started in photography?
CreativeSoul: We both started out in the marketing and design world and fell in love with photography while dating long distance. We decided to start CreativeSoul Photography together while Reg was in school studying photography.
BE: How did your sole focus become the natural hair movement?
CS: When we first decided to get started in the kid’s fashion industry, we noticed that a lot of the models would send us their snapshot before the shoot and would have gorgeous natural hair. When they arrived for the shoot, many of them would arrive with their hair straightened because they felt that’s what they needed to do to thrive in the industry. We decided to do a couple of personal shoots showing child models rocking their own natural curls and the success from those shoots allowed us to create our own niche in this space.
BE: What advice would you give other professionals looking to navigate through the business world with their significant other?
CS: The best thing that helped us in our journey was figuring out each other’s strengths/weaknesses and dividing responsibilities based on that. Reg is much better at some of the technical aspects of the business and Kahran much better handling the client side, business, and marketing. We try to stay in our own lanes, which gives us each a sense of personal ownership in the business.
BE: Describe your feelings toward your photos that garnered massive attention via social media.
CS: Â We are always surprised when our photos go viral because we never really know which ones will take off. Our roller girls shoot was one of our very first photos to go viral garnering attention from celebrities to everyday people around the world. We love hearing stories from moms of little girls who say that they are inspired by our work and use our photos to inspire their daughters to be confident with who they are.
BE: Did you have any setbacks when creating CreativeSoul?
CS: In the beginning of our career it was very difficult to fully expand and grow our business while Kahran was still working a full-time job. With only one spouse being dedicated to the business it meant that we had certain aspects of the business that had to be put on hold until we could find a convenient time. After seven years of building our business, Kahran was finally able to leave the corporate world to focus on the business full-time.
BE: How important is it to find your niche?
CS: In the photography world it is extremely important to find your niche because it is easy to be forgotten in the large pool of photographers. Finding your niche not only allows you to stand out from the crowd but also allows you to focus on the things that you are good at and love to do.
BE: Explain your entrepreneurial mindset and what it means to society?
CS: In our business, we always strive to keep our brand positive and uplifting. Years from now when people see our work, we would love for them to be able to get a glimpse at our culture during this time and see positive images that uplift our community.
BE:Â Who are some of your inspirations?
CS: For photography, our biggest inspiration would be Gordon Parks. We absolutely love his work and the legacy he left behind. We love the way his images tell a story and leave the viewer wanting to explore more about what was going on during that particular time. For business, we love the way Oprah has continued to reinvent herself and her business over time while maintaining a positive image in the industry.
BE: What does the CreativeSoul brand look like within the next five years?
CS: We’d love to see our brand expand to much more than photography in the next five years. We’ve recently opened our online art store selling fine art created with some of our most popular photos turned into art. We’d also like to use our brand as a connection point in connecting the kids that we work with to other brands and organizations that can help them pursue their own dreams and initiatives.
BE: What are some brands, individuals or organizations that you would like to work with?
CS: Â We’d love to work with organizations like Black Girls Rock! because we think that they would be a perfect fit for our brand. We’d also love to work with some of the major brands like Dove to be able to tell their brand story in a unique way.
BE: What are the various qualities the two of you bring to your business relationship?
CS: Kahran’s career in marketing, technology, and design allows her to bring a unique set of skills that are needed to help build and expand our business. Regis is amazing at the technical aspects of photography and is the key to bringing all of the pieces together. Reg keeps our day-to-day business running smoothly and makes sure everything is picture perfect.
Regis (left) and Kahran (Image: creativesoulphoto.com)
To view some of CreativeSoul’s other amazing work visit creativesoulphoto.com or their Instagram @creativesoulphoto
Written by contributor Regan FarleyÂ