Meet Joslyn Kramer | Brand Photographer & Creative Director

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

Hi Joslyn, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
When I first started my business, I was working another job and could only pursue it in my off time – evenings and weekends. I was so used to staying up all night to finish editing a photoshoot or responding to emails after work hours, that when I went full time I had no life/work balance or client boundaries. I was letting clients text me late at night and taking on more projects than I could handle on my own. I would be at my computer working all day into the night and it wasn’t until recently that I started saying no in order to give myself more breathing room. Especially in a creative career, it’s extremely important to not burn myself out so I can produce for my clients consistently.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. From the childhood lemonade stand to my vintage denim business in college, ‘Dirty Denims’. The most important thing I’ve learned is that you have to start. If there’s something you want or someplace you want to be in x amount of years – just start. Three years ago I decided to teach myself WordPress and start a blog. I quickly learned that to get sponsored by brands, I would need an email list to start building my audience and I would need to start taking better photos. The latter is what began my brand photography journey. To build my email list I had the idea to create a photo preset, or filter, and offer it as a freebie. I made a Pinterest pin that linked to the opt-in email and spent $20 to promote it. Because I started my business shortly after that, I had to set the blog aside. I checked on that email list and three years later I’ve gained 7,000 subscribers. You have to plant seeds throughout your journey to help your future self succeed.

Instagram and word of mouth are my two biggest lead generators. Both of which wouldn’t be true without the aspect of time. It takes time to grow and learn and do enough work to build a portfolio that you’re proud of and can speak for itself.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have a segment on my blog called Phoenix Guides where I give my recommendations for places to eat and things to do in Phoenix. Some of my most reoccurring recs are – Fame Cafe for brunch, Glai Baan for lunch and Saint Pasta or Across the Pond for dinner. I love Rise Uptown’s two bars – Say When & Lylo Swim Club. And if you’re near downtown, a visit for a coffee and a new plant at Pueblo is a must.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My fiancé and I began learning photography together in 2018 and he helped me to start the business in 2019. We both had the goal of breaking out of our day jobs and opening our own door into the creative industry. After one year in brand photography, we started getting asked about branding design packages and GIF illustration. Logan is an innately talented artist who can draw anything and I had spent years creating various brands for myself and for friends. With me as creative director, and Logan as graphic designer, we opened up our business to brand design clients and have been able to work with dream commercial brands and local businesses. With his endless support and constant willingness to learn new things, I said yes to big opportunities that scared me and took jobs that I had no experience in – risks I would not have the guts to take alone. When I know I have him on my team, I feel like there’s nothing we can’t learn or do.

Website: www.desertrosestudio.co / www.joslynkramer.com

Instagram: @joslynkramer