Meet Kelsea Rakotz | Photographer & Business Owner

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

Hi Kelsea, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am originally from Oklahoma. I grew up in a small town outside of Oklahoma City. Being from a small town comes with a level of comfort, which allowed me to be true to who I was and allowed me to explore my creativity early in life. I was raised by a family who loved openly, but also had expectations and believed in the value of discipline. Faith had a large impact on my upbringing and still has a major role in my life today. I learned kindness and compassion from church and from my dad. His heart for others inspired me and shaped me into who I am today. He also encouraged me to dream big and really chase after the things I want in life. He always encouraged me that if I set my mind to something, there is no one who can stop me. To this day, I am a dreamer at my core. I set big goals and I’m not afraid to chase after them. I work diligently to accomplish the things I want in life. I also carry myself with discipline, grace and compassion all of which, I wouldn’t know if it weren’t for where I come from. I try to base my work around these attributes. I love meeting new clients, learning about who they are, what makes them tick, and building lasting relationships with them. Some of my dearest friends started as clients. I truly care about others and I base my sessions and my business as a whole around that.

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 began taking photos on whim back in 2018. My husband, and I went on a cross country road trip from Oklahoma to California and back. I had never driven across the country or seen mountains for that matter. I was obsessed with the beautiful views and I took probably 2000 photos on that trip. When I got home, I decided to try my hand at editing them. I got to the photos I took of my husband and I fell in love with the process. I loved everything about it from taking the perfect shot to letting my creativity run wild in the editing process. I realized how important and how cherished photos can be in our lives. After that, I was hooked and my hobby quickly turned into a passion. I started out by taking free sessions of those I was closest to and then from there moved on to paid sessions and have grown my client base over the years. I fell in love with photography when I realized that I could take a moment, capture it, and turn it into a memory forever. Getting the opportunity to shoot the big moments in people’s lives fills me with some much joy and is the greatest honor anyone could give me.

I think what sets me apart is my ability to build relationships with my clients and their families. I have worked hard to develop the skill of helping others feel comfortable on my sessions. Being in front of the camera is not easy and I always want to do what I can to make my clients feel understood and appreciated. This ability is also something that I am most proud of. Owning a business, especially as a creative, is not easy. There are challenges at every       turn. The hardest one for me was understanding that not everyone is going to love and appreciate my style and that that’s okay. It doesn’t negate my talent and it doesn’t diminish the clients that do love my work. In fact, those clients are the reason I keep going on the hard days. They make all the challenges and all the obstacles worth it!

In April of 2022, my husband and I moved to Arizona and have seen more success than ever before. I am excited about the growth I have seen and about the opportunities that are available to me here. Arizona and the people I have met here have revived my business and my passion for what I do. I am looking forward to all of the people I am going to meet and all of the memories that I will get to help them create!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
When my family comes to visit, I want them to experience everything Arizona has to offer. I would want them to see all of the beautiful places that made me fall in love with this state. Top of the list would be Flagstaff, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon. I’m obsessed with the beauty that surrounds us here and I would definitely want them to see it! For activities, Lake Havasu, Tombstone, and Old Town Scottsdale. The experience in those places is unique and different from anywhere else. My favorite tattoo parlor, Dame of the West, is in Scottsdale and is always a fun time. Plus Ra Sushi is there and the food is amazing. Some of my favorite hang outs are in downtown Gilbert, particularly The Porch and Whiskey Row. I also love going to the Diamondbacks games and if my family visits in the spring, Spring Training is a must. For food, I will always take my people to Benihana’s because it is just so good, but also taking them to some of the lesser knowns spots like Wildflower or North Italia in Gilbert. There’s so much to do and see here that I know I could easily fill a week of activities for my family, which is one of the best parts about living here in my opinion.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have two people. The first would be my husband, Brian. He is my biggest fan and has always believed in me and my talent even when I didn’t believe in myself. He is always encouraging me to chase my dreams and pushing me to be the best version of myself. He has changed my life for the better and I could never thank him enough. The second is my dad. He taught me so much about life and so much about the person that I want to be. I wouldn’t be able to dream as big as I do without the foundation that he laid early on in my life. He is one of the best people I know and I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without him leading me and cheering me on.

Website: kelsearynephotography.mypixieset.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelsearynephotography

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelsearynephotography

Other: Email: kelsearynephotography@gmail.com