Meet Kaitlyn Mahneke | Photographer

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

Hi Kaitlyn, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I received my first digital camera for Christmas when I was 10 years old and I’ve loved taking pictures ever since.

When I started to transition my passion to a business in 2019, it was a leap faith. Photography is a very saturated market and I wasn’t sure where I would fit in, but in the beginning my focus was on fashion/editorial style photography and I was one of few photographers doing that kind of work in my area so it made sense to jump.

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.
When I started photography, I saw success quickly. I had the opportunity to work with incredible brands and people. I have been published 3 times, which is my biggest accomplishment in my career. I really felt good about my decision to pursue photography full-time.

With success also comes many failures. In 2020, when COVID hit it really hurt my business just as I was expanding my services. Shortly after, I had a few major life changes take place and between all of that I don’t think I have fully recovered. I’ve been holding a full time job while trying to run a business on the side, which comes with its own set of challenges that I am still trying to work through.

All of this has taught me not to take anything for granted. To always appreciate where you are and the journey you are on. I was beginning get lost in the business side of things, that I was losing my passion and forgetting why I started photography in the first place. Having to take a step back has allowed me the freedom to fall in love with photography again, without all the pressure.

Success looks different for everyone and for me, I’m still figuring that out. I hope that I can continue to grow in my craft and provide beautiful imagery for people, while loving every minute of it.

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 live in Port Saint Lucie, FL which is not the most exciting place to visit but there is some gems not too far. The beach is a given, there is so many great beaches between Vero and Palm Beach to visit. I would definitely take them to Palm Beach Island, it’s a must see in South Florida and the photo ops are great there. There are also some great restaurants just over the bridge in Downtown West Palm. Riverbend Park in Jupiter is a great spot for trails and/or picnics. Any shopping would have to be done at the Palm Beach Outlets or the Gardens Mall.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
To my friends and family, thank you for always supporting me and allowing me to practice my photography skills with you. To my clients, without you I wouldn’t have a business. I appreciate everyone who has trusted me to photograph them.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kaitlynkairosphotography

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kaitlynkairosphotography