Meet Kelly Edwards | Family Photographer

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

Hi Kelly, what inspires you?
My love for photography started when I was a kid. My Mom had a decent camera and she loved taking photos of our family. Although it was just a hobby for her, she was very particular about lighting/angles and she seemed to know more than the typical mom snapping pics. I loved that she cared so much about capturing moments in our life. As I grew older, photos continued to hold a special spot in my heart. When I was 19, I lost my Dad to Pancreatic Cancer (he was only 54) and that might have been the most pivotal moment for me and my passion for photography. At that point in my life, I realized I would never have another “new” photo of my handsome Dad. All I had of him, was all I would ever have forever. I cherish my family photos from my childhood probably more than any other tangible possession. I’m now married and have three children of my own and as you can imagine I take photos of everything, whether the daily mundane moments or the big birthday and graduations. My goal as a family photographer, is to capture the moments for a lifetime while at the same time creating a family memory within the session. I pride myself on getting everyone to laugh and giggle and truly look at each other, not just for the image, but for the beauty of the moment we are actually living in.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a proud Native Miamian, and I have always loved living in South Florida. I graduated from the University of Miami with a double major in Broadcast Journalism and Political Science. My dream was to become an on air journalist, however, when I lost my Dad in my second year of college, the trajectory of my career goals took a massive turn. I no longer had the desire to leave home to work my way up the ranks of news markets. If anything, it solidified my need to stay close to home. My passion for photography was something that didn’t happen overnight rather it grew organically over the years. After becoming a mother, the desire to capture special moments for other mothers began to drive me. As I realized how quickly our children grow and change, it became evident to me that I could share my gift and love for photography to help others hold onto these precious moments. I think something that sets me apart from others, is that I see a bigger picture than just to snap some great images. How often do families get together outside of holidays? I see each family session as an opportunity for these people to make a new memory! No one is on their phones and they are fully engaged with each other! It is such an honor to be a part of these moments!!

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.

Miami is an incredibly diverse city and it has so much to offer. Some of my favorite things to do include spending time at the beach, bike riding, going on the boat and brunching. If I am feeling lazy, I am just as happy to lay around the pool at home and let the kids bounce back and forth from the trampoline to the swings and back to the pool. If we are going out to dinner, there’s an amazing new Portuguese restaurant called Sereia located in Coconut Grove. If it’s a day date and we want to take advantage of the gorgeous weather, Bayshore Club is an easy choice. I am a pretty low key person, so I don’t do much late night mingling, but for a casual drink I would say The Taurus is a nice spot and it also happens to be where my parents met. You can’t go wrong with catching a Marlins game and then a bite to eat in Little Havana. As a former Miami Heat Dancer, I am still a die hard Heat fan and we jump at any occasion to go to a game!! Lastly, I have to include the Keys. Just a short car ride down south and we land in paradise at Morada Bay Cafe.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my mother. Mommy, thank you for inspiring me in so many ways but particularly in photography. My love and passion is something that I learned from you. I have always wanted to be like you and now I am able to bring joy to families all over South Florida by capturing moments in time. I love you!

Instagram: Kelly Edwards Photography

Image Credits
Kelly Edwards Photography