Daily Inspiration: Meet Jake and Candi Slobodnik

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jake and Candi Slobodnik.

Hi Jake and Candi, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
As full-time professionals by day, this attorney and architect never imagined also adding professional photographers to our resume. We often hear our startup story is unlike any other, and we like to believe that’s part of what sets us apart. In 2013, we got the most adorable puppy, an apricot goldendoodle named Dublyn. In order to provide our family and friends an avenue to watch her grow, we started an Instagram account, Dublyndoodle. Within months, we had amassed over 10,000 followers, been featured by National Geographic and several other high-profile accounts, partnered with brands all over the world including Purina, Petsmart, Milkbone, Dyson, and Daniel Wellington, and once found our beloved pet on the homepage of Amazon. As Dublyn and her eventual brother, Copper, grew to nearly 40,000 followers, the spotlight that was Dublyndoodle turned into requests for photos of other puppies and soon became newborns, families, seniors and eventually weddings.

A somewhat unnatural path to photography has allowed us to gradually build our client base through word of mouth and repeat clients. We focus more on building relationships with our clients, getting to know them and working to tell stories true to their lives. We’ve found the more we focus on our relationships, the more magazine worthy imagery we produce and the more work comes our way.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest struggle we continue to face is balancing two full-time, demanding careers while also trying to maintain our high level of service for our continually growing photography business. At our peak, we photographed 20 weddings and 75 miscellaneous sessions in one year and quickly found ourselves without any free time. We’ve found our sweet spot is about one wedding a month, limited weekday sessions, and Sundays are (supposed to be) our recovery day. What most people don’t understand is that taking the photos is the easy part. It’s the editing, the communication, the building of timelines and answering general questions around outfits, locations, etc. that take up the majority of our time. We’re still working on this, but we’ve found setting clear expectations of photo delivery times and keeping up with good communication along the way helps ease the burden some.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We strive to be more than just photographers. By the time we leave a wedding, we’ve been adopted by your family and friends, and we schedule future dinner and drink dates months in advance. We specialize in capturing real moments and raw emotions in a journalistic approach while also striving to get those one-of-a-kind magazine-worthy images.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
With quality equipment becoming more and more affordable, everyone is a photographer nowadays. In order to stand out, you have to find a way to connect with your clients and set yourself apart. You also have to be easy to find online. When photography came out as a web suffix for domain names, we jumped on grabbing www.kc.photography. Whenever people search kc photography in Google, we tend to show up. Finding a way to get repeat clients and new clients alike will set you apart in a constantly competitive environment.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.kc.photography
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/kcdotphotography
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/kcdotphotography

Image Credits
KC.Photography