Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m a 25 year old Los Angels local that started shooting at the age of twelve as a hobby. And I quickly realized that I wanted pursue photography through out my life after I started taking photo electives in middle school. It’s never left my side and I’m so grateful to have a support system of friends and family during my creative journey. I shoot in film and digital and enjoy manipulating certain photos in Photoshop and Illustrator. I’m constantly experimenting with new ways of creative expression and I’m happy to continue to push myself as an artist.
Tell us about one of your favourite projects and what inspired you to do it
One of my favorite projects was my Digital Painting series. It was something I’ve never done before in Illustrator and I’m happy I went out of my comfort zone with my work. I was inspired by questioning what makes a photograph and photograph, specifically in portrait photography. I worked on a series before that involved inverting layers of my picture so I wanted take that further by distorting the face and the body with color and negative space. The series challenges how we see faces and bodies through digital manipulation.
What are you working on at the moment?
I’m currently doing freelance work specifically with indie brands and musicians! And I will be teaching photography workshops online!
Who are your biggest influencers in the industry?
Sandy Skoglund, Cindy Sherman, Kyle Thompson, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and my uncle Dorrell Creightney.
What was the last thing that inspired you?
Projection screens/projectors (sounds goofy but something came to me).
Tell us why it's important for you to have a photography portfolio website
It’s so important as an artist to have a online or physical space to curate and showcase my work! It makes it easier to show potential clients but it also makes me feel more organized.
As a professional artist what are your tips in building a photography portfolio website?
Keep it simple because your work will speak for its self and make sure the type face you choose is legible! Also having a site that’s easy to navigate will help keep people more engaged when visiting it. Put the projects on your site that you feel showcase your current style as best as possible! You don’t have to have 10+ projects on your site to have a strong portfolio. It’s all about quality and not quantity.
How do you market yourself?
I really like using Instagram to promote my work and also networking in person with other artists! I’ve had a lot of opportunities through using the app and sparking up casual conversation with creatives.
Why do you use Portfoliobox?
The templates are perfect for showcasing photography and it’s easy to use even for someone like me who isn’t an expert in website building!
Visit Kayla's website for more inspiration and don't forget to follow her on Instagram.
