We had the good fortune of connecting with Kayla Dempsey and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Kayla, what inspires you?
The two things that inspire me the most are nature and traveling. The breathtaking views at the top of a Colorado mountain, the colors of the Oregon Coast, the sound of rain against the stone streets in Europe, or the warmth of the Arizona sun. These things make feel the most alive. I draw inspiration for my photography from the landscapes and colors of this earth. While nature is what makes my heart beat fastest, I truly believe you can draw inspiration from anything! From a poem, a cup of coffee, a beautiful home, or another person. I try to keep my eyes open to new forms inspiration every day.
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.
The photography world is very saturated and always growing. Sometimes, that makes it feel hard to stand apart from the rest. I think what sets me apart the most is my eye for detail. I’m meticulous when it comes to creating a beautiful photograph – capturing the couple in the best framing and editing it to fit exactly how the moment felt. That’s what it’s all about for me – creating images that make you feel something. A bride once told me that she felt like she knew the people in my photos because of how I captured them. That I bring out personalities and love stories in photographs. I thought that was such a cool compliment! I’ve always desired to capture real, authentic moments, but it definitely took a lot of practice to get where I am today. There have been failures, but it’s true that failures just make you better. I’ve learned that “nobody knows anything.” What that means is – no one knows anything – until they do. Until they figure it out! Until they learn, usually by trial and error. I love the idea that anyone can learn how to do anything. It makes me feel like my potential is endless. If there is anything I want the world to know about my brand, it’s that it is my heart. Devoted and Wild is so much more than photography. I love people. I love my clients so much. They are the reason I do what I do. Capturing someone else’s unique story and watching how different people love each other is so special. Wedding photographers get to be there from the beginning to the end of such an intimate and exciting time in a couple’s life. I get to be reminded over and over again how beautiful marriage is. I feel so grateful for that.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I don’t let anyone visit without taking them to the mountains! I love taking friends and family to Emerald Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park because it’s where Nick and I got engaged. We like to take friends camping in the mountains if they come in the summer for lazy days by the river and campfires under the stars. If someone wants an epic day trip, I love bringing them on a little road trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park because it feels like an entirely different world! For a quick but beautiful sunset hike, we like to show off Horsetooth Reservoir because it’s so close to home. The mountains are the reason we moved to Colorado and what we LOVE to show our friends and family when they visit!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have an amazing community that surrounds my photography business, but I wouldn’t be anywhere without my husband, Nick. He has always encouraged me to follow my dream, not matter what that meant for our family. He helped push me to finally take the leap to move to Colorado and pursue wedding photography. He never once thought of it as “just a hobby” like so many people tend to do when you start a creative business. As my business started to flourish, he always stood by my side cheering me on. Nick is why I finally got the nerve to offer mentor sessions educating new photographers and start selling my presets! Another person I’m so thankful for, is my friend Mackenzie who owns Fable Style and Design. She believed in me and choose me to photograph her first styled shoots. Now, many styled shoots later, we run a business together called The Vow Creative. We put on styled events and content days for photographers who want to grow their portfolio!
Website: devotedandwild.com
Instagram: instagram.com/devotedandwild
Facebook: facebook.com/devotedandwild
Image Credits
All images by Devoted and Wild