Meet Krista Miller | Destination Wedding Photographer & Physician Assistant

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

Hi Krista, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
I’ve always loved the Poem “The Dash” by Linda Ellis. The final verse goes like this:

“So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash…
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent YOUR dash?”

It speaks for itself, but this little verse summarizes how I always want to approach life and it influences how I approach running a business–especially one that deals in life and memories. Each of our dashes holds meaning and stories. When I approach shooting a wedding, I always want a couple to have as much fun with their loved ones as possible. I want my couples to feel important and loved, and I want to give them all of my attention. This brings me to another common quote: people may not remember what you said or did, but they will remember how you made them feel. I want to spend my dash making people feel important and worthy while giving them a concrete way to remember one of the most important days of their lives.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve mentioned in the past that I am also a full time Physician Assistant in the cosmetic world of hair transplant surgery, but I’ve also had several years of experience in general, orthopedic, vascular, OBGYN, plastic, and burn surgery as well. Having the perspective of what it means to be at someone’s beginning, middle, and end of life, and also to have the opportunities to capture these life moments through photography is significant to me. But, because I’ve talked about this in the past, I’d like to focus on a different way that my “dual life” helps me photograph a person’s most important memories and how I apply everything I’ve learned to improving overall client experience.

I’d like to think that my skills from working as a PA have transferred to my job as a photographer in ways of time management, organization, and most importantly, taking the day in stride. I also love combining my passion for taking care of people both medically/physically in our clinic and emotionally on a wedding day. I really try to incorporate all of these skills during the client experience.

Cultivating the best client experience ultimately starts with me protecting my time; this means that I limit the amount of weddings I take per year (generally 10 or less), and because I have to travel for 90% of them, it’s important to me that I’m not feeling creative burnout since it will ultimately show in the quality of work. I protect my time, and I respect my clients’ time. Once a couple reaches out to me, I always try to respond within one day to set up a video call, hear more about them, and give them a quick blurb about why I love what I do. I truly believe in the power of a video call and/or meeting face-to-face because the photographer is the ONE vendor who spends all day with you; if you’re not jiving, it’s gonna show. And, I’m always honest about whether or not I click with a couple or not. There are several factors outside of personality alone (editing and stylistic discrepancies, excessive photoshopping of body types, budget, etc.) that may mean we just “don’t work,” and that’s totally ok. Knowing when to walk away is vital for any business owner’s success because no money is worth it to work with clients who don’t fully value or understand what you do.

When talking with a couple, I make sure to get to know them as people first. I always ask them what their perfect day looks like, and I like to get a feel of what their needs are for a wedding day so I can help direct them to a package that fits those needs best. Part of my job as the photographer is to start laying the groundwork for their wedding day flow, as we are often the vendors helping the schedule run smoothly. I offer concrete help in this way in the form of a 96 page wedding guidebook filled with sample timelines, vendor recommendations, and more. I also give each of my couple a wood “album” box that are handmade by my husband and filled with prints, polaroids, and details from their day. I pride myself on the fact that my couples know they can come to me with all sorts of questions and insecurities and receive solutions. I’m in constant contact with them from when they book me to wedding day and beyond. When I work with a couple, I always walk away with two new friends!

Come wedding day, I try to keep it easy-going and calm–this is where I think the medical training really kicks in. If the timeline runs behind or the cake is late or we’re trying to herd cats, I just remind the couple that things will happen or may go wrong, but at the end of the day they will be married and it will be perfect! If those are the worst things that happen, we’re doing pretty great.

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.
Now that I’ve lived in Colorado for two years, I think I have a better answer!

I’d take them to all of the little surrounding mountain towns–Golden, Boulder, Leadville, etc. If it’s ski season, I’d take them up to the mountains for a day of learning how to snow board or ski finished with some good beer afterwards. If we have time for Rocky Mt. NP, I would show them Bear and Emerald lake and stop for some great BBQ on the way home. And, if we’re feeling like we want to say in the city, Linger, Quality Italian, Il Posto, Tap & Dough, and The Corner Beet are some of my favorite restaurants.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am constantly in awe of the couples who trust me of all of the other photographers in the world to be there on their wedding day. This Shoutout is also dedicated to my wonderful, supportive husband, David, who is constantly driving me to and from the airport in order to make it to all of my weddings. And, to my parents and grandparents who fostered my creativity at a very young age. Finally, I can’t believe that I get to work with such fantastic couples every day. When I envisioned my ideal clientele, I never dreamed that they would all be so amazing–doctors, lawyers, nurses, pharmacists, activists, writers–people who are truly changing the world and I’m honored to know them.

Website: www.kmmphotographyllc.com

Instagram: @kmm__photography

Facebook: www.facebook.com/k.m.miller.photography

Image Credits
A&B Photography for Headshot