Meet Kyle Jeffrey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyle Jeffrey.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Kyle. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My story is the quintessential “fake it til you make it” story. A few years ago, while working as a model/actor I was pretty down and out trying to make ends meet on a regular basis like most 20-somethings in LA. I realized I had no real passion for being in front of the camera and was just sort of walking blindly with no real direction.

One day, I bought a cheap entry-level camera just to have something to do to stay busy. I started taking headshots for my actor friends to help them save a buck, with no real interest in pursuing photography as a career. It wasn’t until a few months later after meeting a friend-of-a-friend who ran a fashion PR agency, that the light bulb lit up in my head. I figured with my experience as a model and general interest in fashion, I could talk the talk and at least have a decent shot at convincing him to let me help out at a photoshoot sometime.

So I went ahead and told him I was a photographer and out of pure luck, he told me he had a guy bail on a lookbook shoot at the last second and was desperate to find someone to step in. I said I’d do it and he hired me on the spot. To this day, he is the only client who has hired me without asking to see a portfolio (thank god because I literally had nothing to show him!). I only had a week to prepare so I spent every moment I could watching youtube tutorials and looking through magazines to try to figure out how to be a photographer (hah). I figured I would totally blow it and be exposed as a fraud but I somehow pulled it off and got hired by them a month later and then again a month after that. With a few shoots under my belt, I was able to put together a little portfolio and started pitching myself to potential clients. It snowballed after that and I’ve been working consistently ever since.

Great, 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 is finding consistent work in a field where the barrier of entry is extremely low. I mean, I got my first paid job with zero experience and an entry-level camera after all. There are a million photographers but not a million jobs. In order to have a real career you need a certain amount of technical skill and some natural talent so as you move up the ladder, the industry will naturally weed out the amateurs and you will have to compete with people who have devoted their lives to this. And even then, once you’ve mastered your skills you still need to hustle harder than everyone else and hope the stars align in your favor often enough to stay afloat. I’ve worked with some of the biggest companies in the world (Google, Lucky Brand, Lyft, ect.) but still have to hustle like I just started. It’s not easy but it’s extremely rewarding.

Please tell us about Kyle Jeffrey Studio.
I’m a commercial photographer/creative director with a focus on fashion, lifestyle, and travel. I’m most proud of the fact that I can actually call myself a working photographer, not just some guy who takes photos for Instagram – and I built my career from nothing. I’m known for my lighting and color grading, which is more left of center than most commercial photographers, and that’s been a good thing for me. I got my bachelors in Advertising so I’m able to think conceptually and work on all aspect of marketing campaigns from start to finish.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
When I was a kid my father, grandfather, brother, and I would take camping trips every summer. We traveled all over the US and Canada over the years and that sparked my love for the outdoors. A couple of years ago we looked through my late grandfather’s writings from those trips and he mentioned I was always the one with the camera taking photos. I honestly don’t remember that part but it was pretty cool to learn haha

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kylejeffrey.photography/
• Instagram: kylesaway

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