Conversations with Meg Le Vu

Today we’d like to introduce you to Meg Le Vu.

Hi Meg, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
KLV Photography started in the college bedroom of Kevin Le Vu in Yorba Linda, CA. I met Kevin in college when he was just getting started. He had not fully embraced weddings yet, but the seed was planted firmly. Before our 2nd month of dating he was teaching me how to use a camera, bringing me to engagement shoots and assisting on weddings when he could. By the end of our time in college he had decided to finish his degree in Nursing, mine in Health Science and pursue wedding photography in full force. While he did that, I was working with the County of Riverside and working with him on weddings on the side. By 2012, I had tired of the commute and the job in the county and yearned for a more passionate experience, which Kevin modeled every day. Gratefully, I was allowed to quit my job with the county in an effort to “find my passion” in digital content. By 2018, with no real success in digital content, we started a run-off wedding photography business called Bells and Laces to capture all the leads that KLV Photography didn’t. Either due to scheduling conflicts or budget, it was a great way to serve more clients at a more affordable rate. All the while, I never stopped assisting in KLV Photography wherever I could. After running this business for a short time, we decided it was best to absorb Bells and Laces and come on-board as an email correspondent and general manager of sorts. When you work for yourself, titles have little to no meaning in the end, you do what you need to do when you need to do it; which again, I was so grateful to find a real place in KLV Photography which I finally believed I earned. Currently, we have a more refined system of what we established back in 2018. We have a reasonably consistent method of acquiring leads, managing clients and delivering a consistent product with a carefully cultivated team. However established we may feel today, it’s never the end of creativity and problem solving which keeps the wheel turning quite quickly as the years go by.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Some of the biggest struggles in the beginning were roles. Kevin was very reluctant to give any of his roles away since he started the whole thing. It required a lot of trust on his part, and for me it required a show of proof on the little to big things I would be entrusted with. Thankfully, through the push and pull of necessity and burn out we were each forced to find a way that worked enough to get us through those frustrating times.

Another struggle is always team building and management of that team. We were the first team of KLV Photography. It was not cohesive much of the time because it was moving too fast for us to zoom out and address the communication errors or systems. We were young, in a relationship, and had no experience at anything. But, the success of the business always led us right a shining star in the sky when we were feeling any kind of way. We would eventually find the time and perspective to address everything when the business was running well, a number of years later.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
KLV Photography is a wedding photography team serving Southern California. We specialize in natural light mostly; but are very experienced in use with on/off camera lighting. Our style is naturalistic, documentarian and true to color.

Nowadays we’re most proud of our quantity and quality of our final product. Our packages fall in the middle of what a majority of couples need for their wedding and engagement session needs. Our systems are tried and tested over 10+ years now.

What sets us apart from others would most likely be our experience and referral from local vendors/ venues who we also love to work with. Our work is consistent from indoor to outdoor, day-time to night-time and a strong collection in the whole day not just portraits.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Los Angeles has always been a sparkling diamond after you get through the traffic, parking issues and transients. The amount of texture, uniqueness and layers of character this city offers is always an exciting backdrop for an artist.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://klvphotography.com
• Instagram: @klvweddings
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@klvphotography

Image Credits
Jenna Pangan
Kevin Le Vu
KLV Photography