Meet Kayla Palmer | Fashion Photographer

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

Hi Kayla, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
It didn’t feel like a choice honestly. I remember thinking about how I would feel later in life if I never pursued photography professionally and that scenario scared me. I was experiencing somewhat of a mid-2os crisis during COVID and reevaluating my life as a whole so these thoughts were swarming around in my head constantly. I was lacking fulfillment and my job at the time wasn’t aligned with my values. I think it would always feel like I never got to know that side of myself if I left photography on the backburner as a frivolous idea. So after a period of reassessment when we were all collectively slowing down and reevaluating what mattered most to us during COVID, I decided to dive headfirst into this daunting creative pursuit. It’s been a fulfilling and scary ride at times, but I’m really happy I didn’t let fear keep me from seeing what this path is all about.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m still figuring out my voice which I think is a fairly common sentiment for artists, so I’m not sure yet what sets me apart but I’ve received feedback that I’m beginning to develop my own “style,” so maybe there is hope I will have something to offer the world that is interesting enough for people to want to pay attention. I’m proud of myself for continuing to forge my path in fashion photography, despite how impossible it seems at times. I’m excited about the prospect of doing my first photography exhibit sometime next year. I’m working with a team of friends (and incredible artists in their own right) to produce a photo series and it scares me because it’s the largest project I’ve ever taken on. I try to channel that fear into excitement for taking the next big step in my photography career.

I’m still in a nascent phase of my professional career and it’s been difficult and remains difficult. I really admire those who are full-time artists. It’s a hard leap to take financially but my goal is to be a full-time fashion photographer once I can support myself through my work. An important lesson (that I’m still learning) is that failure is really important to success. I try not to be scared of failing and treat set backs as learning opportunities to become a better photographer and person. I’m also trying not to take myself too seriously- Creating fashion photographs is fun and that’s why I do it. Remembering the “why” helps assuage my self-doubt. I also like to tell myself I don’t have a choice- This is my calling in life so doubting myself won’t make a difference- I still have to go out and take photos to be happy!

I want people to know I’m doing the best I can to build a fulfilling life that I’ll be proud of. For me, that involves creating artistic fashion photos with teams of talented folks. The beauty is in the process and there is nothing I love more than seeing an idea come to fruition. I’m searching for meaning in the colors and lights and subjects of my photographs. I hope that when people view my work it makes them feel the beauty of the human condition.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The best time ever is definitely during Deep Gras (last week of Mardi Gras), so here’s what we would do:

Day 1: Brunch at Commander’s Palace followed by thrifting at the Red White and Blue. Quick nap before heading uptown to see Krewe d’Etat and Morpheus

Day 2: Breakfast at Russell’s Marina Grill followed by a walk through either the Sculpture Garden or NOMA. Meet up with friends on the Endymion parade route, followed by Moms Ball that evening.

Day 3: Sleep in because we got home at 4am- rise at 1pm and grab a poboy at Parkway Bakery to refuel before Bacchus that night. Watch Bacchus from a friends home on the parade route.

Day 4: Head to friends house in Bayou Saint John to watch the various bean parades. Then pre-dinner drinks at Swirl, followed by dinner at either 1000 Figs or Lola. Evening walk along Bayou Saint John.

Day 5: It’s Mardi Gras! 6am wakeup (later than most) to get into costume as fast as possible, then head to the Marigny to celebrate the last day of Mardi Gras with the whole city. It’s the best day of the year!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There is an organization in New Orleans called F/504 that hosts photo meetups all over the city. I give them a lot of credit for building my confidence early on by providing a safe space for me to practice photography. I was also able to meet tons of creatives in the city through their events and they remain an invaluable resource for those interested in photography, modeling, styling, etc.

Jason Kruppa, Brittany Markert (of In Rooms Gallery), and Adrienne Battistella are photographers and artists who have mentored /continue to mentor me throughout the last couple years and I am really grateful for their insights, advice, and continued support.

I am also really indebted to those who have collaborated with me on different projects, Carly Sioux being my recent collaborator and the one who nominated me for this shoutout. She is a friend and we like to merge our two worlds of fashion photography & interior design to create interesting photo projects together. I would also like to shout out Kasey Smith (Hair & Makeup Artist), Jeanne Lizette (Makeup Artist), Emilee Chubb (Model, Stylist, and Creative Director), Evelyn Carriere (Model, Stylist & Creative Director), and Natalie Steuer (Model & Creative Director) as frequent collaborators. I have a great respect for their talent and am so grateful I’ve gotten to work with them on different projects.

I am probably forgetting some so I will just say that I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has ever worked with me as it’s been an invaluable experience and I truly love creating art with so many insanely talented people!

Website: https://kaylapalmerstudio.com/

Instagram: @kpalmtrees

Image Credits
Model Credits: Evelyn Carriere, Natalie Steuer, Justyce Williams, Leili Shabani, Sidonie Therese Phillips Wolf, Ana Norman, Erica Mays, Phos, Kat Cardenas, Emilee Chubb

Makeup Credits: Kasey Smith, Jeanne Lizette

Styling Credits: Evelyn Carriere, Liza Seelig, Emilee Chubb

Hair Credits: Kasey Smith