Kylie Elizabeth: Chasing Dreams and Taking Pictures

I am so excited! Everyone, today you have the wonderful honor of meeting one of the classiest, graceful-est, kindest people I have ever met. Her name is Kylie. I have known Kylie since high school. Funny thing, we weren't ever "close" friends. In fact, we never actually hung out unless it was in a big group or something. But since the first time I met her I have been in awe by her whole, awesome self. She was always put together, always kind, was a high achiever and I did not know one single person who could say a bad thing about her (did I mention she is drop dead gorgeous? Cause she is).

Seriously, she is that awesome. I have stalked her from a distance for several years now, and I wasn't surprised when suddenly she was posting these incredible pictures and had a successful photography business to boot! I wanted her to tell us all how she has managed to go after her dreams and maintain a balanced life. And mainly, I wanted to share with you this wonderful person who has quite unconsciously touched my life.

I want to first say what a priveledge this is to be writing to you all today! It really suprised me when Jeannie asked me to do this, I would have never thought that someone would want me to share my story publicly, or would look up to me that way. I really want to thank her for this oppurtunity.

I will start off by introducing myself. I grew up in Fairview, UT and graduated from North Sanpete High School in 2008. I attended Snow College for one year before I married the love of my life. Together we attended the College of Eastern Utah located in Price, where he finished his pre requsites for pharmacy school and I graduated with my associates. My husband Chris was then accepted into the Roseman University of Health Sciences in South Jordan where he began Pharmacy Shool.

Meet Kylie!

 We moved to Taylorsville during the Fall of 2010 and it was around that time that my adventure into the field of photography began, but more on that in a minute. Now that we are in 2012 Chris will graduate with a Pharm D degree in June 2013, I own a thriving phography business while working a FT job and... we have a baby!

Okay I know some of you just had a heartattack, but really we have a baby, at least he is my baby. His name is Zorro and he is a year and a half old! And he is the cutest little Yorkiepoo you have ever seen!

So you are probably all wondering how I can own a business, work a full time job, have a husband in pharmacy school and still have time to breath. Well I will tell you it is no piece of pie, but I do manage. First off I want you to know that photography has turned into my passion. You could say it was a hobby gone completely insane! I have always liked taking pictures, I was that girl that had one of those disposable camaras on field trips and last days of school. I bought my first digital camera when I was around 17 years old, I loved it! And could fill an SD card faster than anyone I knew.

 I never in a million years thought that I would turn my hobby into a career. In May 2009 my wonderful husband bought me my first DSLR, a Canon T1i, it was love at first sight! For that year I just practiced away learning everything I could from the functions on my camera to mastering photoshop. I have never read so many blogs, watched as many YouTube videos or tutorials in my entire life. I believe an important aspect to my story is that I am 100% self taught. I never took any courses and I didn't go to photography school. I was bound and determined to make my dream of being a professional photgrapher a reality. It was a very hard journey but I made it! All of this is how Kylie Elizabeth Photography came to be.

As you know I do have another full time job on top of Kylie Elizabeth Photography. The reason for this being that Photography is an exspensive career to get into, my husband is currently in rotations right now (so free labor, yay...) and we kinda need food to live. So with that being said I have to have a second full time job. My daily schedule goes a bit like this: I work my FT job Monday through Thursday from around 7am to 3:30pm. When I get home I either have a shoot to go to or I edit my life away for a good 5 to 6 hours.

Now I want to talk a little on how I keep a handle on my busy, stressful, beat-my-head-against-the-computer-constantly life. But what gets me through it is knowing that I am doing something I absolutely love! Photography is my release, it let's me express myself in ways that I didn't know I could. I love capturing special moments between people and making those moments last a lifetime.

Photography is a major part of my life that sometimes I let run rampant, I do have to make sure I make time for other aspects of my life. This is something that is somewhat of a challenge for me. If I let myself I can sit at the computer all day editing and not get one other thing done, that inculdes eating or taking care of my physical health. I have to be sure that I MAKE time for those things, this is a daily struggle but I am getting better at it. One thing that seems to help is to have a planner, I write in it everyday making lists of things I need to get done. I also have made the commitment to try and take an hour or two for myself everyday, wheather that includes making a nice dinner, watching a TV show I love, or working out. I love what I do but I have to keep certain priorites a must or I probably would go crazy.

I would like to encourage all of you to make that leap in making your dream come true. It may be a tough road at first, but I know you can do it! I have first hand knowledge of this. I could have given up so many times, there were times I would compare myself to other photographers and think, why can't I be that good? Or I will never be as good as them. I think that those questions or statements are struggles in every aspect of life. You have to put you first in those situations, it won't do you any good thinking about how much better someone is than you. Say to yourself how can I make MYSELF better today, but do this without thinking I want to be like them so I'm going to do it this way. Sorry but it doesn't work that way. Focus on you and you only, figure out what you want to be and make it happen! If I can do it, you can definitely do it! I know you can!

I love this qoute by Walt Disney, "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." I believe in this qoute because I have seen it in my own life. Courage is the main ingredient in making your own dream become a reality. I honestly believe that you can make anything happen if you will only have the courage to believe in yourself. Once you have that courage, they key is to NEVER EVER give up! Hold on to that courage and with it let your dreams take flight!

I wish you the best in everything you set your mind to!

Kylie Howes
 

Kylie Elizabeth Photography
www.kyelizabethphoto.weebly.comky_elizabeth_photo@hotmail.com 

(Check out Kylie Elizabeth Photography here and here!)