Starting 'Lunar Kiss Photography'
If you've read my ABOUT ME section on my website, you may already know a little bit about me and how I started my business. But for those of you who haven't read it, here is a little recap. Photography has always been something that was in my life for as long as I can remember. I didn't know any other photographers growing up and had no other influences. I simply LOVED photographing everything and everyone I saw. There is so much beauty in this world, and if I have the opportunity to preserve it, why wouldn't I?
As a kid and teenager, I always carried my point-and-shoot digital camera with me, usually photographing things in nature, or doing photoshoots of my friends just for fun. In my sophomore year of high school, I joined a photography class, where my incredible teacher helped me become the photographer I am today. I had an great group of friends in that class that would model for me and help me finely tune my skills. So, I saved up for my first DSLR camera and it wasn't long before I booked my first few clients, doing senior portraits for fellow classmates. By senior year I booked my very first wedding. Seeing the joy I was able to bring that couple through my photos, I knew photography was the career I wanted to pursue.
When I was in high school, the work I did was quite different from the work I do today. I focused more on high fashion and creative, out-of-the-box photoshoots of solo models. I used photoshop heavily to make photos into art pieces. I was working on a tight budget, so most of my 'studio' work was actually just a bedsheet hung up in my garage with lamps pointed at my subject. Even so, I was quite proud of the work I was able to produce despite the limitations of my equipment. The following are all photos that I took and worked on during my time in my high school photo classes!
When I officially started my business in 2013 (The year I graduated high school), I was going by the nickname "CJ' instead of Courtney. CJ stands for Courtney Jeanette, if you were wondering. So, my business got its start as CJ King Photography. Since there isn't much of a market for the style of photography I was doing in high school, I changed directions and started photographing more families, couples and weddings. At the time I was living in West Palm Beach, Florida. I got most of my work doing family photos for local families or families in town on vacation. After 6 years, I moved to Palm Coast, Florida. This was a whole new start for my business because I had to rebuild my entire client base and make new relationships. Luckily, one of the new relationships I made was with my amazing boyfriend, David. He encouraged me to continue working on my business when I was feeling down about it. He is a huge supporter of my work and everything I do. After several months with David, I realized that the name "CJ King Photography" wasn't going to work forever... Since hopefully my last name wouldn't be "King" for much longer... (Hint, hint, baby. ;D )
So, I went on the hunt for a new business name. I didn't want to use my personal name any longer and I wanted the name to represent my photography on some level. At this point I had started to focus more on couples and wedding photography. Being so in love, made me want to photograph other people who were just as in love as I. The idea of capturing a moment of passion and the pure love in someone's eyes as they gaze at their partner, was like a dream. So, with inspiration from my own love life, I came up with the name Lunar Kiss Photography. Let me explain...
On my very first date with David, he picked me up and took me to a local place where we played pool and had some drinks. It was the best first date I'd ever had. We couldn't stop laughing, smiling and talking for hours. Eventually we went outside to go for a walk and ended up by a cute little water fountain. A full moon hung over our heads as we shared our first kiss under the moon light. Thus the name...Lunar Kiss. <3
Since then, David continues to be my biggest supporter. Without him I probably wouldn't have a computer working well enough to edit all of my photos! He is my own personal IT man and he always has my back when I need something. He has even picked up the camera and been a second shooter for me on a few occasions!
So there you have it. Lunar Kiss Photography was born out of love and is here to capture yours!
-Courtney King
