Not So Small
Running a small business is anything but small. In each episode our host, Sam Bauman, asks small business owners about their challenges, triumphs, and the passion that keeps them going. Through this, Not So Small seeks to spotlight and strengthen the small businesses that are dedicated to their community and care about more than the bottom line.
Not So Small
Alyssa Lund Photography / Illuminate Boudoir: Alyssa Lund-Kyrola
In this episode of Not So Small we sit down with photographer Alyssa Lund-Kyrola to learn more about her journey to realizing her dream of being a full-time artist. Alyssa shares how she built two distinct brands: Alyssa Lund Photography, focused on families and weddings, and Illuminate Boudoir, dedicated to self-affirming, inclusive boudoir photography. She opens up about the challenges of navigating the pandemic, the decision to hire a studio manager, and dives into the power of storytelling through photography. We also discuss her latest project, Dear Body, which merges portraiture with personal reflections to promote self-love. Tune in to hear how Alyssa blends artistry with deep personal connection, proving that photography is about so much more than just pictures.
Guest Info
- Business: Alyssa Lund Photography / Illuminate Boudoir
- Guest: Alyssa Lund-Kyrola (she/her)
- Alyssa Lund Photography Links: Website • Instagram
- Illuminate Boudoir Links: Website • Instagram
Community Shoutout
Other Links:
Dubsado
Host & Show Info
- Host Name: Sam Bauman (she/her)
- About the Host: Sam is the President of Mellowlark Labs, a Twin Cities-based small business consulting agency. She has a masters degree in counseling psychology, a field she worked in for several years before applying her skills in business, and is certified in Organization Development.
Podcast Website
Sound Editing By: Adam Rondeau
Podcast Art By: Andy Bauman (website)
Hey, everyone, and welcome back to not so Small, the podcast where we ask small businesses the big questions. I'm your host, Sam Bauman, and this week I sat down with Alyssa Lund Cairola, owner of Illuminate Boudoir and Alyssa Lund Photography, her two different photography brands. Alyssa specializes in boudoir photography and also photographs family, families and weddings, and she's been doing her work for over a decade. We talked a lot about how Alyssa brings storytelling and narratives into the work that she does to really create a piece of art that her clients can walk away with. And I also learned a little bit more about how Alyssa defines boudoir and the way that she's really recreating that space. I had so much fun talking with her, and I know you'll enjoy our conversation.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Yeah. Should I, like, introduce myself?
Sam Bauman:Yeah, if you want to.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Great. My name is Alyssa. I use she her pronouns. And I have two brands in my business, so one is called Alyssa Lund Photography, and I photograph families and weddings with that business. And my other brand is called Illuminate Boudoir, and I do boudoir photography. And so we're here in my studio.
Sam Bauman:Cool. And how long have you been doing each of those things?
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:This month is actually my 10 year anniversary of being full time. I started more like 15 years ago, and back then it was just like a part time job that I did in college. Like, I'd come home in the summers and shoot whatever I could, like, photograph anything that I was able to. And I had always loved art and photography, but there was a lot of the world that said, you know, you can't make a living being an artist. Like, it's not a real job. So I, you know, went and worked in, like the social service nonprofit world for a while, and then eventually I was like, I have to do this. I just felt, like, overwhelmed by the dream of being a photographer for my real job. And so, yeah, I had a long season of planning, but then went full time in 2015. And, yeah, it's still my dream. It still feels kind of magical coming out here every day.
Sam Bauman:Oh, that's amazing to be able to say that after so long. That means you're definitely in the right place.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Yeah, I am. It's. It is. It's amazing. I mean, every job has, you know, moments that are. Yeah.
Sam Bauman:It doesn't mean it's always easy, but yeah.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Yeah, I love it so much.
Sam Bauman:So the first question that I like to ask is about the problem that you set out to solve. What is the thing that pushed you to start your own business.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:It's interesting because I feel like the thing that made me start it was not really a problem for anyone else. It was just that I wanted a job I loved. But, like, when I got into it in the first, like, year or two, as I was really figuring out, like, what do I need to do to, like, have this be a career that I can, like, flourish in and grow in, I had to think of, like, what will set me apart in the world of photographers. And so, like, with boudoir photography, like, that was something I had heard about, but I hadn't done until after I was working full time. And I was familiar with the concept of boudoir, but I had never seen it done in a way that felt, like, aligned with my values, if that makes sense. Like, every artist and photographer has their own, like, view, and, like, it's all very valid, but so much of it looked very male, gazy and felt very traditional. There's a lot of narrative around, like, boudoir should be something a woman does for her male partner and a big, like, makeover vibe to it. And I didn't like any of that, but I felt like there was, like, a nugget of something that really spoke to me in the concept of it. And so I was like, let's see if there's a way I can do it in a way that makes sense to me. So I had, at the very beginning, found, like, four or five friends. I was like, could I just test out doing a session with you? Like, no one has to see the photos. I just want to, like, see if this can happen in a way that makes sense. And they were all people I knew really well. They, like, walked out of their photo shoot standing, like, 4 inches taller, like, so proud of themselves and feeling so, like, at home in their bodies. So I was like, yes. Like, there's something so magical here. And so, yeah, over time, I was able to build this. This studio that's really centered inclusivity. Like, I work with folks of all genders, and I really try to make it a space that's centered around just, like, a person taking pictures for themselves. And it's the majority of my business. It's, like, two thirds of my work at this point.
Sam Bauman:So for people who aren't familiar, can you just describe boudoir a little bit? Give it a little definition for us?
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Yeah. So different people, again, would describe boudoir differently, but I define it as portraits that you take for yourself. And so that looks like a lot of different things. For a lot of people, it's clients who'll come in and take portraits while they're in their PJs or their underwear or being totally nude when we're creating these like, really artful, beautiful portraits. And it's a way to like, celebrate themselves in a very, like, undone, very natural way. So I say, like, this is not a makeover. Like, you are art already. Just come, like, be yourself. I also have people who'll come in and wear like everyday clothes or a fancy outfit or a power suit. So it's very much not about what people are wearing, but just the concept of, like, how would you really like to see yourself and like document yourself for yourself? And I think that's really. It's very powerful.
Sam Bauman:I love that so much. It's reminding me of the conversation we had with the owner of Drop Dead Gorgeous. And one of the things he talked about was the reason for starting his business being very similar to yours. Just looking to help people sort of find more love for themselves and more confidence in themselves. And it sounds like that's really what is resonating with you.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Yeah, it's a big. It's all like a self love experience and everyone brings different things into it and people are coming in so many different places. I have a lot of clients who will come in like a season of like, celebration or to like mark an achievement like a graduation or becoming a grandmother or like about to get married. People also come in after they're like, getting divorced or have gone through cancer treatment. I had someone in here two weeks ago who was. Had her session like the week before getting a double mastectomy. I've had people come in to celebrate living for 15 years with a chronic illness they didn't think they'd survive. And then have people who come in for like, no reason, but they're like, I feel like I just need to do something for myself. Or like, I'm really proud of who I've grown into.
Sam Bauman:I'm getting goosebumps just listening to you talk about it.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:I could talk about it all day.
Sam Bauman:It's so beautiful.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Yeah, Lots of stories.
Sam Bauman:That's so great. You've been doing this for a long time. 10 years is a long time. Have you experienced challenges or roadblocks along the way that you've had to kind of overcome? And if so, what has motivated you to kind of keep going through those hard times?
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:That's a good question. Definitely. Like, the first thing that comes to my mind is the pandemic. Which was hard on so many small businesses, but especially as a company who is like it's just me most of the time it felt so isolating and, you know, if I can't work or if I can't be like close to people, I instantly can't make money. And so, yeah, it was super hard. I'm a big planner and so throughout that whole time I would just sit down with like a pad of paper and was just like constantly in planning mode. Like, if this can happen, I can do these things. If that can happen, I can do those things. If I can't do anything, like, here's what I can try next. And so I was just like constantly trying to circle through those ideas and just like keep going even when I had to adapt or shift or wait.
Sam Bauman:So it sounds like one of the things that motivated you was kind of just continuing to put in the effort of knowing what your backup plans or your contingency plans would be so that you felt like there wasn't a possibility of catastrophe on the horizon.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:I mean, it still felt like the possibility of catastrophe, but. But yeah, like trying to just anticipate and think through as much as I could and then sometimes it just still hits you out of nowhere and feels confusing. But yeah, I think I, I've always had such a strong drive in, you know, why I started my business and wanting to continue it. So I knew that there would be a point where I can't make money. At this point, we gotta be done. But until I hit that point, I will keep on going.
Sam Bauman:Yeah, that's great. So you kept yourself motivated through some pretty hard times. Yeah, that's really great. I mean, running a business in the middle of the pandemic is a risk in and of itself. But can you think of a specific time that you've taken a risk with your business and what that was and what you learned from that experience?
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Yeah, the first thing that comes to mind is actually hiring my first employee because while it's me most of the time I have a part time person at this point. She started as like assistant doing social media work for me and writing blog posts, that kind of stuff. And at this point now she's, I call her my studio manager. So she helps run a ton of stuff from managing like my inbox and client stuff, helping with follow up things, helping with editing. But it feels very vulnerable again as like a solo person to trust anyone else to care about it as much as I do, or to like trust that someone else could provide the same level of service to clients that I do through like emails or whatever. And so that felt very scary.
Sam Bauman:Yeah.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:But there was a point when I was just working all the, like all the damn time and I was like, I cannot do this forever and have like a healthy brain.
Sam Bauman:Yeah.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:And so in my. Yeah. Reflections of like, what can I possibly change? That was something I just had to keep coming back to. Yeah. And so it felt spooky to. Yeah. Like interview and hire someone. But it's been like one of the most amazing things. It takes so much more time and work to onboard. Well, I don't know, maybe this is true in other industries too. It feels, especially as a one person show, that it takes so much time.
Sam Bauman:Yeah.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Because I have to be the one to do the HR paperwork and teach them everything and. But it's been so worth that, like time and energy investment because then she can do these things. I don't have to be involved in them.
Sam Bauman:Yeah.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:That's magical.
Sam Bauman:Well, and I would guess too, going from just you on your own to having somebody that you're working with takes a lot of time because you don't have all of your SOPs written out and your rules and all of that stuff. It's just all in your head.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Right. Yeah.
Sam Bauman:You have to start to put some more structure to that before you bring a second person in.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Totally. I had to like define right. Everything and like create official processes. But even that process in itself of getting those things like written down is a useful thing to have. And yeah. So worth. So worth the time. And she's able to do things that I don't like to do or I'm not as good at like blog post writing or social media writing. Like, I do not like it. I can do it. It's not that I'm horrible at it, but I hate it and it takes me forever. And she can do stuff so quickly and efficiently.
Sam Bauman:I feel like business owners a lot of times struggle with that transition from, it's me, I'm responsible for everything, I have my hands in everything. And now I need to pull back and trust one other person or a group of other people to carry out those tasks. What was that thought process like for you? How did you get yourself to the point of feeling that true trust in that person and really being able to say I don't need to be involved in this part of the business?
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:That's a good question. I mean it took a while to really build that trust. At the beginning, even in like interviewing, I had to talk about some like Things that just felt so important to me, like, talking about, like, values I have in terms of how I would want people to be treated and naming things like asking people how they feel about queer people and asking them how they would be able to navigate seeing pictures that could be really private. Because a lot of my clients don't share their photos publicly, although many do. I was like, you'll encounter this stuff and I need to, like, know that you can leave it here. Like almost as if you're working in a healthcare setting dealing with private information or not. But I need to trust that we could have the same sense of privacy. So, yeah, like, having to have some of those conversations up front felt very like formal and awkward, but, like, really necessary. But then beyond that, sort of building the trust of just like through training and like naming all of these priorities that felt important. I eventually just had to do it.
Sam Bauman:Yeah.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:But like, immediately to feel the sort of time freedom that I was able to get. Like, me not having to do, you know, 15 hours of work a week that someone else can do in even less time, like, was such a benefit to my, like, well, being in my life with my partner.
Sam Bauman:Yeah.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:And then there's times where it's just felt like a necessity. Like I'm just coming off of maternity leave. And so I knew that during that time my business would either go dark or I would have to trust Kiki, my studio manager, to take on more things. And so that felt, again, intimidating. But she was able to, you know, take bookings for me and like, do things while I was gone so my business could continue having income.
Sam Bauman:So, yeah, it seems like there's been a few things that have sort of forced your hand in some really positive ways. You know, having to have some of those pretty important conversations right out of the gate about, you know, what are your values and what is your, you know, ethical. What are your ethical standards? In some ways, maybe makes it easier than to trust that person because you're not just going on sort of your gut feeling or what is written on their one page resume. You've really had some deeper conversations with them about, you know, who they are as a person and maybe that makes it easier to relinquish some of that control to them.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Yeah, I think that is totally accurate. And like, you know, my work is so personal partly because it's so based on, like, who I am, but also my clients are bringing a huge day in their lives or like a huge monument in their family or just their individual selves in a vulnerable way. So for them, it's personal too. So, yeah, like, it had to be a really personal level of trust with the people I work with.
Sam Bauman:Yeah, that's great. And how long has your studio manager been with you?
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:A little over two years.
Sam Bauman:Wow, that's awesome. Very cool. So obviously they're feeling good about it too. It seems like a good fit.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Yeah, definitely.
Sam Bauman:We talked a little bit about kind of having to put together the process and some of the tools and bringing structure to your business because of hiring a second person. Thinking about your business as a whole. And what are those processes or tools that you've put in place over the years? Is there one that stands out to you, particularly as being valuable or allowing you to do things that you otherwise wouldn't be able to do? It doesn't have to be a software. It can just be a practice or something like that, too.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:I would probably say my CRM system, I use dubsado, and that is very helpful in a lot of ways. It took a long time to set everything up on my end, but I'm able to have client workflows in place where I can be, like, sending client emails at certain intervals before working together, or I get reminders about certain tasks to do at different times. And so having all of that stuff, like, set up was a huge game changer for me, and I've had that for a while. It's like, yeah, but incredibly helpful. And I try with my clients across both my brands to be, like, very helpful. Like, I. Someone coming in for a boudoir session usually has a lot of questions about what to expect, and I don't want them to show up on their session day with any questions. I want to answer everything ahead of time and, like, anticipate anything they'll be thinking of. So I have emails that go out two weeks and then two days before their session telling them, like, how to prep or what to think about or what to bring. And for my wedding clients, I have, like, things that I have to check in about four months before their wedding and a month before their wedding, all of that stuff. So having it set up is lovely because I don't have to actively be trying to keep track of all that.
Sam Bauman:Yeah, that sounds impossible.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:I think it would be. It would be very difficult or take a lot of time at least.
Sam Bauman:So this CRM tool that you use really seems like it's helped to reinforce your values as a business, because what I've heard from you as we've been talking today is that you're a very thoughtful person. And you're very intentional. And you want to be providing this information to people so that they come into this experience feeling pretty relaxed and comfortable, which I think is probably sometimes an extra challenge with the kind of work that you do. I mean, taking photographs in general, sometimes people just are not very comfortable with. And it sounds like you're doing a lot to sort of help mitigate that or. Or change that narrative.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Definitely. Yeah. Most of my clients are nervous about having their picture taken, and that's true throughout my brands. Yeah. Like with wedding clients, family clients, boudoir clients, I always tell them, like, I'm someone who gets very nervous having my picture taken too. And so, like, I relate to that feeling a lot. And I have built a lot of my processes around helping them feel as, like, low pressure and comfortable as possible so that they, yeah, like, feel like themselves can look like themselves in pictures. Yeah, a lot of that comes from just, like, preparing them and providing as, like, intentional of a client experience as possible.
Sam Bauman:What are some of the other things that you do to help set up that experience for success?
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:I. I love talking with people. I'm a big, like, people person in general. And so it's always been really important to me to have a conversation with my clients before working with them, which I think is a little unusual in the photography world. A lot of people just, like, book something sort of efficiently online. And I've always felt like I could not do my job as a photographer very well without, like, having more of a backstory. So, like, all of my boudoir clients, I have a, like, a phone call with before their session to talk through stuff. And I think that most of them come into the conversation thinking that it's. They're doing it for me. And most of them end the conversation saying something like, wow, this was really helpful. Like, I didn't realize how, like, nervous I was about this thing, and now I feel so much better about it. I hear that from them all the time. So it's a really lovely way for me to get the information I need so that I can shape their pictures to their, like, individual story. But I'm able to, like, address the, like, questions that they have or, like, hear their needs or their hesitancies and, like, sort of reassure them. And so that piece has always felt really important to me. And I do that with my, like, all my clients before their engagement sessions. We do the same thing, and I find similarly that they often answer the phone and they're like, okay, we only have a little bit of time. Before this work meeting or whatever, and it feels like it's not going to be that exciting.
Sam Bauman:Yeah.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:And usually by the end of it, they're like, really, like, they have, like, a stronger vision for what their photo shoot will look like. They're feeling really excited, and it lets them talk about things that they're feeling apprehensive about too. Like, I work with a lot of queer couples in my wedding and family work, like 2/3, 3/4 of my clients are part of the LGBTQ community. And so I find for a lot of them, they have specific reasons that photos have felt nerve wracking in the past, Whether they've been, like, misgendered by a photographer or maybe had an experience where, like, they felt like they were being put into heteronormative poses by a different photographer. A lot of people have just, like. I mean, a lot of us, even if we're not part of that community, have weird backstories with having pictures taken or reasons. It can be nerve wracking. But so being able to talk with them and kind of like affirm that they'll be in a safe space ahead of time, like, makes a huge difference and lets me. When they show up on the day, they're, like, so much more relaxed.
Sam Bauman:Yeah. It's one of those things that I think people don't realize that they want or need until they get it. You know, like, you think about having photographs taken and you're probably mostly thinking about the outcome, the product that comes at the end, not the experience. And it is such a vulnerable personal experience. Even if it's family photos, you know, maybe that parent is nervous about their kids misbehaving.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:I mean, they always are.
Sam Bauman:Right. And so to. To just remind people that they actually can enjoy the experience and not just sort of suffer through it to get that product that they're looking for that feels really unique.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:I think it's super important. And it comes up with family photos a lot, especially. Yeah. Because I think people have a sense of exactly the outcome that they want but have not thought about what it will feel like to have their pictures taken. And they usually clients won't even know, but. But it's a goal of mine that they will, like, have a lovely and, like, intentional mindful experience while they're having their photos taken. And that's true with, like, boudoir as well. It's like a time when you're being very just like, body aware.
Sam Bauman:Yeah.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:And you're not multitasking. You're not on your phone. You're just like sitting with yourself. But with families, it becomes this time where for a couple hours you're just like just looking at your children. You're just snuggling your tiny baby and you're like paying attention to them and looking at their hair in the sunlight and laughing with them. And sometimes, of course, they're kids, they're still gonna like misbehave and do weird stuff. But yeah, if I've done my job right, I can help them have like a really lovely experience or normalize.
Sam Bauman:The hard parts too, you know, so they're not, I mean, speaking from personal experience, it's always nice when somebody's like, it's totally fine that your kids climbing all over everything makes me feel better about it. So. Yeah. What advice would you give to somebody running a business?
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:I think the biggest advice I'd give is to be really comfortable talking about money or if you're not comfortable to get comfortable talking about it, like especially coming from the background of like an artist or a creative person. Yeah, I think a lot of people with. Yeah, a lot of artists or creative folks are not comfortable talking about money. They feel awkward talking about like what they create as something with monetary value. But it's so necessary if you're going to make it a business. And I think that was something I had to overcome quite early on for me because I knew from the get go I wanted my business to be something that could support myself and my partner and our family. I guess if you're just having a business for fun and you don't need it to support anything, that wouldn't be necessary. But if you got to write yourself a paycheck, you have to be comfortable. Yeah. Figuring out your own internal numbers, like why you're charging what you're charging. And only by having the comfort in that can you talk about it with clients.
Sam Bauman:How did you get yourself to that place of comfort or are you there at this point?
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:I'm super comfortable talking about money. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like very early on I had to decide, I just had to.
Sam Bauman:Decide that it was just kind of dive in and do it. And the comfort comes after.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Well, from the decision that I wanted to become like a full time photographer, I immediately had to plan with my partner, like, this is a new thing. How can we afford the things we need to afford in our life? Like how, at what point can I make a profit? And like how can we budget and plan for this? So it was like part of the very first conversations I ever had about Starting a business. And yeah, in the first year, I remember when I like very first started, I knew I wanted to be a higher end photographer so I could work with a smaller number of clients, make more per client because I had, even back when I was like playing around with photography in college, I would take on a zillion clients. I charged very little. I was like extremely overtired. I would work so much and make nothing. And so I knew that I couldn't do that if I was going to be full time. So when I like created my business model, it was from the beginning thinking like, how can I provide an experience and an end result that will be worth charging more? And so like in my world of photography that came through selling like printed like albums and art that every one of my clients gets as part of their package. And it's also so much more fulfilling as an artist to give people something tangible and real with their pictures. Yeah, it's like I could talk about that for a long time, but that's not really.
Sam Bauman:You could. You want to talk a little bit about it? I'm kind of curious to hear what you have to say about the having that tangible piece.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Oh, it's so cool. So like, yeah, every one of my clients ends up with, yeah, something that they can hold in their hands from their session or their wedding. So like most of my wedding clients are getting a wedding album and I am so like proud of the art pieces I sell. I've like researched print labs all over the world to find like the very best amazing companies. Almost everything is made in the Midwest, if not like in the US and so when my clients come like after their wedding, they come here to my studio to see their pictures like a month later and I show them all their photos in a slideshow and we have like tea or champagne and it's very fancy and fun and emotional. It's just like a really cool moment to get to relive that. And then I come to that meeting with a prepared like, design of like, here's the starting point of an album that I've made for you. Like, here's how I would tell your story.
Sam Bauman:Yeah, yeah.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:And I like explain it to them and I walk them through it and we make any little tweaks that they want to. But for the most part, people love how I design it. So they mostly just take what I've suggested and they leave that night with a USB with their digital pictures. But also we've completely planned out their album and it's done and I've ordered it. And then it comes a couple weeks later. And so, like, two months after their wedding, they're like, holding an heirloom quality wedding album in their hands. And I am so proud to get to make something so special for people. And they're so, like, excited by it. Like, it feels like this win, win of like, something that feels incredible for them and incredible for me and that lets me make enough money that I can do my job without having to work 200 hours a week.
Sam Bauman:I heard you say something about telling their story, and that feels like a really through thread for what you're doing with your business. You are helping people tell stories with your work.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Totally. Yeah. I think that is something that I view as a through line through all of my different areas of work. Like, boudoir photography is about someone reflecting on their own life and what they want to remember about their story at, like, a certain moment in time. And family photography is like, usually it's parents who are looking at their family or just at each other, or sometimes it's just a person and their cat, you know, saying, like, here's what makes up my family right now, and here's what I want to remember in the future. And then a wedding day is very full of story. And that's very much a couple looking out at their community and saying, like, you've all gathered here to support me and all like the magic that happens when your favorite people are in the same room.
Sam Bauman:Yeah.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:So, yeah, the story piece and all of that is very much what I connect to, like, artistically and as a human. And then ultimately what I get to help them. Yeah. Like, keep in something that they have forever.
Sam Bauman:I don't think most people think about it like that to begin with, so I just love that you're bringing that into the conversation, you know, like, you're gonna get married, you're just like, yeah, you get photos. That's just what you do. Right. And they look great and you like them, but there's just a little bit more to be appreciated there. I think if you think of it as a way to retell that story to other people and actually, you know, maybe it brings more meaning to the experience to be able to look back at it and in a curated way, like what you're describing, where, you know, the pictures that you've taken kind of expand the story instead of just reflecting it.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Absolutely. I think that is, like, very well said and very much my goal. And I think that, like, at a wedding, for following that Example, like, the. The story I'm paying attention to on their wedding day is more than even what shows up in the container of their wedding. Like, it's also about the life and the values and the relationship of each of the people in that couple and how they join together.
Sam Bauman:Yeah.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Which goes back to. Yeah. The way I have, like, conversations with people before working together, because I can pick up themes and through lines that are important to them. And then I'm, like, going through their wedding day with my, like, little goggles on for that couple, thinking, like, what will they care about here? And how will I capture this in a way that they not only reflects how they want the day to feel, but that they will, like, feel like is a token that represents their whole life.
Sam Bauman:So cool.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Just a small goal, capturing someone's entire existence and putting it into pictures.
Sam Bauman:Seems like you're achieving that goal, though, so that's great.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:I feel like I do most of the time.
Sam Bauman:Yeah. Oh, that's awesome. I want to ask you about any projects that you're working on right now, but before I ask you that, is there anything that we haven't talked about today that you feel passionate about or excited about or things that you were thinking about before our conversation today that you want to get to talk about a little bit?
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:No, I don't think so.
Sam Bauman:So, current projects, we've heard a lot about the different sort of lines of photography that you do. Are there any new things that are coming up that you want to sort of pitch to our listeners?
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Yeah, I actually have this project with my boudoir work that has just started coming out that I'm feeling so pleased about. So I am doing this project that I'm calling Dear Body. And I actually started it, like, a little over a year ago where I, in photo shoots with clients, invited them to write a love letter to themselves or to their bodies. And last winter, I did intentional project where I then, like, had them record themselves reading that letter, or I took, like, a video of themselves reading that letter to themselves, and then I made little videos of, like, them during their session with their voice over it. That was very cool and just, like, a fun, creative project to do, like, during the winter. But I kept thinking about that concept of the letters and. And decided to make another version of that this year that I've just started sharing on my website where I have had people in their handwriting write a letter to themselves. And then after their session, I am, like, taking their handwriting, kind of scanning it into my computer, and then making, like, composites. Or, like, just like, I'm kind of playing around visually with this mix of their boudoir portraits and their handwriting and these, like, words they've written to themselves. And I'm still. Still doing some of these sessions and slowly releasing them. Oh, wow.
Sam Bauman:That's so cool.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:It's very cool. It's so meaningful to, like, read someone else's words to themselves. And it's one of the things that I love most about my job as a boudoir photographer. Like, it's this beautiful intersection of creating art with people, but then also, again, the story piece. Like, how the pictures reflect something really meaningful and real in their lives. And that's something that I feel privy to because I talk with every client about why they want to do a session and what's happening in their life and what they want their pictures to look and feel like. And it reflects these parts of their life that they're proud of or feeling vulnerable about or feeling all kinds of things about. But often those stories are private and, like, I'm not able to share them. They're not things I have permission to talk about. And so it's just this thing that I hold in my heart is like, this is the most beautiful part of my job and no one knows it.
Sam Bauman:Yeah.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:And so, yeah, over time, I've done a couple of these. Yeah. Intentional little projects where I've invited people like, hey, if you feel comfortable, let's share a snippet of your heart to live alongside your pictures.
Sam Bauman:I love that the last thing I always ask is really kind of gets at the reason for us doing this podcast, which is just to amplify this community of small businesses that we have around us. So we've spent today talking about you and your business, and now I'd love to hear you give a shout out to another small business that you think is doing good things or that you really value.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:So now this is the hardest question for me because I cannot narrow, Like, I can't narrow down to just one.
Sam Bauman:Yeah.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:So I can't say this is, like, my favorite or anything, because how could there possibly be a favorite? Of course. But one small business that I love in town is called Cake Plus Size Resale. And they're this amazing, like, thrift shop for plus size people. And it's amazing because a lot of folks who want large size clothes aren't able to find things in typical thrift stores. There's not a lot of options. There's not a lot of fun. And Cake is like the epitome of fun. They have really cool personal shopping, like, appointments that you can do. They do, like, fun boxes where you can just say, like, hey, here's my vibe. Here's what I'm looking for. Put together clothes for me. They have an amazing Instagram and so I love getting to, like, follow along and see them do all of these beautiful things. I think they're fulfilling a niche that's so needed in the world. Yeah, really good vibes.
Sam Bauman:That's awesome. I've never heard of that. I'll definitely have to follow them on Instagram.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Yeah, they're here in South Minneapolis.
Sam Bauman:This has been so great.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:This has been really lovely.
Sam Bauman:Appreciate you taking the time to talk with me and I just enjoy being in your space. I just want to live here.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:Thank you.
Sam Bauman:It's so great.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola:I appreciate you taking the time to talk too. It's been really lovely.
Sam Bauman:Thanks again to Alyssa for talking with me. I really did enjoy being in her space. She designed it all herself and it's so beautiful. I highly recommend you find a reason to work with her just so that you can go and check out her studio. If you want to check her out online, she's got a couple different places. If you're interested in family photos and weddings, you can go to alissalundphotography.com or find her on Instagram lissalundphoto. And if you want to learn more about her boudoir photography, she's online@finamiateboudoir.com or on Instagram luminateboudoir. And we'll put all of that in the show notes so that you don't have to figure out how to spell boudoir. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast so that you can tune in next week for our next episode. Thanks and have a good day.
