Meet Kaitlyn & Garett Baker | Photographer & Editor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kaitlyn & Garett Baker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kaitlyn & Garett, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
You will get out of your business what you put into your business! No one stumbles upon a successful business, and no one builds a business without blood, sweat, and tears. You may feel that you are getting no where, but those are the days you should be out there doing the leg work for your business. It may be marketing, it may be socializing at local events, or even volunteering in your community. You have to keep going and have the understanding that not every day, month, or year will be easy. If owning a business is your passion then you will, one day, have a successful business as well!

What should our readers know about your business?
We value authentic moments, raw emotions, and quality. We strive to ensure every client is treated as uniquely as they are, and that they are provided with a professional but family like session. We promise this will be one session you never forget! We are proud to provide sessions that you will have a fun time at, and that will leave you wondering how did they get that portrait? We want you to feel like you can relax and trust the process, that the kids can run around and be silly and that you will get every pennies worth. It was far from easy to get to where we are now, but was it worth it?! Absolutely! Who knew the kids who struggled finding their place would be able to have such a fun and family oriented job and be able to constantly work with so many amazing people. We owe so much of our success to our Heavenly Father, and we understand that may sound repetitive. However, without his grace and unconditional love, life would not be the same. From our miracle baby to our business actually becoming a real business is nothing short of an answered prayer, a true miracle in every way. When you see our brand, we hope that you will see comfort. We hope you see a family you can trust and rely on. We hope you will leave our sessions feeling full of love and laughter. Thank you for allowing us to share our story, and our brand, and supporting our dreams.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Our first stop would be a morning trip to Cades Cove, and bring some snacks and good hiking shoes because Abrams Falls is happening! After we thoroughly burn some calories, we would be going to dine at Gaucho Urbano’s in Pigeon Forge, and I hope you are ready for an experience! Unlimited food, and the most amazing cheese rolls and salad bar! It will become a tradition for when you visit! Next we would go back to the cabin for a nice hot tub rest. The next day we would go back out to the woods to Grotto Falls, or maybe Rainbow Falls, and after this we would dine at Calhouns, their burgers and spinach dip is absolutely amazing! Then we would walk around Gatlinburg and taste taste taste!! Make sure to know your limits though, wouldn’t want to get too silly! The next morning we would head over to The Seven Island State Birding Park for a beautiful easy hike around the entire park and finish the some amazing Publix sushi, and subs! You will see what I mean! If it happens to be summer time we would head over to Greenbrier for some water fun, and boy will it feel wonderful after all that hiking!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
When it comes to success, no one does it alone. Of course own biggest contributor would be our Heavenly Father, without his love and guidance this would all still be a dream for us. Our parents and grandparents have also given us the courage to never give up on our dreams, and always allow us the ability to follow ours. As for mentors, Kaitlyn was able to second shoot for Dave Laymon while in high school and a few years after. He ensured she had the equipment at her fingertips to really hone her photography skills. Our many church family members have also been very encouraging through all of the building of our business, and of course our many clients who show us so much love and support by allowing us to provide beautiful portraits for their families for years to come.

Website: https://smokenlenses.mypixieset.com

Instagram: @smokenlenses_photography

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smokeNlensesCommercialPhotography

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/smoke-n-lenses-sevierville

Image Credits
The Klumps, Phillipy Family, Sierra, Vinny, Jenna, Colton, Lily