Introducing San Antonio Photographer, Kelly Williams!
Hi! If you have been reading this blog for some time, then you will be happy to know that it is the same me, but in a different location. After 21 years in New York City, it was time to head to greener pastures. On December 15th, I officially arrived in San Antonio. Today’s blog post has all the details on my move, a list of what’s changing and what’s not for my photography business, and most importantly, my introduction to the world as a San Antonio photographer!
The Move from NYC to San Antonio
Let’s just say the move from New York City to San Antonio was definitely an adventure. After getting a quote from moving companies of close to $5,000 to move a measly amount of furniture to Texas, I elected to rent a Penske cargo van and drive it cross country myself. Being a New Yorker, I haven’t really driven a car in over 21 years. But I thought to myself, how hard could it be?
When I arrived at the Penske rental lot on the day of my move, the office informed me that all the cargo vans were indeed rented – even though I had secured a reservation in October and the reservation was confirmed the night prior. Instead, I would need to drive a big ol’, honking 12-foot truck. It was this, or wait a day to get a cargo van to move my stuff. Seeing that I had no other option, I got into the driver’s seat.
With the help of my apartment handyman, I loaded up the truck and drove into the sunset at 3 PM that afternoon. With white knuckles clamped onto the steering wheel, I made it to Texas in four days; that’s one day ahead of schedule.
I unloaded the truck entirely by myself, and have finally fully settled into my new apartment. And yes, San Antonio does indeed feel like home.
San Antonio Photographer – New Logo
So what’s going to be changing, here at Kelly Williams, Photographer? With a new home comes a new logo. This is probably the first change you will notice. Instead of the NYC skyline that graced my business cards for years, I have now transformed the logo to include the San Antonio skyline. Locals will note the Tower of the Americas and the ‘Torch of Friendship’ sculpture.
San Antonio Photographer – New Office Location
Since I wanted to stay in the New York habit of walking as much as possible, I selected an office location in downtown San Antonio. My office hours are by appointment, but I have set up a cute little table and chairs in case you want to drop by for a cup of coffee.
Being downtown gives me a central starting point for any city event. From this month’s MLK Jr. celebrations to Fiesta in April, I am located right in the heart of the action and will simply have to walk out my front door to capture most events. You can expect a lot more photojournalism reports from me in the coming weeks, so be sure to check out my travel photography Instagram site, @KellyWilliamsPhotographer.
Same Approach to Photography
While my location and logo have changed, as a client you can expect my documentary-style of photography to remain exactly the same. It is still my goal to capture the energy and personality of life’s moments in a single frame. As with my photos in New York, I still want you to feel that you can be your natural self in front of my camera.
As proof, I will have two surprise proposal photo shoots to share with you in the coming weeks. These surprise proposals were shot at the Pearl Brewery and on the Hays Street Bridge, two very popular locations here in San Antonio. (If you would like to see some of my past surprise proposals, then please check out this link here.)
Same Approach to Customer Service
And as always, my commitment to customer service remains the same. I always strive to go above and beyond by being prepared and professional at every photo shoot. That means checking out my venues well ahead of time, coming up with a shot list that puts your priorities first and foremost, and treating my clients like I would want to be treated if I were in front of the camera.
Same Prices
Yep, my prices are going to remain the same. I have researched the San Antonio photography market, and with the exception of New York’s high priced, top tier photographers, the price is roughly the same for weddings and family portrait sessions in both locations. As always, I strive to be as transparent as possible and my full price list is available on my website here.
I am planning to offer some special deals coming soon to get more clients through the door, so stay tuned to find out about any neighborhood discounts.
San Antonio Photographer – Military Discount Available
There is one special change to my pricing list, and that is that I now offer a military discount for active military personnel.
To honor all men and women currently serving in the US military, I am proud to offer a 5% discount on all portrait sessions for any active-duty personnel.
Since San Antonio is often nicknamed Military City USA, it seemed proper to offer a special discount to families that have given so much by serving our country.
San Antonio Photographer –New Adventures
Walking around San Antonio, I feel like I can breathe. While I can’t say that I will not ever return to the chaos and crowds of New York City, my plan right now is to explore all that Texas has to offer. That means there will be plenty of road trips in my future.
I am particularly excited about the prospect of rediscovering my creativity as an artist. For so long I felt trapped in New York and did not want to venture outside my apartment in Queens. But with the space and sunlight here in San Antonio, every day grants me the opportunity to take on a new personal project.
I have made a list of the places I want to explore, and my goal is to work through the list one by one. This list includes everything from the Schlitterbahn water park to the McNay Art Museum. I will happily take recommendations, so if you know San Antonio, then drop me a line. I will happily accept any local advice.
Enjoy the photos from this week‘s walk around San Antonio, and I will have more photo adventures for you – NOW FROM SAN ANTONIO! – in next week‘s blog post.
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Interested in scheduling a family portrait session with San Antonio photographer, Kelly Williams? Drop me a line and let’s talk about your photography needs.
If you would like to see more images from my photography portfolio, then please visit my website – KellyWilliamsPhotographer.com.
