Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristelle Boulos.
Hi Kristelle, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have always been fascinated by documenting life around me since my early teenage years growing up in Beirut, Lebanon. I got that from my father and grandmother, who are very nostalgic souls and value preserving memories. Thanks to them, we have endless stacks of family albums and videos (My grandparents were one of the first couples in the country to have a wedding video)! In addition, my uncle is a talented fine art and landscape photographer, and he has always encouraged my passion.
I would document life in the streets of Beirut, family and friends, and a lot of my own life as well. It is like I always had the urge to capture everything because I feared I would forget it all.
It all started with a two megapixel camera inside my Sony Ericsson cellphone and I never stopped since. I was drawn to street photography and photo-journalism, particularly war photography. These photos make me cry even without always knowing what the context is.
I wanted to study photography/film in college but like many parents, mine encouraged me to move toward a different path that is more “secure”, with a “traditional” career. So after some thinking, I chose Landscape Architecture, which became my career for the last seven years.
Photography remained just a hobby until my husband and I got married and saw the magic of having our story documented by someone else. A couple of months later, I was asked to photograph a family friend’s intimate wedding, and I took on the challenge. Shortly after that, the pandemic hit, and it gave me all the space and time in the world to think about my dreams and start taking action. That’s how I got here!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?It is probably not the answer people like to hear, but my journey has been pretty smooth. It felt like everything was naturally falling into place, like I was meant to do this my entire life. The universe is telling me: FINALLY, we have been waiting for you.
I believe that my background in landscape architecture, design and working in the corporate world has taught me a lot about understanding perspective, spatial relationships, human psychology, communication, business and marketing. And of course, my passion in photography was all I needed to get started somewhere.
I would say, though, that having a full-time job and growing a business simultaneously is not easy and requires a lot of sacrifices. But I was willing to do the extra work and give up sleep and socialization. My mindset is stronger than the workload. It’s all worth it for me. However, this would not be possible without the support of my husband, which in turn inspired him to explore his own creative projects as well. We actually just got back from shooting our first destination wedding (photo and film) in Tulum, Mexico.
Everything happens in due time when you put in the work.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an intimate wedding and portrait photographer based in Miami, but I shoot all over the world. I specialize in documenting soulful, intimate connections.
I think that what sets me apart from others is the emotions and story-telling I am able to convey to the viewers, even if they do not know the people in the photos.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Being able to connect on a deeper level with others has allowed me to brand myself as a storyteller rather than just a photographer, and that’s resonating with people. I also invest in tools and resources that help me grow throughout all aspects of life and work in the most efficient way. It’s a bi-product of prioritizing self-improvement. I have found it is the only way to grow, yet still maintain some work-life balance. It may sound corny but the values my family taught me have been crucial in my development. My maternal grandparents taught me the value of generosity and empathy, my brother inspired me to get outside my comfort zone and to explore my talent like he does. Finally, my mother is a huge inspiration to me and I believe that I got my drive to succeed from her.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@kristelleboulos.com
- Website: www.kristelleboulos.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/fromkbwithlove
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/fromkbwithlove
- Other: www.pinterest.com/fromkbwithlove
Image Credits
Photo of me by Justine Berges. All the other photos by Kristelle Boulos.
