Meet Marit Kundar

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marit Kundar.

Hi Marit, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’d say that my passion for photography was inspired by my father at a young age. I was born in Estonia, a small country that was still under Soviet occupation at that time. This pretty much meant that the average family did not have anything close to a lavish lifestyle. Even having a basic camera was considered a luxury item. But, somehow, my father had one. It was a dependable Russian camera called Zenit which, I have to say, still makes stellar photos today!

Anyways, I remember that I used to watch my dad developing photos in his homemade darkroom (read “kitchen”). At that time, it seemed magical! What I also remember is the day when he brought home our very first digital camera for my brothers and me. I must have been in middle school, but I would say that this little point-and-shoot BenQ DC 1300 with 1.3MP was the foundation of my journey of becoming a photographer.

I started out just photographing friends and family for fun and, later, for social media. I grew up when “Orkut” became super popular in Estonia alongside a local site called “Rate,” where people rated each other’s photos. Everyone wanted to upload their photos, but not everyone had a camera.

On top of taking photos of my family and friends, I also really got into nature photography. This was after I went to college to study social work and I bought my first Nikon DSLR. I had a phase where I was obsessed with macro photography. I went out pretty much every weekend. I didn’t go to the club like normal college students, but rather to catch leaves, bugs, and flowers. I think that, actually, this was pretty much what helped me to understand my camera, natural light, and the basics of photography.

Throughout the years, and several cameras later, what started as a hobby became my profession. I think that my photography studies at the Estonian Academy of Arts, travel, and constant drive to evolve and experiment, have shaped me to be the versatile photographer that I am today.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I guess it has and it hasn’t. The part where I photographed friends and nature for fun went very smoothly. There was a natural learning curve that was super enjoyable. Building a word-of-mouth client base in Estonia was also a pretty smooth process and I loved it. But, at the same time, the more people I photographed, the more insecure I became.

I started over-analyzing my work like crazy. Though I still do that to a degree even now and still get nervous every single time I need to go for a shoot, I have come a LONG way. I think the biggest thing was that I needed to stop comparing myself with others and believe in myself. I would suggest the same to all my other fellow photographers who are having similar issues. It would be pretty boring if we all would snap the same shot and then, on top of that, edit it the same exact way.

So, I’d say that the smoothness and struggles come in waves. There are days where you feel like you are a true rockstar and then there are days when you go to what should be a simple family shoot and you feel that things could have gone better. I think it is all part of the journey and of growing.

Right now, I am working on getting into the Nashville/Murfreesboro photography scene and, since I was a pretty well-established photographer by the time I moved from Estonia to Murfreesboro, I feel like I am starting my business all over for the second time. This can mentally get super draining because it does take time.

Considering that moving countries means that you need to also create a new social network creates another challenge. But, as I said before, I think it is all a journey, and being outside of my comfort zone is likely a good thing in the long run!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a photographer who likes to work with different group dynamics. Therefore, I have not narrowed myself down to photography in just one category. I love to photograph portraits, maternity photos, and weddings, but I also like to capture couples and family photos.

I love good clean timeless photos and my goal is to offer the same to my clients. If possible, like to mix Scandinavian minimalism alongside bold vibrant colors and busyness, and I think that this is also what makes me stand out from others.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Outside of the photography world, my family, friends, and nature… the environment I am living in because that is what keeps me driving.

But, photography-wise, what matters the most to me are the people who I photograph and my creativity. I always want to make my clients feel good about themselves. I want them to have fun and I want them to understand that they are beautiful or handsome. There are so many of my clients who come to a photoshoot and feel insecure.

Let me tell you, throughout my whole photography career, I have not seen anybody who is not beautiful in their individual way. I do think, or at least want to believe, that after delivering the photos to my clients they feel more secure and, even if not right at that moment, then maybe later they look back and think, “Dang, I looked good in those photos.”

I also find it important to continue to explore your creative side. Of course, I do agree that every photoshoot can be creative, but trying to photograph in new places, using different lights, canvases, and color schemes, without the pressure that it might fail, helps me to strive to get better results in the long haul.

Pricing:

• $180 for a 30-45 minute photoshoot.
• $325 for up to a 2-hour photoshoot.
• Wedding packages start out at $1,500

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.maritkundar.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maritkundarphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maritkundarphotography