KC photographer shares his journey from baby pics to a community-serving studio
In Kansas City’s thriving creative scene, Caleb Gunn has carved out a distinctive space as one of the city’s most community-focused photographers.
Entering a saturated market filled with talented artists, he faced early uncertainty about standing out. But rather than shrink back, Gunn leaned into his passion and dedication, gradually building a reputation through consistency, skill and faith.
What truly distinguishes Gunn is his commitment to uplifting fellow photographers. Through his businesses, ACA Photography, in addition to taking pictures, he hosts free classes, creates networking opportunities and cultivates a space where Black creatives can grow together.
With over a decade in the industry, Gunn was awarded the “Tee Ervin Best Photographer Award” at the Kansas City People’s Choice Award. For Gunn, the award means more than most would know. It’s named in honor of his close friend and “photography brother” Harold “Tee” Ervin, who died two years ago.
Recently J.M. Banks, The Star’s culture and identity reporter sat down with Gunn to talk about the photographer’s journey in the business and his passion for community and supporting other Kansas City creatives.
Banks: Can you begin by telling me what it was like growing up and how your earlier experiences led you into your professional life?
Gunn: OK. I grew up in a two-parent household until I was about 11. Then my parents split. From there until high school, I played ball, but my grades weren’t right and things started to fall apart a little bit. So I went into trade school, which was Excelsior Springs Job Corps. Shortly after I graduated from there I got my trade in painting. Not long after that, I reconnected with my middle school sweetheart, who’s now my wife. We got married right after I got out of Job Corps, I was 19 at the time. We were together for two years before marriage, now we have three beautiful kids.
Once we found out about our first child, I asked my mom, “Hey, where are my baby pictures?” I only had like three. So when we had our daughter, I made a vow to always take photos of her, to capture memories, so when she gets older and starts her own family, she can see herself as a baby and compare. I didn’t have that. So we got a camera, actually, my wife bought it for me, and originally it was just for baby photos. But once I picked up the camera, I started to love it and realized I could be good at it. It grew from there.
My passion shifted from just being a regular dad to becoming a photographer. That led to me eventually opening my own photography studio in Kansas City. So yeah, it’s been amazing.
When you asked your mom why there weren’t any baby photos of you, what was her response? She said we never really took pictures, and we didn’t have the money for it. After my mom and dad split, things were more manageable, but even then, taking photos wasn’t something our family really did.
We focused more on being around each other and spending time together. I’m big on creating memories, and photos are a way to freeze time and capture a moment. I don’t think they really understood that value. So her response was just that it wasn’t something they did.
At what point did you realize you could take photography from a hobby and turn it into a business?
My daughter was born in 2012, and I started in 2014. That’s when I officially turned it into a business. I started doing wedding photography, which is still my main space along with portrait photography, creating relationships and capturing happy moments. From there, my dream was always to own a photography studio and rent it out to other photographers. That dream came to life in 2022, and now we’re going into our fourth year with ACA Studios.
The studio is on 32nd and Troost in Kansas City, Missouri. We host a lot of events there and give back to the community, especially around Christmas. We donate toys and hold a free event where we bring Santa to the studio. It’s completely free, kids can come in, we have the whole place decorated by R&R Creations, and people from the community can get free photos with Santa. It’s definitely been a blessing, and we’re proud of that.
With you being a photographer for over 10 years now, how do you think your style or focus has evolved?
Honestly, I’d say it’s about understanding and learning the business side. My style has grown into building stronger relationships with my clients. It’s helped me come out of my shell. I used to be shy, not really outgoing, but now it’s easier for me to connect with people, even in public. That’s one of the biggest ways I’ve grown.
When you were starting out, what were some early challenges you faced in building your business?
One of my biggest fears was stepping out and investing in myself. I had a family, and I didn’t know if spending thousands of dollars would be worth it. I was scared it wouldn’t work and that I’d be putting my family at risk. But I’ve always believed that if you invest in yourself, the only person who can fail you is you. Financially, that was a scary point in my life, but I leaned on God, leaned on my passion, and just went for it, even though I was scared to fail.
What was it like trying to build up clientele and get people exposed to your work?
It was challenging at first. I would see other photographers and think, man, I want to grow like they’re growing. But back then, not a lot of photographers were willing to give up the game or help others. Then I met a guy, Tee (Harold Ervin) who passed a few years ago, but we grew in the photography game together. The hardest part was just putting myself out there, asking people if I could shadow them, learn from them. I wasn’t used to doing that. But once I met him, we clicked and took off. We were both just starting our businesses at the time.
He was like my photography brother. We did over 80 weddings together. He was definitely a motivator, like a big brother. He would speak life into my business, encourage me to go after things. One of my biggest passions was owning a studio, and he kept telling me I could do it. He always told me to take that leap of faith. Between him and my brother who also passed, I don’t know if I would have a studio today.
With the number of photographers here in Kansas City, especially within the Black community, was there ever any fear of entering into an oversaturated market, or of not being able to find work?
Oh yeah, of course. Especially when you’re first starting out, you’re trying to focus on how you can become great and stand out from other people. Whether it’s not wanting to oversaturate the market by saying, “Hey, my prices are lower,” and then you get a lot of people but the quality of your work isn’t there, or you raise your prices and attract people with bigger budgets, which makes your background look even better. So for me, especially in a crowded market, the goal was to try to find my niche, to figure out where I fit in.
What helped me the most was changing my mindset. I had to become more upbeat and positive to stand out and focus on getting better at my craft. I believe that’s what really made a difference. Now, everytime I shoot, people talk about the experience. That’s what it’s about. But, yeah, the fear was definitely there, wondering if I would get work. The only thing I could do was pray about it and lean on God.
What type of photography are you most passionate about, portraits or events? Where do you really feel you’re able to express your creative flow?
Definitely weddings. Weddings give me a chance to work under pressure, and I actually like pressure. As you know, weddings are high-pressure situations where you can’t miss a shot. Preparation is everything, being on time, getting everything ready. That’s my niche: creating a plan before the plan.
I love getting to know people and seeing two people become one, that joy shows in the photos. For example, if one of my brides or grooms looks upset or something didn’t go right, I’ll pull them aside and have a conversation. I’ll say, “Hey, this is your special day. Things are going to happen, but I’m going to make these photos look amazing, so let’s make sure our emotions are in check.” That way it shows in the photos. So I’d definitely say weddings.
What is the Kansas City photography community like, especially within the Black community? Is it more collaborative or competitive?
Honestly, here’s the amazing thing about the community right now: I don’t want to say I’m setting the standard, but with me having my photography studio, I create opportunities for collaboration. I bring together Black hairstylists, Black makeup artists, Black photographers, we all come together in one room and make magic happen.
I even host free classes for photographers, teaching them the things I didn’t know when I was starting out. For example, I have a meeting tomorrow with a brand-new photographer who wants to learn lighting. That’s a potential studio renter, and I’m giving her a one-hour session completely free. I’m teaching her photography.
So no, I don’t think the market is as competitive as it used to be. I think people are realizing there’s enough income for everyone. With me being in the game almost 12 to 14 years now, I’ve become one of the people other photographers come to with questions. I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I do feel like one of the OGs of the craft here.
With you being in the photography game for over a decade now, how do you think the scene has changed? And what are some things you’d like to see happen?
One big change I’ve seen is the rise of Black entrepreneurs who are starting to open their own studios. Back then, we were always renting, from Rush Co. Studio, West Co. Studio, and others. But now, photographers are cutting out the middleman and investing in themselves. I’ve seen a lot of people with in-home studios or even storefronts. That’s been amazing to see.
Another change is that more Black photographers are collaborating, even going in together on studio spaces. We’re not just shooting outside anymore.
One thing I’d like to see more of, and we’re already starting to do this, is community meetups. We have a group called One Click Photography, which is a Facebook Messenger group with most of the Black photographers in Kansas City. I’m also in another group with photographers of all backgrounds. We’re organizing monthly meetups to talk strategy, share tips, and support each other without any ego or competition. Whether it’s about editing styles, websites, camera gear, we’re sharing game. I think that’s going to be a huge benefit to the whole community.
Are there any particular habits or practices that helped you stay consistent and grow your brand?
Honestly, staying consistent and continuing to work. That’s the biggest strategy. I’ve kept relationships strong with the clients I already have, and the word of mouth from that just took over.
I kept pushing myself. I’ve invested in myself with things like billboards around Kansas City that showcase my brand, even clothing brands to stay relevant and visible.
I just kept shooting and kept getting better at my craft. The more you shoot, the more content you have to post, and the more people engage with you. You can’t shoot once a week and expect your business to grow. You want to shoot three, four, even five times a week. So yeah, investing in myself and staying active on social media has helped our business stay alive and thriving.
What advice would you give to an up-and-coming photographer who wants to follow in your footsteps?
I would tell them it’s not going to be easy. The road won’t be smooth, but if you stay consistent and keep pushing, people will start showing up for you, but you have to show up for yourself first.
It’s easy to quit, but winning takes real work. Just stay consistent. Your work will get noticed because you’re putting yourself out there. Always ask questions. Don’t be afraid to reach out to other photographers. And don’t be scared to fail, because failures aren’t really failures, they’re lessons. I don’t even call them failures; they’re just roadblocks.
Has there been any particular shoot that stands out as a major accomplishment?
Yeah, for sure. This year, I shot a couple from “90 Day Fiancé.” I believe that’s the show. I did their photos, and they went viral. They’re on my photography page. The photos were shared by People magazine, TMZ, and a lot of other outlets.
I also shot Chris Jones’ family portraits. That was another big one for me. But really, the ones that stand out most are the ones that help get my name out there on a larger scale, and I’m a Chiefs fan, so that was a bonus. But weddings have really been my bread and butter.
What are your plans and goals for the future?
My goal is to build my own photography studio from the ground up. Right now, we’re looking for land. I want to create a space that’s about 3,000 square feet, ACA Studios 2. I’m praying it happens sometime next year. We’ve been looking for land for about two years now, but haven’t found the right spot yet.
We’re going to make it happen.
I would just say my biggest motivators to keep growing are my wife and my brother, LaMark Williams. He passed last year. Those two inspired me to become great and keep pushing.
For more stories about culture and identity, sign up for our free On The Vine newsletter at http://KansasCity.com/newsletters.
