From drawing and working with pastels as a child to discovering a love of photography in high school, Kaylee McQueen has always been passionate about the arts. What started out as a hobby transformed into a calling when she decided to launch her own photography business.
Growing up in South Bend, McQueen attended Marian High School, where her artistic journey expanded into a new medium. It was there that she first encountered photography, sparking a new passion within her.
“Freshman year of high school, I took a photography course,” McQueen said. “It was film photography, and that's really when I fell in love with it. I liked everything about developing the film roles to doing double exposures in the dark room.”
After high school, McQueen pursued general studies at Indiana University South Bend. However, she took a pause on her coursework after two years when she faced the devastating loss of her father. This life-changing moment gave McQueen the push she needed to turn her passion for photography into a profession.
In 2022, McQueen launched Kaylee Rae Photo as a tribute to her father, whose support she could always count on.
“My dad was one of my biggest supporters of my photography,” McQueen said. “I had always talked to him about starting a business, so I started one in his memory.”
As the world was only just beginning to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, McQueen faced some challenges in the early days of her business. Because of the pandemic, it was difficult to find clients who wanted to leave the safety of their homes to have their photos taken, so McQueen focused on building her portfolio by photographing her sisters and their friends.
With persistence and guidance from several great mentors, McQueen’s business has grown over the last two years. She specializes in family and couples portraits and weddings. Of these, weddings are her favorite.
“I just love the idea of the whole wedding day,” McQueen said. “It's always really cool to see how everybody celebrates their love.”
In just her second year of business, McQueen’s photography has already caught the attention of her community. In 2024, she was chosen as a finalist in the “South Bend Tribune” People’s Choice Awards, an annual contest that highlights local businesses.
“It was really cool to be recognized in just my second year as someone who can come out and create great art,” McQueen said.
For now, McQueen balances her photography business with a full-time job at Menards. Her dream, however, is to one day make Kaylee Rae Photo her full-time career. When she’s not behind the camera, McQueen enjoys other creative outlets such as reading and dancing.
“I’ve realized how much a photo means to someone, especially after losing somebody so close to you,” McQueen said.