Kanika Tolver, owner of Kanika Tolver Photography. (Photo courtesy of Kanika Tolver)
After working 13 years in federal government, Kanika Tolver is spreading her wings. The IT professional and creative millennial decided to forego her desk job and pursue her passions, which include photography.
“It’s been a passion of mine for close to seven years, I’ve just never took it seriously,” Tolver told the AFRO. “So I told myself as I started to go into consulting, I wanted to only generate revenue doing things that I enjoy and photography was one of my things.”
Through a combination of mentorship, classes and self-teaching, Tolver honed her photography skills and launched her company, Kanika Tolver Photography, in 2013. Her services range from individual and family portraits to birthday parties, baby showers and private events.
While working in the federal government, Tolver was the youngest project manager and the only African-American on her team. As a solo entrepreneur, she said her performance stands out more than her race.
“I think your services, work ethic and level of passion about your business affect your success as an entrepreneur,” she says. “In 2015, being an African-American shouldn’t define your level of success or failure, it should really be driven upon the brand that you’re trying to develop.”
Through photography, Tolver cares about her clients and the stories that she captures.
“I really like seeing love, peace, hope and passion in the photo,” she said. “I like making other people feel happy about their new exciting moments in those photos and bringing those types of things to life.”
Tolver graduated from Bowie State University in 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree in computer technology. She is also an author, motivational speaker and award-winning IT professional. To learn more about her photography services, visit www.kanikatolver.photography.