It’s been a few years since I’ve been as present in the Carroll County business community as I once was—and getting the invitation to sit down with Mike McMullin for Chamber Chat felt like such a wonderful way to reconnect.
Mike invited me onto Episode #460 of Chamber Chat, the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce’s ongoing interview series highlighting local businesses, organizations, and the people behind them. And somehow, I earned the episode title “Photographer Extraordinaire, Kelly Heck.” (Mike’s words, not mine… but I’ll take it! 😉)
A Conversation About More Than Photography
Mike and I have known each other through the Carroll County business community since 2011, so this didn’t feel like a formal interview. It felt much more like catching up with an old friend.
We talked about Kelly Heck Photography, the work I do with businesses and professionals, and some of the philosophy behind the way I approach photography.
Because for me, a great professional photograph has never been just about making someone look good.
It’s about helping people feel comfortable in front of the camera. It’s about understanding what a business is trying to communicate before I ever pick up my camera. And it’s about creating photographs that actually have a job to do—whether they’re building trust on a website, introducing a team, supporting a marketing campaign, accompanying a press feature, or helping someone confidently put themselves out into the world.
After more than 20 years behind the camera, that part of the work still excites me.
Reconnecting With My Community
There was another layer to this interview that made it especially meaningful.
For many years, I was heavily involved in our local business community. Life eventually pulled me away from some of that involvement for a while, and over the last few years, my focus needed to be elsewhere.
So being invited back into the Chamber Chat studio with Mike felt a little bit like coming home.
I’ve been gradually reconnecting with familiar faces, meeting new ones, attending events again, and rediscovering just how many incredible people are building businesses and doing meaningful work right here in Carroll County.
Sometimes you don’t realize how much you’ve missed a community until you begin finding your way back into it.
Thank You, Mike!
A huge thank you to Mike McMullin for inviting me onto Chamber Chat, for such a thoughtful and enjoyable conversation, and for giving me the opportunity to share a little more about my work.
Mike has an incredible way of making an interview feel completely natural, and I walked away grateful not only for the opportunity to talk about Kelly Heck Photography, but also for the chance to reconnect after a few years away.
And if you’d like to hear our conversation for yourself, give Episode #460: “Photographer Extraordinaire, Kelly Heck” a listen!
🎧 Listen to my Chamber Chat interview here.
Thank you to Mike and the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce for continuing to create opportunities for local businesses to tell their stories – and for welcoming me back into the conversation. 💛
