Last Saturday, Hennessey’s Wellness Mercantile was hopping with girls running about, changing outfits, fixing hair getting ready for their photoshoot.
Stacy Cline, the owner of Wellness Mercantile and former school counselor, said, “Hennessey grad, Kristen Benson reached out saying she had been following my Facebook page. She did photography professionally and wondered if I would be interested in her coming and doing a photoshoot.” Stacy said, “She was one of those students that were fun to be around and worked hard. I was excited to reconnect, catch up on what she was doing and hang out with her.”
Kristen Benson is a 2015 Hennessey grad that has become a professional photographer. Kristen said, “I’ve always been a visionary and enjoyed creating, so it feels like the perfect fit. With my degree, I learned so much about marketing and how to be creative and innovative, to always step outside the box.” Kristen attended college at the University of Central Oklahoma and graduated in the spring of 2020 with a Strategic Communications degree, and now works full-time for Kosmik Brands in Oklahoma City.
Kristen said, “Ironically, all of my photography knowledge is completely self-taught. It’s not easy. Hours and hours of YouTube have been involved.”
The Mercantile was bustling with each of the models getting ready for their turn in front of the camera. Kristen was busy directing the girls, and her assistant for the day was Michelle Gutierrez-Ebers, a 2015 Hennessey grad. Michelle said, “Kristen and I have been friends all through school. It’s fun to get to help with this photoshoot.”
The photos will be used to promote the Wellness Mercantile and its products on social media and their website.
Kristen said, “Future goals are to keep growing in my art and learning new skills! I feel very blessed to be doing what I love, and I’m excited to see what the future holds!”
