Personal Post: Why I'm a Photographer
In order to be successful in business and in life, I think it is important to ask ourselves why we do what we do. I believe we should evaluate what it is that drives us, why we wake up each day and make the choices we make, and what gives us joy and a sense of fulfillment.
Why am I a photographer? I asked myself this question to really dig into what I do and why I do it. What is it about photography and this career that just captivates me? For starters, I'm a hopeless romantic. I love LOVE. Being surrounded by it on a regular basis makes my soul sing. Seeing other in-love couples and being inspired by their relationships is incredibly rewarding to me.
Why is this business I've built so important to me? I get to work with adventuresome souls almost on the daily, whether meeting with them face-to-face over a beer, or getting to know them through email conversations. I have created KLEM Studios to be an experience-focused service that digs into who these people really are--what gives them joy, what they love the most about their partner, and what their hopes and dreams are for the future, among many other things. With each response I get from these incredible people, I feel a little string from my heart reach out and connect to theirs. I think that's what "warm and fuzzies" are, right? That may sound all fluffy and manufactured, but I think there is something so beautiful and necessary in taking the time to peel the layers back and recognize the simple human that's inside all of us.
Sure, you can create these connections in almost any business. All you need to do is take the time to listen to someone and get to know them. So what is it about photography specifically that has stolen my heart and puts the dreams in my head and wind beneath my wings? As a photographer, I get to choose when to stop time and make a memory permanent. That's pretty amazing. I believe photography is a preservation method, and I get to be the one that chooses which moments and scenes are preserved. What an awesome yet daunting calling. I get to be in a setting where two people who love each other are interacting naturally with each other and observe them. By watching and listening carefully, the really great photographers are going to figure out that when that groom plants a sweet kiss on his bride's forehead, she's going to tuck her hair behind her ear and look up at him with eyes full of love. *click* Moment preserved.
It's never the same with each couple or each person I work with one-on-one. By building trust and friendship with my clients, they open themselves up to me and there is an almost tangible moment during their session where they completely blossom in front of the camera. All their insecurities have melted away, and I'm able to photograph THEM, the person that they're going to recognize in their images and say, "Wow, Kate really saw me. Am I actually that beautiful?" Yes, my friend, you are that beautiful.
There's a sacred place in this world for the storytellers, the documenters, the listeners, and the observers. We have the responsibility to hold the human spirit in our cupped hands like a baby bird, and breathe warm, loving air onto it, and watch it unfold its wings before our very eyes. It should never be forced or pressured, but simply heard and loved. Your journey through life is unique and intertwined with those you choose to surround yourself with. I am incredibly humbled by the people who choose to share their journey with me and trust my vision to document the moments they are making along that journey.
This is my "why", the reason I wake up every morning excited to step into my office and welcome the opportunities that are waiting for me. I do this because of YOU and your individual song that you sing to the world. I am so grateful for the ones that hear my song and think that together we make incredible harmonies. Thank you for sharing your melody with me.
Much love and appreciation,
Kate