Why I Became A Photographer | Wisconsin Wedding, Elopement, and Engagement Photographer
People often ask me how my photography journey started, but I don't think it can be pinpointed to one specific moment. Perhaps it was growing up in my childhood home, looking at the big, beautiful black and white Ansel Adams landscape prints on our walls. Or maybe it was when I was gifted a camera for Christmas and went through a whole roll of film that night. Or maybe it was when I was in college and I had completed the Intro to Photography course, but I wasn't sure if it was for me until the professor who taught the remaining black and white and digital photography courses convinced me that I had found my home.
There is something so beautiful, addicting and peaceful about the black and white photo creation process. It expanded my understanding of the art of photography, because the course required us to develop our own film and then create prints from those film strips. It was a lesson in patience, trial and error, and creative exploration. The hours in the darkroom were fluid and passed quickly. There were a number of times that I walked into the dark room while the sun was still up, intending to be there for a short time, only to emerge and find the darkness of night waiting for me.
In the months leading up to my graduation, I began applying for jobs in the creative field. I applied for almost any job that caught my eye, from internships to entry level positions to jobs I was way under qualified for. I received a few invitations for interviews, but I didn't find the right fit. I decided to continue working in the hospitality industry while I pursued my own photography business as a side hustle. I took out a small personal loan and purchased a professional level digital camera, which caused my dad to voice some concerns. He didn't understand why I needed to make that investment when it didn't seem apparent that photography would be my lifelong career.
Every once in awhile, I like to remind my dad of that time in my life. It took me three years of continued education, successes, failures, and personal growth before I officially registered as a business. I then spent the next four years working in the hospitality industry and hustling to grow my business to a point where in 2017, I went completely full time with my photography career and had no other supplemental income. To this day, I still have “pinch me” moments where I wake up and realize that everything that I've dreamed of is coming true, and that I created it to be that way. I now have a life filled with more ease and flow than I thought possible while running a six-figure business. Each week and month and year, I learn something new about myself and my business. My relationship with my business is the longest relationship I've had, and I think it's arguably the one that I have nurtured the most. It is this process of ownership, creativity, and serving the people around me to the best of my ability that made me fall in love with photography on a higher level, and what makes me fall in love with it all over again each day.
Most of my days are spent on the business side of things, rather than behind the camera, but the two go hand-in-hand and make this love affair possible. The people I surround myself with are incredibly important to this story as well, but the romance between the camera and myself began long ago, and it’s a relationship that will stand the test of time.
I believe in following your dreams, and supporting other people to get there as well. I’ll admit, this feels very vulnerable to share this story with you, because I don’t tell it a lot. I want to provide a safe space for all of us to talk about our hopes and our fears, and that starts with me. I would truly love to know, what is the dream you dream for yourself? What are you holding back on because you’re afraid of what might happen, but you want it more than anything? Share your story with me; I have open arms, an open mind, and an open heart ready and waiting for you.
Love Always,
Kate
