Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Lamb.
Kate, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I originally started taking pictures around the time my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I picked up a disposable camera’s from the drugstore and would take them on a family vacation to visit my grandparents. I didn’t quite understand the disease, I just knew that pictures could capture memories, my surroundings, and loved ones and that I could hold on to the pictures which would help me remember the memories too. Then, a few years later, my uncle died and left me his 35mm film camera. I immediately picked it up and never put it back down. I took photography classes throughout high school, so I learned to take pictures of everything, from landscapes, friends, underground punk shows, my dog, the city, literally everything. Photography was my passion and I needed to figure out a way to make it work cause I didn’t have any backup plans. Fast forward through six years of art school, lots of trial and error, some failure’s, some wins, moving a couple times, I’m now in my 6th year of business as a wedding photographer.
Photography is still my passion and while I’m always open to whatever life throws my way, I can’t imagine a different career path. Freelance has its own struggles, but the freedom it provides is incredible and I’m forever thankful to be able to do this job.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Definitely was not smooth sailing. My friend and I started a business together and after a year in we completed all the tasks/current weddings and totally scrapped it and started over from scratch. But we learned a lot, and with each year we got better and better. A continuous struggle that I go through is mainly navigating how to be a businesswoman. I never took a business class so all of my business knowledge is learned from friendly advice, trial, and error, and eventually figuring out what works for me. I’ve hit financial low patches a few times where life happens, I need money and I don’t have weddings anytime soon so I’ve gotten part-time jobs to make it through for however long. I never give up on being a freelance photographer even when it gets hard. I know there are answers out there somewhere, I just have to find them and ask for help when I need it. Freelance requires a constant hustle and a constant thirst for more work, but it took me a long time to figure out how to be smart about it. Just cause you’re working constantly doesn’t mean you’re being productive, making a profit or heading in the right direction. My advice to young women just starting out would be to know your worth and stick to it. If you feel like you’re being undervalued, you probably are, so stick to what you think you deserve and are worth. If any person in your life makes you feel less than or doesn’t support your dreams, don’t listen to them, even if it’s you holding yourself back. Don’t advertise what you don’t want to do. Never give up on your dreams.
What should we know about Wild in Love Photo? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I’m a wedding photographer by day and alternative processes and film photographer as my hobby. I love being surrounded by all of the emotions on a wedding day, so I’d much rather be available to capture what’s happening already than try to create those emotions on my own. All of my clients love this about my work, that it doesn’t feel posed or stiff. It’s free-flowing and has movement and energy. I’m a pretty positive person, so I bring that energy to a wedding day and look for the moments that reflect that.
I started on film and always bring my film camera anytime it does not work. Film is just for me, the heart and soul of my photography passion. I also make tintypes, which is a civil war era photographic process that creates the image directly onto a piece of metal. They are extremely challenging and equally rewarding when it all works out how it should. I’ve taken a little break from them to focus on wedding season but they will be back soon!
For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
Absolutely, whatever opportunities they want. Women and men can do anything they set their mind to. I’m in an all-female motorcycle group called the Ladyfingers, so if I can learn how to ride a motorcycle, and then find such an amazing group of women to ride with, then the possibilities are endless. In my opinion, our entire society is geared towards being unfair to women. We can choose to dwell on that, or we can go after what we want for ourselves and fight for what we know we deserve. It is hard, sometimes, a daily struggle, and sometimes it bums me out so much that I don’t want to keep fighting. But I also know what I want out of life, and I’ve never let anyone keep me from searching for that, so I’m not going to start now.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wildinlovephoto.com
- Phone: 770-633-7562
- Email: wildinlovephoto@gmail.com
- Instagram: @wildinlovephoto
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildinlovephoto/
Image Credit:
Ashley White, Kate Lamb
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