Meet Caitlyn Carr of Cait Carr Photography in North East

Today we’d like to introduce you to Caitlyn Carr.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
You can call me Cait for short and I’m a 20-something living in the mountains of North Georgia with my cat/BFF. After getting my degree in Art Marketing with a concentration in Photography from the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega, I took a one-way ticket to Europe. Ten weeks later, came home a different person. I began shooting weddings shortly after and three years later haven’t looked back. My career really got its start thanks to Cold Creek Farm taking me on as a vendor early on. From there, it bloomed into shooting all over the state and last year, I shot a few destination weddings in Colorado. Looking at 2018, my business is on track to double from the previous year and I just booked my first wedding in New York! The greatest contributing factor to my business growth has definitely been nourishing the relationships in my life. Through referrals, word of mouth and being open to multiple opportunities I’ve learned so much to get me where I am today. Remembering to be kind to myself and give myself grace when I falter has also been huge; clients respond and connect so much more when we’re empathetic.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I have been SO blessed along this journey, and have luckily been mentored through some big mistakes as well as given counsel that prevented me from hitting any truly major bumps. I also like to do things as correctly as possible the first time so there’s not any major consequences down the road, so I learned early on from others about the business aspect/the nitty gritty side of what we do cause unfortunately, it’s so much more than just taking beautiful photos. Early on, I learned the hard way that some business relationships aren’t healthy; you need to have a strong community around you for support that you also want to see succeed. The best way to describe this is following the ‘Get It Girl’ attitude — finding those people and cultivating relationships with them who when you see or interact with them you respond really positively to and vice versa. It took some time and a few mistakes early on, to find the community that has literally made my business explode this year. I am so grateful for that community and if anyone reading this feels like they’re so lost in building their business – reach out. Find a mentor. Don’t be afraid to shadow someone, to pay for that mentor session that you have to save pennies for. Take the time to truly learn the craft and what it takes to run your own business. The knowledge shared among professionals is invaluable.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Cait Carr Photography story. Tell us more about the business.
I am an adventurous lifestyle photographer seeking authentic experiences with rad people. The majority of my work is love stories — photographing weddings and elopements all over the US and beyond. I primarily work with couples who are engaged and planning their special days. My life’s work is to capture the sentiment of their life; show them how much they love one another and how their love spreads to everyone around them, like the ripple of a wave. The biggest lesson I’ve learned thus far is that, the best weddings are the ones where their mad love for each other is the focus of the whole day, and highlighting that is my favorite thing. I want people to look back at their photos knowing they lived fully that day.

The thing I am most proud of is having built my business on my own financially and running it solo. Although, it wouldn’t be where it’s at today without the community I’ve found, I am so proud to have accomplished something that many people didn’t believe I would. It has taken a ton of hard work and figuring out a bunch of things they don’t teach you in college (although, I’m super thankful for my degree and time spent in college). My resilience and stubborn attitude have been imperative in the continued growth of my business. I think my hard working nature and empathy really sets me apart from others cause there is a 100% chance I’ll cry when I shoot your wedding, I’m going to learn your grandma’s name and I remain friends with a majority of the clients I’m fortunate to work with.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’m not sure ‘luck’ is a good word for it but I think, I have been so fortunate in my business to meet and work with incredible clients, find a great community, and be given wonderful opportunities. So much of life is outside of our control, so trying to follow what God has planned for us and letting go when things don’t go the way we want them to has been huge for me personally. There is always the opportunity to find joy in every single day and situation, no matter the circumstances or what kind of ‘luck’ you perceive that you’re having. Also, taking opportunities that are outside of my comfort zone have been some of the most rewarding — so maybe it’s putting myself into situations that seem really unlucky that have produced some of the biggest rewards.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.caitcarrphotography.com
• Phone: 678-725-3224
• Email: caitecarr@me.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/hellocaitcarr
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/caitcarrphotography

Image Credit:
Cait Carr Photography, Chad Doss

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