Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Sanders.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Katie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My senior year of high school, I took my mom’s camera to the Powder Puff football game to get pictures for the yearbook. I had no clue what any of the settings were, and I definitely didn’t shoot in manual, but I fell in love with photography. After that, I really dove into learning about my camera, lighting, posing, etc., and my friends let me practice on them, which was amazing for both of us because I got practice, and they got some pretty dope Instagram content.
I had a few paid shoots here and there, but my first big paid gig was a wedding for my best friend’s aunt. The wedding was a HUGE deal for me. I had never been paid that much money at once in my life, and I wanted it to be amazing. I wanted the bride and groom to be thankful that they chose me to document their big day, and I wanted to feel proud of my photos. Several weeks before the wedding, a photographer friend- and former soccer coach- of mine let me come on last minute and practice at a wedding he was shooting. I fell in LOVE. Both weddings were a success, and I am still proud of all those photos. Shooting those weddings made me fall even more in love with photography and made me want to learn more. Since then, I think my knowledge, comfort level, and experience has grown so much, and I am continuing to grow in all aspects as well.
Several weekends ago, I got to shoot a sorority’s formal. It was a totally different experience from anything I’ve ever done before, but I had such a good time and those are some of my favorite photos I’ve ever taken.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’ve been really lucky that my road has been pretty smooth. I’d say some of the biggest obstacles I’ve faced have been comparison, doubting my ability, and pricing. I think as a creative, it’s so easy to compare ourselves, especially to someone whose style is similar to our own. One habit I’ve had to break is putting myself down when someone posts a photo that I think is better than one I’d take OR putting someone else down for posting a photo I don’t like. I fell out of love with photography and took a LONG break all because I doubted my abilities as a photographer.
I think part of the reason I doubted myself was because I had a lot of people go on Pinterest or VSCO or Instagram and tell me exactly what photos they wanted instead of letting me pose them and take their photos. And there’s nothing wrong with telling someone what kind of photos you want, but I let it put doubt in my head and thoughts like, “they don’t trust me to take photos I would take, so they’re asking me to copy someone else’s work.” and it kind of went back to the whole comparison thing. It’s such a vicious cycle, and I let it take a hold of me.
And finally, pricing. I really struggled with pricing in the beginning. Recently, I had a couple ask me to shoot their wedding for free, and six months ago, I probably would’ve done it. It’s a weird line to walk, being new because you’re not worth what some of your peers are worth quite yet, but a wedding for free is crazy talk! I still have a hard time walking that line, but one bit of advice I got on pricing a couple of months ago was to not price yourself too low or you’ll scare folks off. I try to remember that now when people ask about pricing.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Creatively Katie Photography – what should we know?
I would call myself a “lifestyle” photographer. I love love love photos with movement and tons of emotion. I think photos are supposed to be beautiful, and I try my damnedest to see the beauty in moments and capture it. My favorite photos are the ones that are unplanned and not posed, and I truly think that’s what sets me apart from others in this industry. I love a good posed photo, but at the end of the day, my favorite photos are going to be a little blurry with a lot of emotion behind them. I always want to get teary eyed when I edit a set of photos. That’s how I know I love what I do; I’m emotionally invested.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Gosh, I think I could write a whole freaking book with this question. I have truly, truly been blessed to have had so many people on my side, rooting for me throughout this journey. My uncle has been the bomb. He has given me 99% of my camera equipment and has pushed me out of my comfort zone creatively way more than once. He is the bomb diggity. My siblings are all super attractive, so they have been the best models I could ask for. My friends are also all super hot, so I’m super thankful that they let me take advantage of their hottness and photograph them. My old soccer coach turned friend/person I ask one million questions to, Zack Robinson, is so cool and lets me ask questions and tag along on shoots with him sometimes. He rocks. My mom and dad are super big cheerleaders of mine; they both encourage me and influence me creatively. Also, I want to thank Drake. He’s going to be a future client of mine, and I want to thank him in advance for the job. But seriously, I really have so many people that are on my side. I’m so lucky, and I know it.
Contact Info:
- Email: creativelykatiephotography@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_katiesanders__/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Creatively-Katie-Photography-2179744345645807/
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