A Detailed History of Kate Holt Photography
As some of you know, I have been in the wedding game for a long time. Over that time I’ve shot hundreds of weddings, engagements and other life events that people want lasting physical memories of. I love getting to share my experience with couples and telling people me and my business is a part of what has made Kate Holt Photography so popular here in the PNW!
While I realize that most of you know a good deal about me, my hobbies, interests and basic life info, you probably don’t have a very detailed knowledge of how KHP came to be! That’s why I’m writing this blog, to share more about the KHP you all know and love. So, here we go!
I founded KHP in 2013. I was the sole person behind the dream, and I did everything on my own to make sure it ran smoothly! Though I didn’t have many weddings to shoot (I only shot one during my first year) I did have plenty of other work to do. As some of you know, starting a business is not an easy feat, and it takes many months to get everything in order. I had to handle all the spreadsheets, paperwork and legal responsibilities on my own.
Within a couple of years, however, my calendar got so full that I found myself working, literally, 24/7 just to keep up with the workload. Photographing and editing take a large amount of time and getting busy doesn’t mean that the other responsibilities of running a business get smaller, in fact they get more and more prevalent the more your business grows! It was around this time that I found that my paper filing system simply couldn't keep up. So add on-top of the insane amounts of bookings, having to change one's entire business organization from paper to the digital realm; whew, just thinking about it makes me anxious again!
My goal wasn’t just to make money. I liked wedding photography because of the people I met, the relationships I formed. The beauty of rendering a service like mine is that you have unique opportunities to share life with others! Of course, I wanted to produce a stellar product that my clients would love for ages, but I didn’t just want to be fully enveloped in a business mindset. I needed to keep things friendly, lively and personable! In fact I still have dinner with past client’s multiple times throughout the year!
When I brought Dom into the company things changed for the better! I was no longer soloing the whole job; I had some extra hands (literally) and it turned out to be just what I needed! I first taught Dom how to edit. I needed him to be able to match my style so that he could help take some of the load off me when it came time to edit. Thus his study of lightroom began and now, many years later he is not only fluent, but a pro! I trust him to edit anything I shoot!
Dom has been incredible, he not only took a huge weight off me with the editing help, but he also took charge of streamlining my entire process and workflow so that I could better manage the number of bookings I was getting. Thanks to Dom I had a smooth way of managing my client’s info and my bookings through some awesome digital software!
2015 Dom took a huge step further into helping me run the company. I asked him to help me shoot the weddings and Dom being Dom he agreed immediately and with great excitement! During 2015 he second shot alongside me all year long and by 2016 he was booking his own weddings and second shooting with me! He bought all his own gear and made the job his own, and with that he was off and running!
After that everything started really coming together! Dom and I increased our client experience, continued to streamline our workflow so that from the moment you call us to the moment we deliver your gallery everything is as smooth as possible!
Over the last 4 years we have shot a consistent 30-40 weeding per season across OR and WA. The business has expanded so much that we now have teams of photographers and editors in both OR and WA. We recently branched out and added a new member to our team; it’s our photo booth!
Dom and I both love wedding photography for reasons stated above. The beauty of the day, the magic of the ceremony, the fun at the reception. But most importantly because we get to meet and connect with people like you! We strive together to make it feel more like a friend is shooting your wedding rather than a professional photographer. I find that there needs to be a balance of both, and like all things, without balance there can be no success!
I found that a great way to make a lasting impression is through the pre and post wedding experience! When I get the pleasure of working with a client I want them to feel like I care for them not only on the day of but before that special day and after the events are over! Why? Because that’s how I’d want to be treated. That’s how I want to treat others! My goal is to make you feel loved and to help you in any way I can! Making sure your wedding day goes smoothly is something that I value because when you, the couple, are happy that makes me happy too!
Thank you so much for reading this blog! I hope that you not only found it informative, but that you also were able to enjoy the KHP story. I strive to continue to make wonderful lasting memories as your photographer and your friend! Thanks!
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