Hi there!
My name is Katie. I'm a senior and wedding photographer based in Dallas and Austin, Texas. I'm also a Business and Plan II Honors student at the University of Texas.
I have always loved storytelling,
and the way I make photographs is similar to the way I write.
The first part of my process is inquiry, which, in my case, is a quieter undertaking. I prefer to observe than interview, stand back instead of direct; my presence is acknowledged, it does not intrude.
I then begin to craft a narrative. Only, instead of playing with sentence structure and word choice, I weave together light, location, and ambiance with framing and composition.
Speaking of stories, here is mine.
2/25/2022
5 years.
I remember noting that I’d be a senior in high school by the time KCP turned 5. It felt like such a distant milestone; I couldn’t imagine the person I’d be and the things I’d be doing at 17 when I was 12. Today was nearly half a lifetime away.
5 years ago, I woke up with adrenaline running through my veins. I was going to photograph my first client. It didn’t matter that the “client” was a fifth-grader and I charged $5/hour for my work. The photoshoot marked the first time my creative outlet was also a service, the day my hobby became a business.
I knew I was beginning a journey, I just didn’t know how formative the journey would be.
I thought my greatest obstacle would my age. I remember revealing (very hesitantly) that I was 12 to my first clients, fearing they’d cancel on me. I remember spending hours planning “mature-sounding” Instagram captions, replicating editing styles older photographers used, even adopting a more "mature" sense of fashion—all in my attempt to disguise my youth.
I was very shy, so engaging in conversation with strangers was a feat. I was so nervous before my first photoshoots—I remember trying to be as bubbly as possible (to match my equally excited Instagram persona) and returning home exhausted. I never established a boundary between having a professional persona and downright performing. In many ways, I was performing. I didn’t allow myself to create the way I wished to, and it was a disservice to both me and my clients.
But over time, my quest to overcome my age and introversion became a journey to embrace it. My age has allowed me to connect with other young entrepreneurs, my introversion allows for an observant approach to my work—it isn’t an obstacle. In fact, I’ve found striving to understand others to translate their stories, their essences, is perhaps the most rewarding aspect of portrait photography.
I’m still bewildered by the amount of trust my first clients had in me. To those of you who have given me the opportunity to know and photograph you since 2017, as well as those of you who have supported by just following along, thank you. KCP would not be here if it weren’t for you.
And I love quite a few other things, too.
When I'm not studying or answering emails, I enjoy writing (you can find some of my work here!), practicing the violin, playing dress-up, and spending time outside.