My Story

My passion for photography was born in 2006. My father had just bought his very first DSLR camera, a Nikon D80. I think I enjoyed taking it out more often than he did. Perhaps, he did not have as much free time as I did then. I enjoyed taking photos and playing around with editing and seeing what I could do artistically with the image. It wasn't until 2019 when my husband bought me my own very first DSLR camera for Christmas. He knew how much I wanted to beautifully capture every.single.moment of our small children growing up. This thoughtful gift brought me to tears. This is where photography became my hobby. I started learning my camera and different photography techniques, and in 2022 I mustered the courage to take my camera off "auto." Now, any photographer knows exactly what this means, but for those of you who don't means I control all the settings over each image!

In July of 2024, little did I know, my life in photography would change in ways I never would have imagined. I attended a free class about turning photography into a business. The class was put on by our local camera shop, coincidentally called, The Camera Shop. The class was taught by an extremely talented photographer, Kenny Hekhuis. This class was just the beginning of turning my hobby into a career. At the end of the class, Kenny challenged us to "take the leap of faith." Nothing in my life had resonated so deeply with me before. So, I leaped.

At this time, I wasn't sure which direction of photography I wanted to go, so I spent the remainder of 2024 trying to figure that out. I dabbled in most niches of photography, getting a feel for each one. It honestly brings me so much joy to capture families, seniors, and sports, which is where I've settled.

In May of 2025 an incredible opportunity opened up. A top-rated local photographer posted she was looking for an associate photographer. I had looked up to her work for years and had been following her since my kids were little! She captures families so beautifully and I was eager to learn from her. I figured it was a shot in the dark and there were probably many applicants, but what did I have to lose? So, I applied. I leaped again. Much to my surprise, I was selected as Whitney Leigh Photography's Associate Photographer! Not many people get to learn from the artist they admire, so to say I am ecstatic about this opportunity is an understatement. I am so thankful for this opportunity and am eager to continue learning from Whitney.

When I'm not at a photoshoot or learning new techniques, I'm a mom to 4 crazy kids. I'm a hockey, dance, baseball, and softball mom. They definitely keep me busy with all their interests and activities! If I'm not chasing my kids, then I'm probably watching a TV show and hanging out with the hubs!

~Kate