Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Faith.
Katie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
When I look back, it’s kind of funny, because becoming a photographer was not a dream of mine. Even more ironic is the fact that while in high school I took art classes, drawing and painting, and I didn’t even consider photography an art. It just didn’t seem okay that I could spend 4 hours drawing a tree and someone else could walk up, click a button, and call it a masterpiece. It all changed for me when I saw some friends of mine who had these larger-than-point-and-shoot cameras and interchangeable lenses. After a couple photo sessions with my friends, I was convinced that photography could actually be art. I ended up buying my very first camera off of craigslist from some guy in a hookah lounge. It was a Canon Rebel XSi. I was set. I just needed to know how to use it. In my sophomore year of high school I took a semester of beginner’s photography and later ended up taking two week-long intensive courses through The Institute of Photographic Studies. Once I understood my camera and lighting, I began photographing my friends to build my portfolio. From there, things sort of took off when I was asked to photograph my brother’s sports teams, my church’s events and services, and various portrait sessions. After that, I was able to second-shoot weddings and to learn from some talented friends for a year before I photographed my very first wedding at age nineteen.
Today, I know it’s something that The Lord put into my heart and hands, and I am blessed with the opportunities to photograph for individuals, creatives, musicians, business owners, brands, couples, weddings, events, and conferences. I am so humbled to be able to capture moments in time for people, helping them to tell their story. Side note: I would be lying if I said I didn’t still get butterflies before every shoot. I think that’s the creative process though, just a part of pushing boundaries creatively, and I don’t think I ever want to say that I’ve arrived.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Oh man, it has not been a smooth road. In between all of the highs there have definitely been lows. Like the time I fell for a sob-story that became an absolute nightmare, or the time that I reached burn-out and quit wedding photography for a hot minute, which left me questioning my career. There have been many hard days where it seemed like the editing was backed up for weeks, the personal life was put on hold, and the social life barely existed. However, the good days have always outweighed the bad ones. Like when a client sends me a heartwarming text about their photos, when I get to celebrate a marriage that far surpasses every fantasy, and when I receive an inquiry to help tell another story. That keeps me going.
Please tell us about Katie Faith Photography.
Honestly, I photograph almost everything: individuals, couples, brands, weddings, and events. I was never really that great at niching, but then again, I’m probably known for photographing portraits. Whenever given the opportunity, I love being able to get to know people and their story, what makes them get up in the morning, what their passion is, etc. More than that though, I am absolutely elated to help others see themselves for the beautiful people they are. It’s hard in this culture of filters to really see ourselves at our best. Instead, it’s much easier to hold onto lies and labels that society would like to throw at us, that we’re not beautiful, that we’re not worthy, that we don’t have what it takes. As cliché as it sounds, I love helping others see themselves for who they really are: beautiful, worthy, capable. One of the greatest highlights of a photo session for me is the moment a client sees their photo on the back of my camera and smiles with a new perspective of themselves. They tend to leave more confident than they came, and that’s the goal. On that same note, I think what sets me apart from other photographers is my style. I try to keep to a very clean and journalistic look that remains timeless, and I hope to be as personal as I am professional. Getting to know people helps in telling their story and in photographing their true self –and if we’re friends after the photo session I wouldn’t even be mad.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Oh, that’s a good question. I think if I had to start over, I would have taken the advice: “value yourself and others will value you as well” way more seriously, and I probably would have outsourced the tasks that I could have in the busier wedding seasons. Some of the best, sweetest clients that I had the honor of working with truly valued me and my work. And the things that I could have outsourced were things that I really should have delegated and I still would have lived my best life. Overall though, I’m so thankful for every lesson learned, because without them I wouldn’t be who I am today.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.katiefaithphoto.com
- Email: katiefaithphoto@yahoo.com
- Instagram: @katieofaith
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
