It's a new year, and it appears as though I have not written a blog post since this time LAST year. (It doesn't just appear that way - it's true.) I had a very busy year, and while I was working a lot, I did not blog about any of it.
So I thought I would do a little get-to-know-your-photographer post!
From our vacation this summer
Photo courtesy of Karla Davis at Special Little Feet Photography
First of all, hi, I'm Kate. Born and raised (and back living) in Palatine, IL. I moved to Southern California after college with zero intentions of ever coming back to the frigid Midwest, but... never say never! I moved back in late 2016, this time with a family in tow, to live just a few blocks from my childhood home. Funny how things work out! While I very much miss my wonderful friends, the beautiful weather, gorgeous scenery, and fun activities SoCal has to offer, I am equally glad to be raising my kids close to my parents and my sister's family, and to be doing THIS with my life!
Because I would not have been a professional photographer in California. I was too settled and comfortable in my full-time corporate job, and did not have any extra bandwidth to turn my hobby into my career. Moving here made me leave the job I'd had since college graduation, and I had some Big Choices to make. Starting this business was the best thing I could have done!
So here I am, back in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, with a husband, two kids, two cats, a dog, and currently an incredibly wonderful foreign exchange student living with us!
I found a list of Getting to Know You questions and I thought I would answer a few.
1. Do you collect anything? I have a small collection of vintage cameras. Most of them I've found in thrift stores here and there. One belonged to my dad, a camera he used for years, including a trip to Banff, Canada where he encountered (and photographed) a bear. While everyone else in his party ran away as fast as they could. (That's the Olympus near the top shelf.) I got a "new" one for Christmas that isn't in this photo yet!
2. What is your best childhood memory? Most of my childhood I remember fondly, but some of my favorite memories involved my Grandma Peggy. She was quite a character, and thought pretty much any occasion called for dancing a kick line or the Hokey Pokey, life is only worth living if there's chocolate, and excused anything a pre-teen might roll their eyes at with a "you'll miss me when I'm gone!" She was right about that!
3. What makes you unique? My feet are visibly two different sizes. I was told once that Nordstrom will sell you two different sized shoes if your feet are 2 sizes or more different; mine are about 1.5 sizes. I've just gotten used to it!
4. What is one thing you could not go a day without? Coffeeeeeeeeee! I drink it black (except for special occasions), but love a flavored coffee. Peppermint mocha is my current go-to. Here's a recent cup I enjoyed. It was probably peppermint mocha!
5. What does your average weekend look like? Photo sessions in the mornings and/or at golden hour, kid stuff in between. Not much time to relax, but I love it!
6. What was your most unusual job? I'm not sure it was unusual, but I worked at Walt Disney World for a semester and a summer during college. It was the BEST! I worked at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Outdoor Foods, and then at Disney-MGM Studios (reeeeeally dating myself here; AKA Hollywood Studios) at Toy Story Pizza Planet. None of the locations I worked at still exist. SNIFF!
7. If you could travel to the past and change one event, what would it be? If It's a Wonderful Life has taught me anything, it's that nothing good comes of changing the past!
8. What is your favorite snack? Probably popcorn. I have a little silicone microwave air popper and I eat popcorn at least a few days a week.
9. When is your birthday? I was born on Thanksgiving Day! I have a bunch of friends and family members with birthdays the same week as mine, so it's a pretty popular time to be born, I guess.
10. What is the best vacation you've ever taken? I've taken a lot of pretty cool vacations in my lifetime. From Walt Disney World just before the world shut down in 2020 to a quiet little lake house we visit every year in Wisconsin with family. But my favorite recent trip was this past summer's epic European vacation to London, Edinburgh, and Paris!
And... that's all I've got for now! Ask me more in comments, maybe I'll do another one of these posts!