When we told Kaitlin that she'd been selected as our December Studio Feature, we had no idea how serendipitous that decision would be! Not only is December Kaitlin's favorite month, but this particular December brings her a milestone birthday, a destination wedding in Jamaica, a NYE wedding shoot, and, of course, the joy of the holidays! We felt excited to be adding yet another great element to her already exciting (and crazy!) month. We also couldn't think of a better way to end our year of influential 2015 Studio Features. Each year, these blog posts open our eyes to the incredible talent of our customers, and help us stay inspired and motivated to succeed. We feel honored to have Kaitlin Noel Photography as our final feature for 2015, and look forward to what next year holds!

Studio Name
Kaitlin Noel Photography, LLC

Studio Location
Cape May, NJ

Website
kaitlinnoelphotography.com
Kaitlin Noel Photography Blog

What is your background and how did it lead to photography?
This is always a fun answer for me to give because usually, it is not an answer anyone expects. I went to college pre-law. I graduated with a degree in criminal justice and was determined to head straight to law school upon graduation. However, God had other plans for me. The summer after graduation I met the man I was going to marry and we quickly had a love story unfold and found out we were expecting our first baby. At that point, we knew law school dreams were falling by the wayside and would have to be placed on the back burner for the time being. I was desperate to find something I could do that would allow me to be present as a new mother and yet have something I was still passionate about career wise. During my years in high school, I signed up for any and all classes that involved photography. Then in college, I took pictures of evidence at a crime scene which only sparked my interest in photography more. After the birth of my second son, I picked up my camera again and I am not quite sure I have put it down since. Law school dreams were a part of the past and all I could see was a future in photography. To be honest, I am pretty sure that underneath my love and passion for the law, this fire burning passion to be a photographer was always there. A fire far too bright to ever truly extinguish. One wedding booked turned into two, then five, then 20. In a matter of three years I was full time. Now going on my fifth year, I shoot an average of 40 weddings a year and over 60 families. Life and business have never been better. Being home to get my children ready for school and to be there when they get home from school, work on my own schedule and terms, its just amazing. It may not have been the dream all along, but it sure was the fantasy!

What type of photography do you shoot the most, and what is your favorite type of photography?
I am primarily a wedding photographer. I have the insane pleasure of traveling all over the place for weddings and I wouldn't change a second of it. When I first started in photography, I was shooting newborns and families. Though I do not shoot newborns anymore, I do love my repeat family clients and meeting new families each year for beach portraits. Anniversary sessions are also quickly growing on me as a second favorite to engagements /weddings.

What is your photographic style and aesthetic? How did you develop this style?
Most refer to my photography as "ethereal" in terms of aesthetic. In terms of style they often say I capture the real moments. Those in between moments the couple can't even see for themselves. I always blush at those compliments. I love my editing style being defined as more light, bright and airy. This is the style I consistently sought after from the beginning, so I'm happy to have achieved it with a bit of my own flare. After years of following others work, while developing and crafting my own style, I have always found myself over exposing in camera. I would always try to find the light in sessions, and not fully hide from it. I love to take sharp images, but with a very soft and realistic feel to them. For me if an image is most similar to real life and how it really looked and felt in that moment, that is the best of all. That is the style with which I want to be associated.

What is in your photography kit?
I am a cannon shooter! I shoot with a Canon 5d mark 3. I shoot entirely with prime L Series lenses. I do own a few zoom lenses, but they are hardly used in comparison to my primes. My trigger and flashes systems are pretty basic and typical to most photographers that work with off camera flash. One of my favorite parts of my "kit" however, is my bag! I am an ONA bag user and a fierce lover of their products. I can not recommend them enough. They are functional and stylish, even my husband will wear it. In terms of personal items, I tend to always have gum, snacks, band-aids, and bobby pins for those last minute bridal needs.

What post-processing tools do you use?
I edit strictly on a laptop. I know most people cringe at the idea of working on such a small screen, but it is all I have ever known and all I've ever had. Plus, with the amount of traveling that I do, it just makes sense. On my 15 inch MacBook Pro retina laptop I edit with Lightroom. I cull my images with Photo Mechanic and blog with Blog Stomp.

What was the gist of your business plan when you first started?
"Make it work"! As a mother of two small children under the age of 2, having just graduated college with the impending doom of repaying my many student loans on the horizon, my business plan was simply "Figure it out, do whatever it takes, and make it work!" I remember when the dream was to make enough money to pay all the bills in one month. Another dream after that was to be able to go food shopping and get whatever I wanted, not just the 5 staples of what I needed. My business plan was built on faith, hope, love and support. My husband was my biggest fan and supporter. Great friends pushed me and told me to keep going. My grandparents prayed for me. With hard work, little sleep, lots of faith and my two little boys as my constant reminders that life was happening, we made it work. It had to work. No excuses.

After each session I took one fourth of my earnings and put it into business checking, and another one fourth into business savings. Then I took the remaining 50% of my earnings and pooled my money together to buy new gear for photography. Luckily, my husband's job gave us the support we needed to live in our younger years without my contribution. Without him, I am quite positive I wouldn't be where I am today.

What is your best photography tip and post-processing tip?
In terms of a photography tip, as trite as it may sound, practice! Practice really does make perfect. Practice different light situations. Work with friends to practice posing, with kids to learn patience. Figure out what you want to shoot and practice your craft! Learn your camera. Learn your go to settings for your lenses, the "sweet spots," if you will. For me, investing in prime lenses really taught me a lot about light. I had to move my feet to get the angle, the light, and the composition I wanted. Zooms were making me lazy thinking the shot would just come to me.

When it comes to processing, it really comes down to time and consistency! You will find that most photographers complain that editing takes so much time and that they feel as though they can't nail down an editing style and everything looks inconsistent. First and foremost, do yourself a favor and invest in Photo Mechanic. It is a total game changer. It allows you to cull your images at a lightning speed and even organize them into editing and blogging categories. There is a free trial, so why not go ahead and try it. I bet you'll love it and love getting your life back.

If post processing isn't your passion and you find it is stripping your time and joy, consider outsourcing. Outsourcing doesn't make you a lazy, bad or incompetent photographer. In most eyes it makes you a smart and a damn good photographer for realizing post processing it not your strong suit, and that's OKAY!

What was your greatest challenge so far as a professional photographer?
When you are an artist or creative in any field, each day brings its own new challenges and struggles. When you own your own small business on top of that, it brings on a whole slew of difficulties. I truly think it comes down to "how bad do you want something" and that will determine how difficult the task really is. I believe it is human nature to talk something up to being too difficult or impossible and throwing in the towel before really attempting to overcome the challenge.

Many fear the following: 1) the consequences of failure and 2) that we may not truly want something as much as someone thinks we should want it. Its hard to find a place where you belong. Where you feel safe and at home was in your own skin. We are looking for a place where we have a voice. Art is subjective and it is a painful realization that not everyone is going to like or accept you or your art. In the beginning that's a great challenge to overcome and to be okay with. I find the most difficult part of the photography industry these days is the curse of comparison. At any point in the day, coming across another photographers work either ignites a fire in me and inspires me, or it leaves me feeling completely deflated, overwhelmed and downright jealous. I find myself wondering should I shoot more like this person? Edit like this person? Will that make me more successful, more noticed, better? And the jealousy monster strikes again causing you to wonder if other photographers have prettier locations, better areas to market, or cuter and more willing couples. AND IT'S JUST NOT TRUE! NONE OF IT!

What is true is that there will always be something we pick at. Always something we wish we could change, do better at, and have more of. As creatives and artists we are perfectionists. We are often more emotional than logical. We tend to be overly self critical and always focus on the "more" and "what's next" than what we currently have. I am guilty of all of it. It's a daily task to remind myself to not compare myself to others. Especially my success. I have to remind myself that just because it works for them, doesn't mean it'll work for me. Their journey is different than mine and that is OK. I have a post-it note above my desk that says " I will never be like them " with a big black marker line through it and underneath it says "They will never be like me!" It makes me smile every day!

What three things should you prioritize when starting a photography business?

1) Education!

Education is so important. You can not expect to buy a DSLR professional grade camera and start a Facebook business page and hit the ground running. You need to learn your craft. LEARN your camera. Learn the business of this industry. Learn your market. Learn your style. Learn editing. The biggest mistake newbies make is thinking this is just a quick buck job that is fun filled with props. Its just not. They think its the camera that is taking pretty photos, when it really has LITTLE to do with the equipment one has. Sure it helps, but not if the user is not well versed in the mechanics of it. I learn something new every single day. Invest in yourself and your craft so you have a substantial future in photography.

2) Investment!

Once you decide to get educated, do not just invest in fancy gear you cant work. Invest in your business. Invest in your education. Take classes, workshops, and more. Invest in a website/blog. Invest your time in shadowing other photographers to get practice in the field. Invest into getting positive referrals and recommendations. Invest into your passion and I promise others will want to as well. Its the easiest way to never "work" another day in your life!

3) Building a Positive Reputation to Fuel Positive Word of Mouth!

Any last words of wisdom?
Don’t follow the rules, make your own! I have no interest in someone telling me I need to shoot to “make it”. My only concern is my client and being true to myself with my art. The minute I fail at either, I am safely assuming I would no longer be in business. At least a successful business. Break the mold and shoot what speaks to you, what you see. Add a story to your image or let it speak for itself. No matter what, if you follow every rule this industry tries to create, you will fail and will never get ahead or stand out. Growing pains are part of it. Failing way more than succeeding in the beginning is a good thing. And the fear you have, its a good thing; It tells you where the edge is. Push those limits and never conform.

To learn more about Kaitlin Noel Photography, head to herwebsite or connect with her on Social Media:

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