Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Munson
Hi Kate, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Sometimes careers are borne from from a weaving together of passion and happenstance. That is my story. After graduating with a business degree, I encountered some pretty significant health issues that caused me to pause on a corporate career. This propelled me to search for a job I could do on my terms. With a love for people and a bend towards the creatives, photography seemed like a great option. I had no formal training but started to delve into this art form- not knowing it would grow into what it is today.
Entrepreneurship always requires a certain level of perseverence and certainly a massive commitment to your clients and what you’re delivering. I think my inherent work ethic and drive really allowed me to be sustainable in such a saturated market as photography. This is a very people-centered industry and that works well for me as I am so rooted in relationships. Ultimately, I am a storyteller and more specifically a love-storyteller. I absolutely adore drawing out the authentic soul of a person and having it come through the lens. It means truly listening, building a connection and then finding a way to make that translate through an image.
Today, I have had the honor of documenting hundreds of weddings and thousands of portraits clients and even after all this time, I can say the initial passion that called me to this has not lessened; if anything, it has grown!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I guess when I look at the challenges I’ve encountered as a photographer, I realize I don’t see them as negatives at all but truly opportunities to grow not just professionally but personally. Maybe that sounds cliche but that outlook has served me well as a business owner.
Some of the most obvious struggles include how the market and technology quickly changes in this industry. Keeping up with that while maintaining my style creates a tension sometimes. COVID certainly brought massive unknowns and required a lot of adaptability and trust that we would return to normalcy. But perhaps the most difficult aspect is just juggling the many hats I wear as an entrepreneur while being a single mom to four children. Finding the balance of keeping my business thriving while ensuring my first priority, my children, are well loved and cared for means I am often overextended.
Thankfully, the deep-seated passion I have for both of these roles, along with growth in time management skills, has allowed these areas of life to continue to flourish.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Photography, like all art forms, is definitely a reflection of the creator. I have a lot of joy and love for life and I really do believe you can feel that through the images. I focus on weddings, families, seniors and branding sessions. I love that no two shoots are the same because again, it is about the unique and beautiful story of that person or group of people.
The most rewarding part of what I do is the longterm relationships that develop. I have dozens of clients that I have photographed through all of life’s transitions over these 15 years. To have photographed many of them as seniors about to embark on an exciting new journey and then years later their weddings and the growing of their own families has been so meaningful. It makes their yearly sessions more like visiting an old friend then a job. And then celebrating the love they share with those most important to them through this beautiful art is such a gift to my own heart. \
One thing that differentiates me from others in this industry is that I have a background in business. With both a bachelors in business management and experience working in marketing as well as administration, I feel it’s helped as far as business longevity. It takes knowing how to take pictures AND how to run a company effectively and efficiently to make it and I definitely rely on that business acumen every day.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I love to read and listen to podcasts! I think the goal is perpetual growth as a human and that means consuming materials that really challenged and encourage you. “Atomic Habits” by James Clear and “When you’re ready, this is how you heal” but Brianna Wiest are most most recent impactful resources. Like so many, Brene Brown has also provided some great food for thought both as a business owner and in my personal life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kateannphoto.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate_ann_photo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateAnnPhotoMN/
