Today, we’d like to introduce you to Katrina Murphy.
Hi Katrina, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Those who know me know that I am a queen of nostalgia. When I first picked up a film camera in college, it was inevitable that I instantly fell in love with the craft. Photography not only has endless levels of pushing creativity but also this beautiful storytelling element that I just can’t get enough of.
While pursuing my Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Wisconsin, I snuck into as many film photography classes as my schedule allowed but never entertained the idea of developing it into a career. I dedicated my career goals to graphic design and the non-profit museum realm and even worked at the infamous Museum of Photographic Arts in beautiful Balboa Park.
It wasn’t until playing in an adult soccer league that I met a woman who mentioned she was a destination wedding photographer. I immediately sprung to my feet at the thought of such a dreamy career, took her out for coffee, bought a digital camera that week, and started my business shortly after.
The rest is history! I cannot imagine a different path for me.
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?
It is one thing to master skills in your craft and another to run a business. I had absolutely zero knowledge of entrepreneurship or any business background. A lot of getting started was going off my gut, diving in, and trial and error. With endless research and signing up for every little online tutorial under the sun, I made things happen.
However, I really just jumped in with my feet first. Before ever even shooting under an established photographer, I started shooting small weddings on my own. And let’s not even get started on pricing – but we all have to start somewhere! However, through it all, I now realize that regardless, entrepreneurship will naturally ebb and flow, and we will never have everything dialed in perfectly or figured out.
Everything changes depending on the season, the trends, the phase of motherhood I am in, and the actual economy. While this is challenging, it is also a beautiful thing that keeps us fresh and avoiding auto-pilot, so I now embrace the failures and the lessons just as much as the wins.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Having a background in fine arts and graphic design and this pull for nostalgic storytelling, I use photography as a means to create everyday moments in an artistic fashion. I am never trying to create the “picture perfect picture,” but to create images that will pull on heartstrings for years to come, bring back moments, and let personalities shine through in a beautiful light.
I have a strong admiration for motherhood, both its beauty and its chaos, and I thrive on documenting families in whatever season they may be in. In-home documentary sessions are my absolute passion. While the covid pandemic definitely put a stall on these sessions, along with the fact that we just welcomed our fourth baby, so it has been busy at home, I am now at a place to pick these sessions back up.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Oh gosh, I had such a beautiful childhood growing up in Wisconsin. This is hard to choose! However, I have to say that my dad really put magic into so many little moments. For example, whenever we saw a rainbow, my dad would have me draw out a map of where I think the rainbow ended and where we could find the pot of gold.
We would then hop in our Oldsmobile Station Wagon (where I got to ride backward – also so fun!) and drive around town following my map and looking for the pot of gold. Also, all of our trips camping, boating, and flying to Disney hold a special spot in my memories.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.katrinamariephoto.com
- Instagram: @katrinamariephoto
- Facebook: @katrinamariephoto
Image Credits
@katrinamariephoto
