Thinking inside and outside of a pretty big box. | Portraits for Entrepreneurs

Declaration of Interdependence | Entrepreneurs Unite (in Europe) (or Colorado)   Today I made a commitment to be consistent about communicating with my community and inviting my community to be more connected with the work I’m doing.  You, being My Community, are the ones I want to connect with. I’m so glad you’re here. I appreciate your support and I hope to connect in-person as well as in this virtual world. For you that are entrepreneurs – past, present or future entrepreneurs, you may appreciate the blog I wrote for Cowork Evergreen. This speaks of the consistent communication commitment I made – I want my process to be transparent, as it may help others as well. It talks about simplifying all the processes of your business and boiling it down to two simple actions.  You can read more here. Why would I write this? Am I a business coach? Am I changing careers?   While I’m not a biz coach and I am not changing careers, my eyes are opening to the bigger possibilities of how I can connect with and help others around me in the best way I know how. As a small business owner and entrepreneur, I’ve studied with some of the best teachers around and have learned many lessons about what works and what doesn’t work. I’ve learned much from my own experience and from the lessons my clients and peers have taught me. There are also the personal aspects that are entwined yet are so often overlooked as people assume business life is separate from personal life. If you’re an entrepreneur, you KNOW they’re one in...

Thank you! | Hugs & Gratitude from Evergreen, CO.

  I’d like to say thanks! to all of you that have been so supportive of this creative business venture o’ mine. I couldn’t and wouldn’t do it without your support. A vacuum is no place for me (although I would like it to get to know the floors of my home better). I thrive on your feedback and kindness and encouragement and I would like to give you these fresh-cut tulips to show my gratitude for being so open and wonderful!  Big fat hugs to you – have a great weekend! xo,...

Portraiture Art – In the River | Creative Art Portraits in Evergreen Colorado

Photoshoot concepts sometimes come with premeditation, sometimes they come on-the-fly. Often, for me, it’s a combination. I’ll hear about some photographers who will fully map out a shoot and have a firm strategy before the shutter snaps once. I think that’s amazing and I wonder if that’s something to aspire to achieve? Maybe. I don’t know if my brain will every be that organized. For this shoot, I had a strong vision going in of exactly what I wanted. And I got it (secret: it’s the fifth image from the top). But then I kept shooting, playing with angles and working with Charistina’s ideas and what she brought to the table (creek, ground, whatever). And I loved these even more. Welcome to images that I love and that were started with a simple idea and then – with intention, conversation, meditation and experimenting with angles and with post-processing became something I will always hold dear.  This shoot was done in collaboration with Charistina Armbruster, an amazing model, creative thinker, and someone who gets things done. She is warm and kind – an all-around wonderful person. The beauty you see here is on par with what she carries inside. I share these images and hope you feel a connection to them as well. The first shot was featured in Vogue Italia’s online publication (very exciting for both Charistina and me!). You can click on the image to visit the Vogue Italia site.     xo, Katy...

Artful Intention – Creative shoot with Cindy Gottlob | Portraits in Evergreen, Colorado

She strapped on her $200 tango shoes before stepping into the rocky, swiftly flowing stream…       I love almost every photo session I do. But I have to say the more creative shoots – the ones that push both me and my subjects (and the other creatives that are hard at work behind-the-scenes) to shift our thinking, push our mental boxes a bit wider, and inspire more interesting things, have a special place in my heart. Every time I do these shoots, I’m raising my bar a little higher. We could get into more psychology here, but I’m going to stick to visual things and share images from a creative shoot with Cindy Gottlob. Cindy had a career with the Joffrey ballet and is now a mom, competitive tango dancer, dance instructor, and all-around excellent person with an endless font of creativity.  I’m so thankful to have met her and look forward to doing more with her in the future!  Thanks also to Jennifer Ngo, our hair and makeup artist. She can work both in and out of water.   This shoot provided a wide range of images. We had a good amount of time to play and a long summer evening. We experimented in the studio, in the water, on the trail and in the grass. And those shoes? Cindy said that the water helped shrink them back to a tight, proper fit. Risk-taking has perks! Would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. What kind of creative shoot would YOU like to see?     xo,...

Farm Credit Team | Business Headshot Portraits for Women in Evergreen Colorado – Part II

  The Farm Credit National Communications team knows how to do it right. They balance an incredible work ethic with time for fun team activities. Their recent headshot session at our studio was no exception. They made it a Ladies Day Out and had a great time, but still managed to do quite a bit of work in the middle of it. They love what they do, they highly respect the other members of their team and they have exceptional abilities in accessorizing. Sounds perfect to me! 🙂     Check out some recent images from our session below and those from my previous post.  And learn more about the cool stuff Farm Credit does here: Farm Credit Network Website.  Hair and makeup by Jennifer Ngo. It’s time for a new headshot, isn’t it?… Come see me!!...

Summer Studies – kids in-action at home | Family and Kid’s Portraits in Evergreen Colorado

Summer is moving quickly – as always. I love this time of year, especially with kids. They can get out, get their hands dirty and we don’t have to bundle them in several layers of snow gear. I love photographing them against the deep greens of the summer grass and trees – there’s a depth that is easy on the eyes. If you’d like images like this of your little ones – tangible memories of this fleeting season (at least here in Evergreen, Colorado), I offer sessions where we get beautiful images of your littles doing their thing. You can send me an email through the CONTACT link above. This is why I do what I do. Life is too short to miss these opportunities – next Summer they will not be this little.  xo Katy...

A Day in the Life – Don’t Forget to Pack the Camera | Family Portraits Evergreen Colorado

Do you bring your camera with you when you go about your day with your family?  Next time you’re heading out, don’t forget to pack it along, even if that just means your camera phone. Go with the intention of taking at least 10 shots. Shoot 10 things that seem totally ordinary, or ask the kids to do something fun together, just for the photo – do as much or as little as you feel like. Just be sure to shoot with intention. It may seem like a not-very-special day, but, looking back on your images, even just a month later, will feel magical (even the frowny faces 🙂 ). The true power of stopping time, stopping those daily average moments. Because they’re normal today, but they won’t be normal tomorrow. Stop – just stop that moment. If I hadn’t packed my camera for our trip to the park, we wouldn’t have this forever-memory. Love!...

Introducing the Evergreen High School Senior Model – Class of 2014

I’m totally thrilled to introduce my Evergreen High School senior model for the class of 2014.   Derrien Riggio, currently a junior at EHS, loves to hike and play competitive volleyball and hang out with friends. Her favorite subjects to study are anatomy and biology, which will serve her well since she’d like to be a nurse (an ER nurse!). She’d like to use her nursing skills to travel the world doing medical relief work. How awesome is that?  She loves her Evergreen town and high school community and the small-town feel – you know everybody you meet. Derrien has already travelled to many places in and out of the country. She’s been to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, and to her favorite – Costa Rica.     After she graduates from EHS, she hopes to study locally at either Regis University or University of Colorado at Denver.    At her 10-year high school reunion, she’s planning to be living back in Evergreen, working as an ER nurse, with a family and still traveling the world. Love it!    (Here is MY favorite image from our winter shoot… It was COLD – Derrien is a total trooper. A true model. )    And here are a few more favorites from our shoot. I’d like to give a special thanks to Dare Boutique in Evergreen. They styled outfits for us and gave us a wonderful experience at their shop. Their service and expertise are fantastic. They give solid advice and have a good eye for what looks good on different body types and age-appropriate trends. Be sure to like them on...