Something was missing from my work, but I couldn't pinpoint just what it was.
Some of you may have already noticed a shift in my edits, a different feel for my images in the way that you see them. And that's true; you have! You see, I have been working diligently behind the scenes to bring you something new, something that is truer to me and something that I feel all of my clients deserve. And they deserve not only a unique experience and beautiful images, but they deserve images that I feel passionate about too.
Now, don't get me wrong, I loved my images, and I love my clients, but I found myself not in love with my work anymore.
And I thought to myself, if I can't be in love with my work, I will eventually lose my passion for it too. And when you lose passion for your work as a photographer, it's ultimately a disservice to your clients.
So, that's when I decided something needed to change. Change is HARD, but change is inevitable. I've always told myself that no matter how hard it may be, change leads to growth, growth leads to satisfaction, and satisfaction leads to an overall positive experience.
The first thing I did was studied my images to pinpoint exactly what it was that I needed to fill my soul. I discovered that my eye is naturally drawn to texture, layers, contrast & shadows, as well as brightness and warmth.
I set out to create a new preset that encompassed all of these things; a preset that I could use as a starting point to all of my images. I could have just used a purchased preset, but I didn't want to! Maybe it is my stubborn nature, or the fact that I wanted complete originality with my work, but I just knew that creating my own preset is what I had to do. Don't get me wrong; there are a lot of incredibly talented photographers that buy them; use them, and produce gorgeous images, but they just weren't for me.
It wasn't an easy task to start from scratch. It needed to be a reflection of who I am; it needed to appeal to not only me, but also to my past and my future clients. I worked nights while my kids slept, and I took advantage of naptime (power hour!). I made a lot of presets that I didn't like; some that made me laugh, some that made me question my career, and some that only I sorta liked.
And then came the one that I KNEW I loved, the one that encompassed all of the things that my eye draws to. The process was hard, but it was also very rewarding to be able to create something so unique to myself; something that I know my clients will love to!
From here on out, my clients will see a change in my work, a change in their edited images. Rest assured, each and every one of you will still receive the top notch experience that you've all come to know and love! And I hope you'll continue to fall in love with your images, just as I do.
XO,
Katrina