10. Wild Card

Katie Graham Photo & Video

A question that all of us are asked as early as when we are first able to talk is: What do you want to be when you grow up? 

Many of our responses would range anywhere from professional baseball player to astronaut to even ballerina. My response, though, has really stayed similar for as long as I can remember. I always remember telling people I want to be an artist. Then my answer started to evolve to photographer. At 11-years-old, I recall deciding that I absolutely wanted to pursue a career path as a photographer. It's funny looking back now because I had no idea what that would really entail.

My instagram, instagram.com/katiegrahamphoto

At the end of my freshman year of college, I decided to take the leap and start my "business." I had no idea what I was doing. I made an instagram account, used an old Canon Rebel T3I camera, and set out on my first photo session with the poor people who for some reason decided to trust me. My only experience prior to this was shooting on full auto mode with cameras on yearbook staff in high school. I had taken Beginner Photography my first semester of college, though, and learned a lot from that, and I had kept practicing. So I had a little knowledge but not a lot of applied knowledge. From there, people kept inquiring about photo sessions. 

In my first real year of taking on clients and working as a photographer, I did several senior sessions, family sessions, pageant headshots, newborn sessions, weddings, maternity sessions, and more. I could almost say I've done every kind of session under the moon! It was so exciting to me to get to get this much experience in so many different areas. It really helped me start to realize my niche and what I was really passionate about in the photography realm. I really found a love for photographing couples, weddings, and seniors. I eventually bought a semi-professional camera and then 8 months later, a full blown professional camera and a news lens. I take all kinds of online educational courses and am really trying to learn as much as I can.

My website, katiegrahamphoto.com

I've done a lot of investing in myself and in my business over the past couple of years, and last summer, I even added videography to my skillset. What was once Katie Graham Photography became Katie Graham Photo & Video. I got to create three weddings films in the first 6 months of learning videography! 

My work has also started to get featured by well esteemed photography sites and pages, and one of my goals has been to get featured somewhere. It's been super validating that I'm on the right career path, and it's crazy to think that this is where I wanted to go with my life since the beginning. I love what I do so much, and I always say that my favorite thing about being a photographer is getting the first text/email from a client after I have sent them their photo gallery. It fills me with so much joy to hear people's responses to their photographs of themselves. I really aim to capture people in a way they haven't seen themselves before. I also have spent a lot of time studying posing in order to flatter people in the best way possible. 

Now that I am graduating in just a few days, I am beyond excited and hopeful for my future in this career path. Right now, I have accepted a full time job as a Social Media Coordinator, but I really hope to go full time as a wedding and portrait photographer/videographer in the near future. I can't wait for all the time I'll be able to continue to put into my business now that I'm out of school. It's really surreal that I've gotten to this point, and it's even sooner than I expected since I'm graduating a whole year early. I'm so thankful for my time at SAU and for everything it's helped my accomplish!