Print Yo’ Photos

Collaborating with my clients to create heirloom artwork that they and their families will be able to pass down through generations is LIFE. Seriously. Life.…

Print Yo’ PhotosRead More

Why Documentation is SO Vitally Important. (And How it Will Save Yo’ Ass)

Why Documentation is SO Vitally Important. (And How it Will Save Yo’ Ass) Anyone who’s been in business or worked in a business environment for…

Why Documentation is SO Vitally Important. (And How it Will Save Yo’ Ass)Read More

Prepping for Your Portrait Session

Prepping Your Family Because they won’t be little forever. Coordinating the Crew As you’re coordinating your outfit with your family, keep in mind that your…

Prepping for Your Portrait SessionRead More

Styling Your Portrait Session

Style Tips: For Her Because you always want to remember this. Don’t Be Afraid to Dress It Up Have you thought about rocking a romantic…

Styling Your Portrait SessionRead More

Planning Your Portrait Session

What Every Client Needs to Know Whether we’re updating your headshot, capturing your sweet family, or celebrating a special moment in your life, like a…

Planning Your Portrait SessionRead More

Photographing COMFEST. #cookeatexplore #khalifestylephotography #comfest #columbusohio #asseenincolumbus #communityovercompetition #summerincbus

Photographing COMFEST | Summer in Ohio

Three days after fully arriving in Ohio two years ago, we went to Bakersfield for dinner with my mom, to celebrate our arrival in Ohio.…

Photographing COMFEST | Summer in OhioRead More

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Let’s Talk Plan B | The Brass Tacks

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LetstalkplanB #CollectiveBias #ad The Importance of Having a…

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EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN IS NOT ART.

You know those nights when you go to bed early, fall asleep pretty quickly, mayyyyybe getting up to drink water or pee, but never wake…

EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN IS NOT ART.Read More

Print Yo’ Photos

July 29, 2020 By // by kate

Collaborating with my clients to create heirloom artwork that they and their families will be able to pass down through generations is LIFE. Seriously. Life.

IB Art kicked off not only my study of the interplay of emotion and art through documentary photography, but the actual creation and expression of my own body of work. From there, a degree in psychology.

Print Yo’ Photos

I’ve documented my life, and by proxy, the lives of those around me since I was 16 years old, and studied emotions since I was 18.

(For those of you keeping score, that means I’ve had a camera in hand for more than half of my life.)

Enter Lifestyle Documentary

Sessions are built around celebrating and documenting who you are.

Want to do it up Black Tie? GREAT. Want to kick it and cuddle on the couch in sweats with steaming hot mugs and piles of books? FANTASTIC. Digital Nomad? YUP.

We can do that, too.

The saying that “You’ll never know the true value of a photograph until it’s gone.”, you can’t know how true that is, until you do.

Show up in photos. Take up that space. Then print them, hang them on your walls, set them on the shelves in your office.

Document your moments, because this life is not a dress rehearsal.

Why Documentation is SO Vitally Important. (And How it Will Save Yo’ Ass)

November 9, 2019 By // by kate

Why Documentation is SO Vitally Important. (And How it Will Save Yo’ Ass)

Anyone who’s been in business or worked in a business environment for more than a day, has come across an unhappy client situation. No matter what your role is in the situation, the business owner, the unhappy client, the receptionist who may have had the misfortune of being the first person to get blasted when in all reality you just needed to know who to transfer the call to, it’s not a fun situation to find yourself in.

I’ve found that often, once unhappy clients feel as though their frustrations have been heard, and really heard, not heard to the point that they stop talking so that you can jump in and try and fix it, but well and truly heard and acknowledged, they’re often willing to work with you to find a solution. (I’m using you here, as this article is geared towards photographers, and often we’re operating as our business in this unhappy client situation.)

One of the hardest, and most important, things to do when we have an unhappy client (and here’s the sticking point. It doesn’t matter if it’s justified, or not, at least not at first) is to separate the emotions from the facts.

Waaaaaay easier said than done, I know.

As photographers, and creative entrepreneurs in general, our work is us. We pour so much of ourselves not only into the work that we deliver, but into our business, that it is personal for us, and separating that out is REALLY hard.

That is only one of the many reasons that you absolutely, 100%, all of the time, no matter what need to be using contracts for EVERY. SINGLE. CLIENT. EVERY. SINGLE. SHOOT. Even when you do them for free.

Why You Should Listen to What I Have to Say

Before I took the leap to full-time photography and blogging I worked first in professional sales for a national diamond retailer, and then as a relationship manager for two of the big five banks. Throughout those job roles it was drummed into my head on an almost hourly basis just how important it is to properly document all communication you have with your clients.

You think people get emotional about photos? Try working with their heirloom diamonds and their money.

Documentation is EVERYTHING. When it really comes down to it, if it’s not in writing, it didn’t happen. Simple as that. The LAST place you ever want to be when emotions are heightened is a he said she said situation.

Yes, once words are said they can never be taken back, but it’s when they’re in writing that they stand up in a court of law, should it ever come down to it.

Document EVERYTHING. Do I sound like a broken record yet? It is THAT. IMPORTANT.

Create a file for your clients, and into it goes notes on every conversation, every email, screenshot every text message conversation, and anything sent via Facebook Messenger. Ideally, you’ll never have to refer back to it, but the reality is that it’s not an if, it’s a when that you’ll be thanking your lucky stars that you keep the records that you do.

Why (Good) Contracts are so Damn Important

If you read through the discussion boards in Rachel Brenke’s Facebook Group, thelawtog® – the legal resource for photographers, (if you haven’t joined that group yet, get on it. The information and knowledge in that group is MINDBLOWING) you’ll find that almost all of the people posing questions and asking for advice didn’t use a contract up front.

By not using a contract, and a properly worded one at that, for every single client, every single time, (ESPECIALLY when working with friends or family), you are opening yourself and your business up to a whole lotta heartache down the road.

But Kate, you say, no money is exchanging hands, I don’t need one. WRONG. False. You do need one. EVERY. SINGLE. CLIENT. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

If no money is changing hand, cool, anywhere that talks about the money, simply put $0.00. Your contract is what legally outlines what each parties’ responsibilities are regarding the business transaction that you are about to enter into.

How many days do you have to deliver your final product? It’s in your contract.

What all is included in that final product? It’s outlined in your contract.

How much are you getting paid for the work that you’re doing? It’s in your contract.

Are the RAW files you shoot available to your client, in any way? (The answer to that had better be HELL no, by the way) That’s all outlined in your contract.

What happens if you’re being harassed or made to feel unsafe by a guest at the event you’re covering? Can you pack your gear and leave, and know that your client CANNOT sue you for breach of contract for leaving before the end time listed on your contract? That had better be outlined.

Rachel Brenke made available, FOR FREE, the contract language regarding abuse and harassment. Get it, and get it into your contract ASAP if it isn’t there already.

You get the gist. Your contract is what lines out, point by point what is expected of and from you as the photographer, and what is expected of and from your client.

When you find yourself in a situation that cannot be resolved between yourself and an angry, unhappy client, you had better believe one of the first things your attorney will ask you for is a copy of the signed contract.

It’s that contract that everything will refer back to, and it’s what will ultimately save yo’ ass. If you know, without a doubt, that you have delivered everything you were contracted to, and have that signed document, along with the supporting documentation of the conversations you’ve had with your client leading up to the point of getting attorneys involved, you’re golden.

Not only do you need to have it, you need to know exactly where to find it, and it needs to be organized.

Invest the money in your business, and in yourself, to have good contracts. While something scribbled on the back of a grocery store receipt, or a contract that you’ve cobbled together MIGHT work out in your favor, you can’t know that for sure.

Rachel Brenke is an attorney who is also a photographer. The contracts that are available for purchase through her website, The LawTog, and also through Rachelbrenke.com, are written specifically for photographers.

Spend the money. The few hundred that you spend on your contracts upfront, will save you potentially thousands down the road.

Contracts Between Colleagues (Yup. You Need Them There Too)

Any business relationship that you enter into, be it with your favorite makeup artist, someone you’re guest blogging for or someone that you’ve hired to work with you as your second shooter at an event, should be backed up by a solid contract.

It doesn’t matter how well you get along with the people you have business relationships with, if you don’t have a contract set up, you’re being an idiot.

Your contracts are what protect you, and just like with clients, they’re what outline the salient points of your working relationships, and should things go south, they’re what your attorneys, and ultimately a judge will refer back to.

Your Clients Initials are Your Best Friend.

Throughout my career in the financial world, I learned just how important it is to walk through each provision in your contract, with each client. Remember that every client every time thing?

Yup. We’re back to that.

You may know your contract inside out and backward, and be familiar with industry standards, but your clients aren’t.

It’s our job as professionals to help educate our clients, and the general public, as to what we do. What we include in our packages, the timeline that a client’s gallery will be finished and delivered, the manner in which the gallery is delivered, ALL of that should be explicitly stated in your contracts.

There should be ZERO room for interpretation, and ZERO room for misunderstanding.

Raise your hand if you’ve had clients blow you up the day after a session, asking when their photos will be done, or if you have a sneak peek for them yet. Drives you crazy right?

If you not only have the answers to those questions in your contract, but you’ve explained each point to your clients, and then’ve gone the additional step of having them initial next to each provision, you’ve eliminated the majority of the chance for miscommunication. Note that I am hedging a little bit there, as there will always be a client who refuses to read everything before they initial and sign, but once they have, read it or not, legally, you’ve covered yo’ ass.

Client Communication. (Why it is SO important to document everything.)

Life is busy. Owning your own business is a never-ending to-do list, and I’m pretty sure that no matter how caught up we may feel at any given time, there is always more to do.

If I asked you what time any given client first accessed their online gallery, and from what email address, could you tell me? Could you tell me with enough certainty that you would swear to it under oath to a judge and jury of your peers? Off the top of our heads, probably not, but that’s where documentation comes into play.

Now add the stress that dealing with an irrational and angry client to your day. Now, when I ask you to tell me what day and time you delivered their gallery, and oh by the way, how did you get them that info? Can you do it? Would you be able to swear to it to a judge?

That is how important it is.

Does anyone expect you to know all of that info off of the top of your head for every client you’ve ever had? No. That would be insane.

But you should have your processes in place so that you can find it, and you can find it quickly.

Email has made keeping track of communication with clients remarkably easier than it used to be. Print out the email thread, add it to your file. CRM’S have made it even easier. (This is the one that I use)

Have a phone conversation? Take notes as you go, and once the call is over, send a recap email, and make sure to ask your clients to reply to the email to acknowledge both receipt of the email, as well as confirming that recap is accurate. Does it take time that you may feel you don’t have? Absolutely. Will it someday save yo’ ass? Absolutely.

I have a word document, for each client, each business interaction, that every time we communicate, I go in and notate it. It can be as simple as 10/28/17 – chatted via FB messenger with Stacie regarding guest blogging for Colorvale LLC, see attached screenshots.

You’re creating a record, a timeline of your interactions with your clients and peers, because in the event that you let your processes slip, and have to go back through months of email threads, screenshots, to create that timeline for your attorney, you’ll be seriously kicking yourself in the ass.

File Folders are Your Friend

There’s a reason that you see so many file cabinets in office buildings. Business creates mountains of paperwork, and again, if you don’t have a solid organizational system in place, it can get overwhelming, fast.

Each client has their own folder, and into goes all printed copies of contracts, screenshots, email print outs, the photos of their outfits for their sessions, EVERYTHING.

File folders keep things contained, and easy to find. Especially when you need to answer a question quickly.

Plus, keeping everything in your workspace organized and uncluttered will help with productivity.

How Documentation Will Save Yo’ Ass

You’ve got your processes in place now. Your contracts are solid, you’re documenting your communication with your clients and those with whom you’re entering into business relationships. You have copies of all signed contracts, both physically printed and saved electronically, and you’re rocking it organizationally. Life is sweet.

Aaaaaaaand then a client moves past the difficult stage and you find yourself hiring an attorney.

First thing that they’re going to ask you for, a copy of the signed contract, and an outline of the situation. You don’t have to try and remember.

You’ve got it all lined out.

#khalifestylephotography #cookeatexplore #theladyh

Prepping for Your Portrait Session

July 24, 2019 By // by kate

Prepping Your Family

Because they won’t be little forever.

Coordinating the Crew

As you’re coordinating your outfit with your family, keep in mind that your outfits will look the most cohesive on camera when the color palette and wardrobe pieces coordinate, but don’t actually “match.”

In fact, we recommend that you avoid thinking about “matching,” and instead think about what “fits” together. This will create more visual interest, and allow each personality to shine through.

How to Mix Colors

k.H.a.-LIFESTYLE-PHOTOGRAPHY-THE-SULLIVANS-HEADSHOTS

The goal for coordinating a family is to visually break up the colors and shades so that you’re not all wearing the same color on top and bottom. The more we can mix that up, the better. We encourage you to think about planning each outfit with “dominant colors” and “accent colors” in mind. A dominant color is the color that you see the most in an outfit, while an accent has a smaller piece of visual real estate.

When you’re planning each family member’s outfit, if you can aim for each person to have a different dominant color, and then tie in and vary the accent colors, it’s going to look great all together.

For example, if you’re wearing a blush dress, soft blue earrings and nude heels (blush being your dominant color), then he could wear a navy coat with a white button-down and gray pants, paired with brown leather shoes and maybe even a blush pocket square (making navy his dominant color). Your daughter could wear a soft blue top with a white tulle skirt (making a soft blue her dominant color) while your son wears light beige pants with navy suspenders and a white button down (making white his dominant color).

Each person having their own dominant color while still incorporating a few touches of the others that will pull all the looks together. This will break up the color visually and highlight each personality.

Most of our moms choose their dress first, and then build the rest of the family’s outfits based around that.

Remember, we recommend selecting those softer, lighter tones and avoiding those ultra-bright, bold colors. (unless we’re in the studio, then it’s free game on color)

The camera loves shades of soft pink and muted blues, mixed with sophisticated light neutrals like heather gray, creams, leather brown and white. Feel free to vary the shades of the colors, too. That softer color palette fits beautifully into a natural environment, and can easily be paired in so many different ways.

Mixing Up the Pieces

If you have multiple children, don’t feel like you need to put them all in the same type of outfit. For example, one of your daughters could wear a dress and flats, while the other wears a skirt and boots. One of your sons could wear a bowtie, while the other one wears suspenders. Mixing up the wardrobe pieces will bring great visual interest to the photos.

Prepping Your Little Ones

Before your session, pack a bag with snacks, water and any small objects (like toys or lollipops) that might help us get their attention when it’s time for them to look at the camera. If they are old enough to understand you, it’s a solid plan regardless of their moods. Our goal is to make this as fun and stress-free as it possibly can be for you and your family!

Final Note

We know we just gave you a lot to think about. We created this guide to help make your portrait session experience something you’ll look back fondly on for years and years to come. At the end of the day, though, the location you choose and the outfits you select won’t matter nearly as much as the memories you make together. Y

Our future memories are the most important thing to us, and we want your session to be a time for you to just be yourselves and enjoy it. Have fun together. Laugh a lot. And we’ll take care of the rest!

Portrait Session Checklist

1. Set date, time and location with k.H.a.

2. Review guide for style tips

3. Schedule hair and nail appointments.

4. Choose your outfits

5. Pack a bag with:

– Flats or flip-flops for walking between photo spots

– Second outfit (if you’re doing two)

– Touch-up makeup

– Water bottle (for warmer sessions)

– Coat or cover-up (for colder sessions)

– Snacks for the little ones

– If you have a toddler or younger, small eye-catching toys (or lollipops) to hold their attention

I can’t wait to see you.

Styling Your Portrait Session

July 16, 2019 By // by kate

Style Tips: For Her

Because you always want to remember this.

Don’t Be Afraid to Dress It Up

Have you thought about rocking a romantic gown, tulle skirt or flower crown but just never had an occasion for it? This is your chance to do it up! Remember: There is no such thing as “too dressed up” when it comes to your portrait session, so don’t be afraid to have some fun!

If you don’t want to add a new permanent piece to your collection, a lot of our clients love Rent the Runway for their session because it’s such an affordable way to feel like a million bucks. Other clients love having a great excuse to bring a new permanent piece (or two, or ten into their closet.

Quick Tip: There’s no such thing as too dressed up.

Say Yes to the Dress

Dresses and skirts look most stunning because they really flatter every single body type, especially on camera — which is probably why the red carpet is always full of so many dresses and not very many pantsuits! We recommend avoiding pants and shorts for your session, and saying yes to a dress or two instead.

Long, full-length, flowy dresses and skirts look amazing on camera because they bring extra movement to the photos. Especially when juxtaposed with nature, like the desert, forest, plains or beach. Consider softer fabrics like chiffon or tulle which allow for beautiful movement in the images.

When considering the length of your dresses or skirts, it’s also a good idea to factor in whether or not there will be little ones in your photos. If you have smaller children, we’ll likely have you sitting or crouching on the ground to interact up-close with them. Cute, shorter cocktail-length dresses photograph beautifully, but if you have little ones in your photos, a floor-length dress or skirt, or perhaps a cute midi-skirt, will make moving around with your kids much easier, and look perfect on camera, too.

If you’re an expecting mother, we always recommend floor-length gowns or maxi dresses. These dresses create the best silhouettes to flatter your figure and really highlight your bump. A lot of our expecting mothers love to incorporate flower crowns or headpieces as well.

One or Two? It’s Up to You!

You can bring one outfit set or two! Most of our clients who choose two outfits will bring one “wow” dress, and then another slightly more casual dress that has a “date night” feel.

But if you want to bring two “wow” dresses and forgo the more casual dress altogether, give yourself permission to do it! The camera loves runway-esque apparel and so do we!

Remember, though, you don’t have to bring two looks if it’s too stressful to coordinate or if you’d rather just stick to one fabulous look. One outfit that you love will be so much better than one outfit you love and another you’re not very excited about. And if you stick with one outfit set, you won’t have to spend any of your time changing halfway through, so we’ll be able to sneak in a few more photos! So, one or two? It’s really up to you!

Still feeling stuck? Bring lots of layers. Lots of pieces. We’ll figure it out together.

Flattering Your Features

In our experience, every woman, regardless of her shape has an area of her body that she’s self-conscious about, so recognizing what area that is in advance is key.

Choosing flattering silhouettes and colors that complement your natural features is the best way to ensure you’ll love the way you look in your photos.

Three-quarter length sleeves create an awesome slimming effect on all arms, so be on the lookout for an option with a longer length sleeve. You could also bring a cute jacket, blazer or cardigan along, too. Skinny straps or strapless dresses have the opposite effect on arms on camera, so we recommend avoiding those whenever possible if your goal is a set of slimmer-looking arms.

Heels elongate women’s legs, making them look fabulous. Closed-toed heels, in particular, look great on camera because they carry out the line of your leg all the way down to your toe. If your toes are showing in a peep-toe heel, you might want to schedule a pedicure before your session so you don’t regret letting your feet show.

Quick Tip: Bring a pair of easy-to-kick-off flats to wear when moving from place to place in between photos. Your feet will thank you later.

Make a Statement

Pairing an accessory or two with your outfit can really help bring some extra dimension to your images, and be a nice tie-in when you’re coordinating with a group. Big statement necklaces bring a lot of pop to the photos, while the smaller, delicate ones are not as noticeable on camera.

Belts, bracelets, and earrings bring great visual interest, so choose one or two that don’t compete for attention. Fresh florals in a crown can be a really romantic touch for you or your little ones as well.

Go Pro: Hair & Makeup

Not only is professional hair and makeup included in your session, but it’s also required.

This is the time to treat yourself.

Whether it’s lash extensions or blown-out hair, professional hair and makeup will give you an extra boost of confidence in front of the camera, and it always photographs like a dream.

Most of my clients feel like their professional makeup is “too much” at first, since it’s more than you would wear on a normal day, or that they’re false lashes look too big, so if you feel that way at the beginning, don’t worry!

The makeup artists I work with know how to get it all just right for the camera — and our clients always love the final result.

They’re crazy talented professionals and all around wonderful people. You’ll LOVE them.

Quick Tip: Confidence. It’s always the best accessory.

Skip the Spray Tan

Although it might seem counter-intuitive, we recommend that you do not get a spray tan before your session, even a few days prior, because it tends to photograph orange even when it’s applied subtly and by a professional. Your actual skin tone will photograph the most beautifully and naturally.

Fashion Tips: For Him

Because dapper and debonair never go out of style.

The Best Fit

Long, fitted pants and closed-toed shoes are the most sophisticated and masculine looks for men. They draw attention away from his legs and feet and place it where you want it: on his handsome face. So, for your session, it’s best to leave the shorts, sandals and jeans at home, too, as well as any pants that are loose or baggy. Fitted dress pants or fitted colored pants work best on camera. Solid shades of gray or navy are a strong compliment to most women’s outfits, whereas pinstripes or plaid patterns tend to distract the eye. We also recommend staying away from graphics and logos.

Layered Looks

Katy & Josh | Christmas Card Photo Shoot

Next time you walk by a store window you’ll notice the male mannequins and models are always wearing several layers at once. Layers on men look great on camera, so even when it’s hot outside, trust us when we say that it’s worth an hour or two of discomfort for photos that will last you both a lifetime.

Adding another layer will bring extra dimension and visual interest to your photos.

Blazers, vests, and coats up the level of any look. If the temperature permits, he could even consider adding a v-neck sweater with a pop of color from a long-sleeved collared shirt and tie underneath. Don’t be afraid to get a little creative with layers!

Mix It Up

Many of our guys love to mix a suit coat, blazer or sport coat with a different pant color. It adds some extra visual interest, and breaks up the color tones. We’re big fans of this fresh take on a timeless classic.

It’s All in the Details

Brown leather dress shoes compliment almost every look, whether he’s wearing a full suit or a blazer and colored pants. Ties, bowties, pocket squares, colored socks, belts, tie clips, suspenders, vests and watches are sharp compliments to any outfit for men and boys alike. If you bring two outfits to the session, you can start with a traditional necktie and belt, then switch to suspenders and a bow tie for your second look. If two looks are too stressful, no problem! One will do the trick! You can still mix and match accessories to compliment both of her dresses without doing a full change during the session. So, either way, it’s a win.

How to Prep Your Man

Most men aren’t overly excited to take photos for two hours, because they don’t have an expectation of what’s to come and why it’s so important to you. Take fifteen minutes to educate and empower your guy. Tell him why you chose us and our style of photography. Show him your three favorite sessions that we’ve done, explain why you love them and express to him how much it means to you. Trust us, once he knows it’s important, he’ll light up the camera for you! The most common thing we hear from guys before photo sessions is this: because of a bad experience in the past, they don’t like taking photos or don’t think they’ll be good at it. By the time we’re done, though, they can’t believe how fast it went and just how much fun they had!

Planning Your Portrait Session

July 10, 2019 By // by kate

Erin + Brandon #khalifestylephotography #cannonbeach #kathrynheitkamp

What Every Client Needs to Know

Whether we’re updating your headshot, capturing your sweet family, or celebrating a special moment in your life, like a graduation, birthday, anniversary or new baby, we’re so honored to help you create memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime.

This series has been created to help you get the most out of your photos, and by the time you’ve read through it all, you’ll have all your questions answered and feel more than ready and prepared for your session.

Your only job is to be yourself, laugh a lot and let us create photos you’ll love forever. We can’t wait to get you in front of our cameras!

We’ll take care of the rest.

Choosing Time & Date

While I do work with lights in the studio and off camera flash at events, if we’re shooting on location, I prefer to stick with natural light when at all possible. I believe that natural light, from the sun and its reflections, create photographs that feel fresh, timeless and truest to you.

We begin all portrait sessions two hours before the scheduled sunset during “the golden hour,” when the light is the dreamiest. Use a sunset calculator online to determine the scheduled sunset for the date and location you’d like to do your session. (I’ll help with this as well) Then, just subtract two hours to figure out your start time.

Remember, the sun sets much earlier during the colder months of the year and much later during the warmer months, so make sure to factor that in when choosing your portrait session date, especially if you’re taking off work or have evening plans afterward.

To get the most out of your session, please plan a buffer when getting ready so you can arrive a few minutes early to your session and be ready to start on time. We’re only able to shoot when natural light is still in the sky, so we’ll want to take advantage of every minute we have together before the sun goes down.

If you’re wearing two outfits, save your favorite one for the second half, and if you’re wearing one, arrive in that.

QUICK TIP: My weekends fill up fast and far in advance, as does our fall season. You can get a Fast Pass to the front of the line by scheduling mid-week or off-season.

Selecting the Right Location

The location of your portrait session is up to you! We can do studio portraits or choose to showcase the natural beauty of our state. If we’re shooting on location, outdoor, open-air environments are always our first choice. We love shooting in wide-open natural spaces because the light is divine, especially during the golden hour. There are great options all around the state, so even if you’ve never seen us photograph in a specific spot before, we’re always up for exploring a new spot together.

Think Outside the Box

This is the time to think outside the box! We encourage you to brainstorm unique locations that you might have special access to that most people don’t.

For example, maybe you, or someone in your personal or professional network, can secure permission to a location that would otherwise be off-limits, like a beautiful private estate, country club or resort. Maybe it’s a family ranch, upscale hotel or even a boat, airplane hangar or a rooftop view. The sky is literally the limit!

Spend a few minutes thinking about it and checking around. You’ll be surprised with what you come up with. Plus, if something seems out of reach, just remember: you never know until you ask, and if you don’t ask? The answer is always no.

Our clients have secured permission to some pretty amazing places in the past. If you get stuck or need inspiration, check out our blog and keep browsing through this guide. We have some great go-to locations around town that we can always hit, too. Just let us know which type of session you’d love and we’ll go from there.

Destination Portrait Sessions

Your portrait session includes travel time anywhere in the Columbus Metro area. If you’d like to go somewhere outside the city, we’re up for the adventure! The travel fee for two-hour(ish) drives to places like Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh is $500.

I love traveling and am on the road quite a bit. I’ve shot sessions from coast to coast, everywhere in between, and even in Europe, too, so if we’re already going to be in or near an area you’ve always dreamed of doing your photos, and we can coordinate our schedules, let’s set it up.

Vacation mindset photos are always fun.

If you’d like us to meet you in a destination outside of Ohio for your portrait session where we don’t already have plans to visit, just let us know and we can get you a custom quote.

Photographing COMFEST | Summer in Ohio

September 26, 2018 By // by kate

Three days after fully arriving in Ohio two years ago, we went to Bakersfield for dinner with my mom, to celebrate our arrival in Ohio. While at dinner, a MASSIVE rainstorm blew through, turning High Street into a lake. Shortly after the deluge started, people began streaming by the window we were seated at. I turned to mom and Jeff both and said, “Where ever they’re coming from, I want to go there. These are my people”.

From our server, I found out that they were leaving Comfest (say what?) due to the rain. The next year, Comfest fell on the weekend that Alicia and I left for the Southern Summer Road Trip, and as such, we were able to make it to Goodale for about two hours, enough time to check it out, and figure out that yup, I love this, and definitely want to come back next year when I can spend more time.

This year, I got to photograph the festival, for the festival.

Photographing COMFEST

The ever wonderful Megan Rivers of Eat Play Cbus tagged me in a Facebook status (more of a call to action from the organizers of Comfest, but, for all intents and purposes, same same) earlier this year, as they were looking to fill out their photography team.

I sent in the application immediately.

k.H.a. Lifestyle Photography was chosen to be one of the festival photographers this year, and I loved every second of it. Being able to capture the event (with a press pass, hell yes legitimacy) was a dream. My style, when it comes to photographing events of any kind is to do so from a photojournalistic stand point. Getting to photograph Comfest in that manner, and experience Comfest from behind my camera was perfect. I was able to soak it all in, document it, and kick around Goodale park in the early summer sunshine for a day.

I can’t wait for next year.

Want to work with me? Contact@khalifestylephotography.com

Let’s Talk Plan B | The Brass Tacks

September 9, 2018 By // by kate

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LetstalkplanB #CollectiveBias #ad

The Importance of Having a Backup Plan | Let’s Talk Plan B One-Step | The Brass Tacks

I’ve always been told that I’m too loud, too ‘extra’, too blunt. Well, no, I’m just not afraid of talking about the things that can make others uncomfortable. I figure it this way. If my talking about women’s health, the “taboo” topics (which I don’t believe should be taboo at all) and being real, open, and matter of fact about all of it, if that makes it so that ONE other woman either has a question answered, or finds the courage to voice her own concerns or opinions or seek out more information, I’ll be doing backflips. So, let’s talk Plan B One-Step.

We as women run households. We run companies. We run families. We plan vacations. We absolutely understand the importance of having backup plans for the backup plans.

Whenever I’m working on a project, be it for Cook.Eat.Explore (the food and travel side of my professional life), styling a session for a client, throwing a dinner party, or traveling back to the West Coast to see family, I inherently understand the importance of having a backup plan. (Or five. Whatever. I like to be prepared for all eventualities)

So why should our birth control be any different?

Despite our best efforts, life never goes quite as we planned.

So much so, that the number of colloquial phrases summing said up seems endless. Sod’s Law. Coughlin’s Law (Nod to one of the best movies of the 80’s). Murphy’s Law. Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Life is all about how you handle your ”plan B”. Failure to plan means you plan to fail. Here’s the thing with all of that, though. While there may be a sliiiight grain of truth to those sayings, we do the best we can to ensure that we cover all of the eventualities. We make sure that we cover alllll our bases in every aspect of our lives, because let’s be real for a second, surprises are only a good thing when it comes to birthdays. And diamonds. Or maaaaaaaaaaybe vacations.

“Surprises” and “birth control” in the same thought? Nope. No thank you.

We as women have more choices and options at our fingertips now than at any point in time. We can do or be anything that we want to be, and the fact that we have a second line of defense (that we do not have to rely on anyone else to take care of) in the realm of birth control, that’s HUGE. HUGE.

No matter how careful you are (and let’s be real for a second, mistakes happen, and we don’t always make the best choices for ourselves), condoms break, pills get skipped, or even worse, someone slips something into our drink and rape occurs.

Before Plan B emergency contraception came onto the market (either with or without a prescription (and requisite visit to your doctor)), women who were not ready to be pregnant had to look at the calendar, figure out the anticipated dates for Aunt Flo’s next visit, and pray.

And wait. And pray. And wait some more.

Now? Now we have options. Now we have choices, and now, now we more than ever, are in control of our own futures. Which is all well and good (and in my opinion, as it should be), but what about the woman who’s not sure of what questions to ask? What about the woman whos drink was drugged the night before and has turned to Google prior to heading to the corner drug store?

That’s where I come in. If I can answer one woman’s questions, ease the mental stress even a TINY bit? Win.

There’s A TON of myths about Plan B, right? Plus, add in the whole fear of the unknown thing, and things can start getting a little overwhelming. What does it do? When does it need to be taken? Why does it work? At what point does the efficacy drop? Most importantly, why having a backup plan in place before you could ever imagine needing it is so vitally important.

I’m here to provide a resource to anyone who is looking to learn more about what Plan B, what the process for taking it is, and where to find it. Here’s the other thing, I’m not a doctor. (basic chemistry and I, not so much of a good match) so if you have specific questions, I’ve gotta tell you, reaching out to your doc, the pharmacist in your drug store, or to one of the resources listed at the bottom of this post, that’ll be the way to go. I can remind you of one thing, though, Plan B One-Step does not replace regular birth control methods. It is a backup option when regular birth control failed or somehow unprotected sex happened.

Ok. So, tell me more about Plan B. What does it do? Why does it work?

Biggest myth I’ve heard tossed around about Plan B is that it’s “the abortion pill”. Nope, false. The active ingredient in Plan B is levonorgestrel, is the same ingredient in many common birth control pills – just at a higher, single dose. Plan B works mainly by delaying ovulation – it helps to prevent pregnancy BEFORE it begins. It WILL NOT affect an existing pregnancy. I will say that again for those in the back.

Plan B WILL NOT affect an existing pregnancy.

When does it need to be taken?

The short answer? The sooner the better. The sooner you take it, the better it works. Plan B must be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex or birth control failure. That’s three days. Even with a three-day window, stick to the sooner the better thing. Also, as with all medicines, make sure that you take it as directed.

The sooner you get Plan B into your system, the better it will work, and real talk here (hey, I meant it when I said I’m not afraid to talk about the hard stuff.), if you’re at a point that you’re taking emergency contraception, you get that time is of the essence.

Even the worst hang over I’ve ever had, it didn’t last three days, so don’t even try and tell me that you’re too hung over after a night that you may or may not remember fully to drag yo’ hungover self outta bed and drag yourself to the store.

At what point does the efficacy drop?

At the end of 72 hours, after you either made a questionable decision, your primary birth control method failed, or the worst case scenario happened, and you’re reading this after having been raped. If that’s the case, please, PLEASE go to an urgent care clinic, an E.R., your gyno, the closest Planned Parenthood clinic, the closest police station, the closest fire station, your best friend’s house and get them to go with you, and report it. You can walk into any of those places and ask for help. IT WAS NOT YOUR FAULT.

Oh, you just wanted the short answer? The sooner you can take it, the better, but NO LONGER than 72 hours after unprotected sex.

Where can I find it? Do I have to talk to anyone to buy it?

CVS is my drugstore of choice, so that’s where I’m going to tell you to go. That’s where I’m going to show you where to find it at, but you can find it also at CVS Caremark, Target, Walgreens, Rite Aid or Walmart, etc., and you should not have to talk to anyone if you don’t so choose.

If you’re a CVS gal like I am, Plan B is on aisle 14, (the adult care, feminine care, and family planning aisle) near the end, right about knee height.

Not near a CVS? You may have to ask the pharmacist because some stores keep it in different locations, or if you’re standing in the pharmacy, and got here via Google, ’cause you’ve looked and aren’t finding on your own, you can always ask the pharmacist and they will be able to help point you in the right direction, and answer any further questions you may have.

Click [HERE] for a coupon that’ll save you $10 off.

Hang on a sec, I want to have kids at some point down the road… will taking Plan B affect my fertility in the future?

Nope.

Am I going to have to show my ID to someone? I don’t want anyone to know I’ve taken Plan B, and I DEFINITELY don’t want my name to go on any list.

Yo’ body yo’ choice. Period.

You don’t have to tell anyone that you’ve taken it. You don’t have to tell anyone you bought it. If you want to, awesome. If you don’t, awesome. You wanna shout it from the rooftop? You do you.

You do not need to show ID to buy Plan B. If someone tells you that you do, turn around, walk yo’ ass out of that pharmacy, and find one that respects your right to privacy. Because here’s the thing. There is no age restriction. You do not need an ID or prescription to purchase.

So…… I’m in my 30’s, will it still work?

Absolutely. While half of the women who use Plan B are 18-24, the other half are 25+. There is no specific “type” of women who use emergency contraception. There is no one group of women that use EC more than another. We’re all human. Mistakes happen. Birth control fails.

That’s why we have a Plan B, in all aspects of our lives, and that’s why we plan for all of those eventualities. You never know when you’re going to need plans b-z.

#LetsTalkPlanB

Want to work with me? hello@khalifestylephotography.com

EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN IS NOT ART.

August 31, 2018 By // by kate

You know those nights when you go to bed early, fall asleep pretty quickly, mayyyyybe getting up to drink water or pee, but never wake all the way up, and you’re able to crawl right back into bed and fall straight back asleep? It was that night last night. I was loving it. Until around 3:30, when all of a sudden I’m fully awake. Tossed around a while, gave up on it, and figured I’d start the day early.

Between Happy Hour with Columbus Bride and Groom at Thursday Therapy last night, and a project meeting that followed, it was late enough when I got home that other than a quick run through email, my phone was off and my computer stayed closed.

This morning, once I’d given up on sleep, I ran through email to make sure there wasn’t anything that needed immediate attention, and opened facebook, planning a couple of minutes of rather mindless scrolling before getting started for the day.

This is the first paragraph of the first post in my feed.

I read the words. I know the definition of each of those words. Each of them. And yet, my brain struggled as it tried to make them make sense together. It took reading just those two lines a couple of times before what was being talked about here, which is, in no uncertain terms; child pornography.

Wait. What?

The greasy, sick, dread that flooded into my body was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. I read the rest of it, and as I read, group notifications were going off like crazy. The boudoir groups that I’m a part of, where discussion of boudoir portraiture is the norm (uh, duh, we’re boudoir photographers) were instead coming to the sick realization that a big name portrait photographer has been shooting child porn under the guise of her ‘art’.

I now know what it looks like to have sold your soul.

This abuser, this pedophile, (because let’s be very clear, in no way is this art, this is unequivocally child pornography) is claiming to be the victim. The statement released is tantamount to “Oh poor me. I’m really the victim here, no one understands me, blah, blah, blah, bullshit.” Bitton’s response to all of this?

Producing child pornography isn’t healing old wounds. It’s a federal felony.

https://statelaws.findlaw.com/ohio-law/ohio-child-pornography-laws.html

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Support those that are trying to fix this issue. Share petitions that help the voice travel further online. Send those petitions out via email, text even.

Here is a brief list of places you can contact to see how you can help. There are many more resources in your area if you get savvy with google.

• Operation Underground Railroad
• Exchange Initiative
• Thorn
• TraffickCam
• Polaris
• http://www.sacasa.org/about-saaturn/
• National Human Trafficking Resource Center 1-888-373-7888 or text “HELP” or “INFO” to 233733
• National Center on Sexual Exploitation
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-THE-LOST
• www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign

WHAT I WANT TO SEE HAPPEN

If you can see on the list above there isn’t really one place that fights the kind of sex trafficking involving Social Media images, reposts, r o l e p l a y and other child fetish hashtags that contribute to the issue.

• I want Instagram to change their “community policies” and include a “sex trafficking, pedophilia, or grooming” selection in their reporting process.
• I want the team that responds to these reports to be FULLY trained on what these individuals do and HOW THEY ACT on social media.
• I want this team to be directly connected to the FBI and the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.

If you see something, say something. Trust your instincts as though your families lives depended on it because they just might.

HUGE thank you’s to Bre Geiger for her contributions to this article, as well as for all around being a badass.