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Introducing Colby, like the cheese, Caldwell.

July 1, 2018 By //  by kate

#colbyccaldwell #khalifestylephotography #cookeatexplore #kathrynheitkamp

Introducing Colby

I met Thom Stevenson last summer through Cancer Support Community of Central Ohio, and it was this instant click of oh, there you are. Our friendship has blossomed since then, to the point that when one of calls the other and says, hey, wanna do a thing? The answer is invariably, Yes.  When and where do I need to be?

Thom is a professor in the Patton College of Education at Ohio University, teaching classes in restaurant operations, intro to food production, and the senior capstone class, so when he called and asked if I wanted a summer intern, my answer was immediate.

Yes. Yes I do.

I’d had met Colby earlier this spring when Thom brought one of his classes up to Columbus for a field trip to any of a variety of Columbus food facilities, and we talked that day about getting together to shoot, so when I found out that the intern that would be spending the summer working alongside of me was Colby, I was thrilled.

Without any further ado, meet Colby C Caldwell.

#colbyccaldwell #khalifestylephotography #cookeatexplore #kathrynheitkamp

 

Hello! My name is Colby, like the cheese, Caldwell. That’s right, C.O.L.B.Y. Like the cheese.

Writing an “about me” is probably one of the worst things as a person you have to do. You have to sit down and dive deep inside yourself in order to show the world who you want them to see. And harder yet, you have to do it largely with words.

I’m a visual person. I’m not a big fan of writing or speaking (sometimes) a sentence to save my life. I can tell you just about anything and odds are, you’ll believe it. Why? “because you read it on the Internet.”

I can tell you just about anything and odds are, you’ll believe it.

#colbyccaldwell #khalifestylephotography #cookeatexplore #kathrynheitkamp

I love to go to the gym, you’ll see me at the bars every night and I love cats like no body’s business.

All that? Damned lies.

It’s so easy to fall prey to false information on the internet. A photo doesn’t tell the whole story and a being a headline doesn’t make it true. I want to write a blog with the intentions of being real and authentic with my readers.

I’m a wannabe city boy who grew up in the country, surrounded by a family of truckers and farmers

I’m from a small town in Southeastern Ohio where the grass may seem a little greener but the hills – a little steeper. I won’t start all the way back at the beginning, but I’ll sum it by saying I grew up a gay male in conservative Gallia County. I’ve learned to see the world A LOT differently than your average Appalachian, having to tiptoe everyday through the mine fields of bullies, ignorant comments, and religious persecution.

I’m a wannabe city boy who grew up in the country, surrounded by a family of truckers and farmers, and I’ve never had the desire to get down and dirty on the farm or in the garage. No, I don’t want to plant tobacco or feed your cows and I’d rather not crawl look under the 3 ton semi. Thanks, but no thanks. I love my family, don’t get me wrong, but this apple fell far from the farmer’s tree.

#colbyccaldwell #khalifestylephotography #cookeatexplore #kathrynheitkamp

I want to travel and see the world outside of small-town Ohio, meet other passionate people, take photos of good food and pet all of the dogs along the way. I live my life seeking authentic interactions, big and/or small adventures, phenomenal food and lots of it.

Currently a student at Ohio University in Athens,  Ohio, I study Commercial Photography and Restaurant, Hotel and Tourism. I began photographing portraits and weddings but soon found I had a passion for food and how it should be portrayed. Sure, I could take a standard portrait. But I’d rather take a portrait of you and cover you in your favorite food. Nothing will make you smile more than when you have half a pizza on your face. Trust me. 

I like to think outside of the pizza box by creating surreal and whimsical photos – something you’d only see in Wonderland. 

#colbyccaldwell #khalifestylephotography #cookeatexplore #kathrynheitkamp

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Colby C Caldwell, Columbus Lifestyle Photographer, Columbus Ohio Food Photographer, Columbus Ohio Photographer, Cook.Eat.Explore, k.H.a. lifestyle photography, Kathryn Heitkamp, Ohio Photographer, Summer Internship

Shoot & Share // THE Contest 2018 // k.H.a lifestyle photography

January 23, 2018 By //  by kate

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Shoot & Share // THE Contest 2018

Last year, after entering The Photo Contest at the last minute, I swore that I would be more organized this year with the photos that I wanted to submit. Most of the time now I know almost immediately when a frame that I’ve shot is one that I’m going to love, and it was those that I had planned on putting aside, organized into category of course, so that when this years submission window opened I’d be ready.

None of that happened.

December, however, saw the first drafts of the 2017 look book (more on that at a later date) and with that, a file of the years bests and favorite images were complied. Better late than never. Sitting down and narrowing it down to 50 frames though, that was markedly harder.

As I was getting ready to write this post, I read back through 2017’s Photo Contest Posts (which you’ll find linked below) and I came to a realization. A light bulb moment of sorts.

Talk about a subtle nod from the universe to take a second and reflect.

Two years ago, at the end of January, I left corporate America and I haven’t looked back since. (Real Talk :: I’ve probably looked in every other direction, but back sure as hell hasn’t been one of them.)

How cool is it that The Contest and the anniversary of my freedom come at the same time. Talk about a subtle nod from the universe to take a second and reflect.

Looking through my favorite photos from the past year, and then looking through my submissions to the 2017 Photo Contest, gave me a forced then vs. now comparison of my work. I shocked myself. It was so much more than just a moment to reflect, it reminded me how important balance is.  From time to time I’ll see others post a then v. now with their work, and it’s always fun to watch and celebrate others progresses with them, but I’d been so focused on the working side of things to really stop and really look at my own body of work.

We can so easily get caught up in the day to day side of working (life) and forget to stop and celebrate our own wins when it comes what we do. And very realistically, if we don’t celebrate them, no one else will either. It’s easy to focus on the details and the minutiae, and to get caught up in them, but we HAVE to take the time to celebrate also.

It’s always fun to watch and celebrate others successes with them, but what about our own?

As excited as I am for voting to open, (and let’s be real, the first few days voting opens, I, like all us, will be glued to my screen voting, and will probably rope everyone I know into spending at least some quality time voting on theirs), that reminder to stop, and take a moment to really look at how far I’ve come in the last two years, I’m so grateful.

I can’t wait to see what the industry has been working on over the past year, because photographer or not, voting will inspire you. And it will hook you.

Read more about last years contest by clicking [HERE] & [HERE]

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Columbus Family Photographer, Columbus Lifestyle Photographer, Columbus Lifestyle Photography, Columbus Ohio, Columbus Ohio Photographer, Columbus Photographer, Shoot & Share Photography Contest, Team Canon

2017 // A Year in Review

January 8, 2018 By //  by kate

2017 was a fantastic year. Challenging, heartbreaking, amazing, and FULL of growth in pretty much every way possible. I started out last year with a super detailed, and well though out plan for the year, both personally and professionally, and theeeeen almost none of that happened.  2017 was the year that can down in my personal history as the year that will be looked back on as did not go as planned.

And even though NOTHING went the way I had thought it would, it was still a very, very good year.

The things that happen when you’re that far outside of your comfort zone, they’re phenomenal.  (You can find more of my thoughts about that HERE.) This entire year has been filled with balance, in every way, and I hope to not only carry that forward into 2018 as my word of the year, but continue to develop my skills surrounding it. (Read :: not working 24/7, how well I do at that, well, remains to be seen.)

2017 was a year filled with travel, friends, and a whole lot of photos, and I can’t wait to see what 2018 holds.

JANUARY

The year started itself off under Colorado’s sunny skies visiting one of my all time favorite people on the earth, Heather, and her family in Denver, before heading to Vail to spend time with family and enjoy soaking in all of the mountain air that I could before heading back to Ohio and gearing up to head to WPPI for the first time. (which, lemme tell ya, mind-blowing-ly amazing experience in itself.)

I started the year off with a month by month plan of what I was going to accomplish for my business, and January was off with a bang. I was on track, and it felt SO good to have everything lined out in front of me.

At the very last second possible I decided to enter the Shoot&Share contest, and held my breath.

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FEBRUARY

February started out with WPPI, just over a week in a hotel room with three other female photographers, in Las Vegas, and was WONDERFUL. Being surrounded by so much talent and passion while down in the desert?  dream. come. true.

I can home with all kinds of inspiration for my business, and dove into the execution of the proposal that I was hired to style and photograph, annnnnnnnnnnd then I got wholloped with pneumonia and pretty much lost the next couple of months.

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MARCH

In March, I was able to come welcome Eliza home with Missy and her ADORABLE family, but other than that, I spent a whole lot of quality time with the couch.

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APRIL

April again, was slow, due to allowing my lungs the time to heal that they needed, being a quieter month, I was able to get out for the Rock & Roll Wedding Styled Shoot, which, let’s just take a moment and appreciate how much fun those photos were to take.

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 MAY

Fast forward to May. May rolled us into the summer months with a bang, starting out though, with the wonderful blooms of Red Twig Farm’s Peony’s filling vases all through out the house.  May also brought the amazing women of the Wine & Shine Podcast into my life, getting the women behind the Wine & Shine into my studio was a total kick in the pants.

JUNE

In early June, the ladies of the Wine & Shine team and I took their portraits on the road, and explored back alleys and fun buildings throughout the Short North, along with the their live pod cast event at the Wonder Jam. (We’re going to take a moment so that I can tell you this. If you haven’t yet, or don’t listen to the Wine & Shine, you absolutely need to start. They’re fantastic, and the guests that they’ve got on thier show, really inspiring people.)

A week was spent poolside, cocktails in hand, with two of my best fellas, Randall & Sugar in Arizona, which while we had all intended to explore the desert ended up being exactly what we all needed.

Annnnnnnd then, just like that, it was time for Alicia and I to take off on the Southern Summer Road Trip. We left Columbus on a Sunday morning, drove to Asheville NC, then to Charleston, onto Savannah GA, down to Panama City Beach FL for one all to brief night, to New Orleans for four days (Insert all kinds of happy dance here), Alicia flew back to Portland, Jeff flew to NoLA, and then he and I drove back north through the Mississippi Delta, to Memphis, then Nashville, then finally back. (Make sure to head over to Cook.Eat.Explore and join the subscription list there, as the Southern Summer Road Trip series is about to kick off, and it’s going to be a ball.)

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JULY

We spent the 4th in Nashville, and then came home, where I slept for a solid week, assisted other photographers on shoots that they had, and summarily enjoyed the summer.  July, and again in August, Jesi was here (check her out work out HERE, she’s absolutely fantastic.)

AUGUST

August we got to put our toes back in the Pacific Ocean for a while with friends at Cannon Beach, and spent time with friends in Portland, the end of August was blissfully quiet as Jeff traveled, and I settled back into the routine of daily life here in Ohio.

SEPTEMBER

September rolled through with Cook.Eat.Explore starting to take off more and more, trips down to Butler County, and Athens to explore, the annual Night of Chocolate was at the Casino again, and the 10th Annual Shake the Hand that Feeds You dinner for Slow Food Columbus was hosted at the Produce Terminal on what was one of the best nights of the fall.

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OCTOBER

October exploded with a bang, The Grain Bag Ball kicked off the month, PRIZM magazine launched, Cook.Eat.Explore was keeping me far busier than I ever could have imagined, and it was all of a sudden HighBall Halloween time, throw in a couple of weddings, photographing events for the American Cancer Society (Making Strides, and the Cattle Baron’s Ball, respectively), and being interviewed myself as a guest on the Wine & Shine Podcast. My mom and her husband decided take a road trip out from Oregon, and hang out with Jeff and I before heading onto the rest of their vacation.

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Things were starting to slow down (slightly) and I was feeling like I was able to finally get myself back on some sort of track schedule wise, back to regular posting, I had my to-do list written out, and I was ready to tackle everything, KNOWING, that I was going to get it all done by the end of the year, and go into 2018 with great new organizational systems in place, ready for a fresh start.

That didn’t go as planned.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Columbus Family Photographer, Columbus Lifestyle Photographer, Columbus Lifestyle Photography, Columbus Ohio, Columbus Ohio Photographer, Columbus Photographer

My First Photography Contest // k.H.a. lifestyle photography // Columbus Lifestyle Photographer

January 28, 2017 By //  by kate

So, yesterday, I did a thing.

I’ve focused now for the past year hardcore on my business, my skills, my knowledge, and my networking.

I moved my business (and the rest of our lives) across the country to a city that I’d spent a grand total of 10 days in. Maybe. And those days were not in the city, but rather in my sister in laws house, playing card games, eating pizza, and enjoying family.

Scary stuff. There have been lots of tears, a fair amount of fights at home (because moving across the country away from everything you know is HARD. And stressful.) but oh man has all of that been worth it.

For the first time ever, I entered my work into a contest.

No big deal right? Only it’s a HUGE deal.

The Shoot and Share contest (click HERE to read more about it) is a contest in which photographers can enter 50 pieces of their work, for free (read:: no entry fees), and all entries are judged by other photographers. Crowdsourcing, so to speak.

Names are not tied to the photos, and all images entered are shown the same amount of times.

Again, no big right?

WRONG.

I have never entered my work into a contest. Anywhere. I struggle to post my work in the forums that I am a part of, and yet. I did this thing.

And not only did I do this thing, but I also did it big. I maxed out my entries, at 50.

Voting starts soon, and I cannot wait to see what the other amazing images that have been thrown into the pool as well.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Why Photographers “Cost So Much” | Columbus Lifestyle Photographer

December 29, 2016 By //  by kate

It has been an interesting few months, with lots of conversations happening between myself, and potential wedding clients. 

One thing that I see with increasing frequency is couples looking to spend $200 – $500 for 12 hours of coverage for their day. Let that sink in for a while… $200-$500 for TWELVE HOURS of coverage. 

I’m absolutely NOT recommending that a couple spend more than they can comfortably afford on their photographer

For every hour that I shoot, there are an additional six hours of work that goes in AFTER the wedding. Not to mention the time that goes in researching, planning, meeting with the couples prior to the big day.  

As photographers, we don’t simply show up with a fancy camera, snap some shots, and then waltz away with a huge check. They’re using the above example, a 12-hour wedding ends up being at a minimum, 72 hours of work. That’s $6.94 an hour. Certainly not minimum wage, and definitely not a livable wage.  

Please don’t get me wrong here, I’m absolutely NOT recommending that a couple spend more than they can comfortably afford on their photographer. Never that.   

After the big day is over, after the flowers have died, because they will, and after the cake is gone, the photos are what’s left, what is tangible, and what will be looked at long after, what will be passed down to children, and grandchildren.  

N. Nicely Photography says is best, and you can find the original post here.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Holiday Hoopla | k.H.a. Lifestyle Photography | Columbus Lifestyle Photographer

December 2, 2016 By //  by kate

A couple of weeks ago, through the Columbus chapter of The Rising Tide Society, I was presented with the opportunity to spend a day volunteering at Legacy Candle Co.. For me, the gal who ALWAYS has candles burning, it was pretty much one of the coolest opportunities I’ve been presented with.

I had so much fun, that I’ve kept going back, and plan on doing so until they toss me out. If you like candles, (and even if you don’t) you need to check them out. Amber, their founder has an amazing energy and light about her, and she is doing amazing things.  And the candles… best smells ever.

That first day there, I met Brandy, who is one of the leaders of the Columbus Chapter of Out of Darkness.

Both Out of Darkness and Legacy Candle Co. are non profits who’s focus is getting women and children out of sex trafficking, which is a MUCH bigger problem than most realize.  I’m partnering with Out of Darkness, for their Holiday Hoopla this year, what’s that you ask?

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Out of Darkness is hosting the Holiday Hoopla, on Saturday December 10th, from 11am-2pm, at the Westerville Nazarene Church, where for $5 per child, there will be cookies to decorate, ornaments to be made, goodies to be picked up fro office or teacher gifts, and most importantly, the opportunity to have photos taken with Santa.

I’ve heard rumors that Elsa may be there as well.

Bring your littles out for an  afternoon of fun, help this amazing cause raise money, and just stop by and say hi, after all, who doesn’t like Christmas cookies?

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Columbus Family Photographer, Columbus Lifestyle Photographer, Columbus Ohio, Columbus Photographer, columbus wedding photographer, Columbus Wedding Photography, Family Photographer, Legacy Candle Co, Ohio Family Photographer, Ohio Portrait photographer, ohio wedding photographer, Out Of Darkness

Weekend In Review | k.H.a. Lifestyle Photography | Columbus Lifestyle Photographer

November 28, 2016 By //  by kate

So this year, Thanksgiving looked a bit different than it has in the past.

Rather than spending the holiday at the Oregon Coast with my family, we stuck around Ohio, spending Thanksgiving itself at the home of our friend Vanessa and Bryan, with their families, and then the weekend with Jeff’s family in Mercer County, where I volunteered to cook for everyone. (Our immediate family on the Heitkamp side numbers at just over 30.)  It was a blast.

Both Eddie & Otis (our chihuahua’s) spent the weekend with us getting snuggled all over, sneaking bites of turkey, and enjoying the chaos that comes with 15 small children running around and playing. Thursday night, when it came time to leave Vanessa & Bryan’s, Eddie staged a protest, running into their bed room, rather than agreeing that we should go home.

I didn’t spend as much time behind my camera as I would have perhaps liked, but the time spent with family & friends in the kitchen(s), playing games, and watching football, was so perfect, and so needed.

Happy belated Thanksgiving, from our family to yours.

 

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Columbus Family Photographer, Columbus Lifestyle Photographer, Columbus Lifestyle Photography, Columbus Ohio, Columbus Photographer, Family Photographer, Lifestyle Photographer, Ohio Family Photographer, Ohio Photographer, ohio wedding photographer, Portland Family Photographer, Portland Lifestyle Photographer

Small Business Saturday Specials | k.H.a. lifestyle photography | Columbus Lifestyle Photographer

November 25, 2016 By //  by kate

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Book* any of our three wedding packages by Monday, November 28th and receive 25% off.

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Book* our Engagement package by Monday, November 28th and receive a complimentary framed 8×10.

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Book* a Lifestyle Session by Monday, November 28th and receive a complimentary 8×10 album.

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Book* a family session by Monday, November 28th and receive 25% off of your entire print order.

Contact me to take advantage of any of our Small Business Saturday specials! Deals are good through midnight, Monday, November 28th.

*Booking requires 50% non-refundable booking deposit to hold your date, as well as returning our signed contract.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Black Friday, Columbus Family Photographer, Columbus Lifestyle Photographer, Columbus Ohio, Columbus Ohio Photographer, Columbus Photographer, columbus wedding photographer, Columbus Wedding Photography, Cyber Monday, Family Photographer, Family Photography, Ohio Family Photographer, ohio wedding photographer, Portland Family Photographer, Small Business Saturday, wedding photography

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