Arizona | Desert Photography & Recharging My Soul

May 13, 2018 By // by kate

Arizona | Desert Photography | Recharging My Soul

When I was a couple years into university, I knew I needed a big change, and as such, opted to move to Northern Utah. Yup. You read that right. I moved to Northern Utah. Everyone I know thought that I had 100% lost my mind me, living in Utah. I knew though, that that was where I was supposed to be at the time, and I am hugely glad that I listened to myself, packed it all up, and moved from Oregon to the high desert of Northern Utah, not knowing a soul.

It was the best decision I could have ever made for myself.

The high desert, the air, the light, the way it smells, it recharges my soul in the best ways. Now that we’re living in Ohio, I make it a point to head Southwest at least once a year to recharge my batteries, clear my mind, and soak in as much desert as I can. This year, the week following WPPI, I headed to Phoenix to stay with friends, and that extra week in the desert, it was exactly what I needed. We hiked. We drove out and spent a couple nights at Apache Lake Resort and Marina, we stayed up late sitting around the fire, drinking and catching up, cooking together and generally recharging our batteries.

Hiking in the desert is it’s own special thing, unlike hiking any where else.

Sunset Hiking | Piestewa Peak

One of the last evenings before it was time for me to heads back to Ohio again, we went hiking for the sunset at Piestewa Peak. Getting out into the mountains and hiking was exactly what I needed. We settled in at the top of a wash (which also turned out to be right at the bottom of a mountain bike jump, watching the bikers jump, whoa.) and settled in to watch the sun drop below the horizon. I got to play with the light, we all recharged our batteries, and slept like rocks when we got home that night.

Sunset Hiking | Piestewa Peak

Want to work with me? Email me. hello@khalifestylephotography.com

Top 100 In The World | Shoot & Share 2018

May 6, 2018 By // by kate

Shoot & Share 2018 | Contest Results

Ya’ll remember last year’s Shoot & Share contest, the one that I entered at the 11th hour, and did so with a wing and prayer, and, how stoked I was for this year’s contest. Like last year, once voting opened, it becomes almost all consuming. And in the best way possible. Friends vote, husbands vote, wives vote, family votes, and you’d better believe that screenshots are sent back and forth when we recognize our friends work.

As we’re all voting, and working, and running errands, and meeting with clients, and cooking, we’re also watching our heart counts rise. Keep in mind that heart counts do not equate to votes, not by a long shot, but they do let you know that you’re still in the running. Which, right around when the round advances is something that is watched like a hawk.

This year, as the rounds rolled one into the next, my heart count kept going up. And I kept getting screen shots from friends, letting me know what they’d seen while voting. And then it kept going.

While absolutely a large focus of our professional lives (ahem. let’s be real here for a second, it becomes a big presence in all parts of our lives) we do also have other things that occupy significant space on the professional lists of things we all have going while the contest itself is running, and as such, the fact that I still had photos in the running into the best of the best round.

Holy. F*ck.

Having photos in the Best of the Best round, that means that I had photos that were finalists. And thanks to the fantastic friends that send me screen shots of what they’d seen while voting, I had more than one that made it. I had three.

THREE.

Three of the 50 photos that I entered into the Shoot and Share contest this year, made it to the top 100 of their category. This year, 11,351 photographers entered 413,065 photos, from across the world. That’s almost a half of a million photos, and I had three place as finalists.

It’s taken me a while to process that fact, to really get it, and it didn’t fully sink in until recently when I was asked in a soundly snarky tone, “Well, top 100 by who’s count?”. The world, dude. The world. And generally, photographers across the world. To say that I’m proud, that barely begins to touch it.

I can’t wait to see what next February brings.

Want to work with me? Send me an email! hello@khalifestylephotography.com

Arthritis Foundation Gala ‘18, a Black Tie Affair

March 12, 2018 By // by kate

Arthritis Foundation Gala ’18 // The Crystal Ball

Last fall, I met Liz Martin, of the Arthritis Foundation through a mutual acquaintance who was at Slow Foods Shake the Hand That Feeds You dinner. We connected on a Sunday morning as I was driving to that mornings shoot, Columbus SOUP’s fall event was that evening, and the photographer that they’d had lined up had to back out at the last-minute due to a family emergency, Liz and I were put in touch, and the rest is history. She reached out again this winter, when it came time to hire a photographer for Arthritis Foundation’s annual fundraising gala, The Crystal Ball.

Arthritis Foundation Mission Statement

For those of you not familiar with what the Arthritis Foundation does, their mission statement is this,

The Arthritis Foundation is the Champion of Yes. Leading the fight for the arthritis community, the Arthritis Foundation helps conquer everyday battles through life-changing information and resources, access to optimal care, advancements in science and community connections. Our goal is to chart a winning course, guiding families in developing personalized plans for living a full life – and making each day another stride towards a cure. We also publish Arthritis Today, the award-winning magazine that reaches 4.2 million readers. – Arthritis.org

Photographing a black tie fundraising gala? Yes please.

The gala was held this year at Villa Milano, in Westerville, and was so. much. fun. When I’m photographing an event, the frozen, staid portrait isn’t something that you’re going to get. The standard step and repeat? No thanks. If we’re going to do this, we’re going to have fun. And oh man did we.

Everyone that opted to have their photo taken ended up laughing and having snuggling thier date, or making funny faces at the camera, or really any combination of both.

A bunch of money was raised to help work towards a cure for arthritis, and we all got to rock out to Mojo Flow while we did it.

To be guided to the gallery, please click either the above image, or, simply click [HERE] to be taken to the gallery log in.

Arthritis Foundation Gala ’18

Arthritis Foundation Gala ’18

Cook.Eat.Explore :: Food, Love, Laughter, & Photography

March 9, 2018 By // by kate

Cook.Eat.Explore :: Food, Love, Laughter, Photography, & Wine.

My love of food and travel (and photography and wine) is well known amongst friends, and as of November 2016, I took a massive leap and started Cook.Eat.Explore. k.H.a. had been up and running for a bit by then, and we’d gotten almost everything unpacked into our house in Ohio and Jeff looked at me and asked something along the lines of “what the hell are you waiting for, you’ve been talking about starting a food blog since before we met. Just do it.”

So I did.

I knew what I wanted to write about, but actually narrowing that in and being able to name it, that was a hell of a lot harder than I thought it would be. With the help of friends, *cough-crowdsourcing-cough* Cook.Eat.Explore was named and born.

So what is it, what does that mean to all y’all, right?

The short answer? (ha) 30 plus years of travel, using WHATEVER is handy to take a snapshot or photograph (be forewarned, if we’re out together, your phones camera will be considered fair game when mine’s battery dies), growing up cooking, learning from family, friends, and anyone else willing to answer my thousands of questions, with a couple of absolutely epic, now and forever a part of family lore failures along the way… (ask me sometime about the five alarm chili, or the very first time I decided I could bake without a recipe…it was bad. Quinten Tarantino bloodshed bad)

I’ve long talked friends into throwing lavish dinner parties with me for our parents and friends, drafting them as my sous chef’s, starting when I was in high school, feeding friends and throwing together big pasta dinners with a more the merrier approach to life.

One of my earliest memories is a friend of my Dad’s telling him that when I grew up, if we were throwing a dinner party and someone asked to bring a last minute guest, my response would almost certainly be “Who the hell are they? F&*% it, it doesn’t matter, of course they can come!” Remarkably accurate prediction of the future. Also quite possibly where my love of profane words started.

Fast forward into college, I spent a lot of years working in hospitality in one form or another, I’ve bartended, waited tables, been a hostess, had a brief stint as a cocktail waitress in a rather seedy establishment that shall forever remain nameless, ran the kitchen of a wine bar & bistro, worked the line in a now defunct small Italian restaurant (in which I also bartended), worked the line in another rather famous Portland restaurant who had the bad habit of bouncing paychecks, created the menu for, and did all the legwork for weekend breakfasts, at a (again) now defunct, tiny bistro in a tony Portland suburb.

Throughout all of this I’ve collected cookbooks, and have spent COUNTLESS hours pouring over them, trying to learn everything I can about why they’re laid out they way they are, which recipes are easy to read and follow, which have appealing photography (again, and the why behind it), and cultivated an innate love of entertaining (thanks Mom & Dad).

Growing up, my Mom made certain that we traveled extensively as a family, and as such, my brother and I were very blessed to have passports full of stamps from a very young age, and have had many an adventure exploring. While last in Germany we ended up raising a glass (or four) at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich, the night that Mexico played (and beat) Germany, in Germany. Both my mom and I speak Spanish, and ended up celebrating with the Mexico fans, singing Celito Lindo at the top of our lungs, quite possibly also from the top of the table, though that part is hazy…

Of all the books in the world, the best stories are found between the pages of a passport” -unknown

I’ve had a wide and varied career path that has brought me to this point, toss in a few more years of professional sales (fashion retail, then diamonds & banking, respectively) and a really great track record of making mistakes, some far more entertaining than others, and here we are.

Throughout it all, a small handful of things have remained constant. My love(s) of cooking, entertaining, traveling, and photography.

Which brings us back to now. I’ve rolled them all up into one, and jumped.

I’ll learn to fly on the way down.

My husband, God love him, asks me often if there are any strangers to me, and the answer is invariably “nope”. Aside from being my partner in life, he’s decided to join me on this foodie journey, and while he’s not planning on being a super active or vocal participant in Cook.Eat.Explore, you can definitely expect to see his contributions on our blog from time to time.

Join us, on this crazy wonderful journey through new cities, small towns, big name cookbooks, tiny hole in the wall restaurants, with a big handful of my own recipes tossed into the mix as well, after all, the happiest I am is surrounded by friends in my kitchen, cooking, laughing, and sharing a bottle (or twelve) of wine. Wear cozy clothes, and be prepared to crash in one our guest rooms.

After all, our home is made for hosting.

Want to learn more? Click me to Check out Cook.Eat.Explore

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

January 23, 2018 By // by kate

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.

Expertise.com // Top 19 Maternity Photographers of Columbus // Third Year in a Row

January 19, 2018 By // by kate

Best Maternity
Photographers
in  Columbus
2018 “>

Expertise.com’s Top 19 Maternity Photographers of Columbus

For the second year in a row we here at k.H.a.lifestyle.photography have been named to Expertise.com’s best maternity photographers of Columbus’ list!

Each year, the folks at Expertise.com rank photographers across more than 25 variables across the following five metrics, reputation, credibility, experience, availability, and professionalism. To say that I’m flattered to be among such talent, for the second year in a row doesn’t even touch it.

The email went out a couple of days ago, to those of us on this years list, and it was so much fun to find not only my name on this list, but that of two good friends as well. Being able to text them, and share this feeling and moment of pride with them when I found their names on the list at well made my heart happy.

We’ve been in Columbus for 18 months, and to be able to call these amazing photographers friends, makes moving to Columbus just that much sweeter.

A Boutique Experience

A session in front of my camera is unlike any other experience that you’ll have with any other photographer.

I promise.

Whether it’s been a while since you’ve had your head shots updated, you’re expecting, engaged, or simply want to document the beauty of your everyday ordinary.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.)

Red Twig Farms // VIP Event

The Wine & Shine Podcast

American Cancer Socity Making Strides Walk-1-3

Red Twig Farms

Red Twig Farms // Farm Store

Red Twig Farms // VIP Event

The Wine & Shine Podcast

Red Twig Farms

The Wine & Shine Podcast

Red Twig Farms // VIP Event

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.

Night of Chocolate 2017

Night of Chocolate 2017

Night of Chocolate 2017Night of Chocolate 2017

Night of Chocolate 2017

Night of Chocolate 2017

Night of Chocolate 2017

Night of Chocolate 2017

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.

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

American Cancer Socity Making Strides Walk-1-2

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.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer // American Cancer Society

November 20, 2017 By // by kate

This summer, a friend of mine here in Columbus started volunteering her time to the American Cancer Society here in Columbus, with the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, and when they started their search for a photographer, she threw my name in the hat.

Thankfully, they reached out.

The first event I was contracted to photograph for them was this falls walk. The morning was cool, crisp, and had that perfect snap of fall in the air. Check it out, and next year, come join us!