Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Catherine Rhodes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Catherine, appreciate you joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

As a photographer my mission has always been to capture the moments so they can live on in photographs. And that is still part of my mission in photography, but in 2024 I launched 30 Over 30, a project focused on empowering women.

The heart of my 30 Over 30 project is celebrating women—who they are, what they’ve accomplished, and the beauty of their journey. As a female entrepreneur and a mom of two, I know how easy it is to get lost in motherhood and forget the incredible things we achieve outside of that role. This project is my way of honoring women from all walks of life, reminding them of their strength, resilience, and individuality. It’s about giving them a moment to step into the spotlight, feel truly seen, and celebrate themselves in a way they may not have in years.

Through a personalized session, focused on each individual woman, we create portraits that truly bring out their inner strength and beauty. Not only is it amazing to see as a photographer, but hearing the accomplishments of these women truly brings a sense of awe to what we as females can do.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Photography has always been a big part of my life. Growing up, my Dad had a camera in his hand every place our family visited from Florida to Hawaii it was always an adventure! At the age of 10, he gifted me my very first camera. After rolls and rolls of film, I knew photography would have a long lasting spot in my heart. So I set out for school at Hallmark Institute of Photography and fell in love with weddings on a little horse farm in the middle of New Hampshire. It was truly the love of that day, and being a romantic, that drew me to my passion of capturing real moments and lasting memories. From there I started my business in the Midwest, launching into different markets and photographing weddings and portraits World Wide.

I just celebrated my 17th year as a photographer and in doing so launched my project, 30 Over 30, celebrating women! This project is very dear to my heart as I too understand how easy it is to get lost in the hustle and every day life, forgetting your accomplishments as a strong entrepreneur! Along with an amazing photography business and studios in Columbia Missouri and St. Louis Missouri, I am blessed to have a beautiful family of four. Experiencing a wedding and motherhood for myself has been a beautiful whirlwind and life experience has truly helped me relate to the wonderful couples and families captured in front of my camera. The moments behind a camera are all so precious, life is so short and to stop time for just a moment is something I will always cherish about my career.

What am I most proud of? Honestly, I’d say it’s continuing to capture amazing moments and provide an experience for my clients that goes above and beyond the standard, while also being a loving Mother and Wife to my family. Raising two beautiful humans will always feel like my purpose in life, but bringing beauty to the world through photography is a very close second.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Consistency and Quality.
Those are two qualities that I think are very very important in the photography industry. Many people can jump into a photography business, but to maintain a consistent look, brand, and level of quality over years and with constant changes trends is a much harder thing to accomplish. I really pride myself on taking care of my clients and always providing them with a level of service that is similar if not getting better year to year. Vendors and Venues know this about my business simply based on peer to peer reviews, working together one on one, or clients raving from past experiences! Always coming in as a team player on a wedding day of photo shoot is a huge part to consistency in your brand as well. Clients and Vendors know what to expect when they work with Catherine Rhodes Photography and I hope that only trends upward as we approach 20 years in business!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Client referrals is our number one source for gaining new clients! I absolutely adore the couples and families who entrust me to photograph their most important moments and portraits, so I do try to create a relationship with them long after the event or photo shoot has passed. Nurturing those relationships in a genuine way, has absolutely helped our new client flow over the last 17 years.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.CatherineRhodesPhotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/CatherineRPhoto
• Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/CatherineRhodesPhotography
• Other: Tiktok | @CatherineRhodesPhoto

Image Credits

© Catherine Rhodes Photography 2025