We recently connected with Kaitlin Winder and have shared our conversation below.

Kaitlin, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Kait’s Captures Mission Statement:
“To help to empower & encourage people to feel comfortable & at ease in front of a camera-to be able to confidently & authentically capture their portraits & memories in a way that honors them and their individuality.”

Before I ever picked up a camera- I remember having those yearly family pictures or school portraits taken-like most of us do. ‘Picture Day’ is always a day filled with mixed emotions-excitement, anxiety, shyness, and so many other feelings in between those as well. We all feel some certain way about having our picture taken. Typically, most people tend to feel nervous when a camera is placed upon them.

I have always loved having my picture taken. I was that kid who loved to be the center of attention- loud, happy, and always trying to make the people around me laugh and smile. And whenever someone pulled out a camera I was ready to strike a pose.

I loved the excitement of waiting to get your film back from being developed, seeing those pictures for the first time and remembering the moments that came along with them. I was so excited when we started having the ability to take pictures on our phones and on the go, and digital cameras have absolutely fascinated me-being able to take a picture and view it instantly-HOW COOL!

And as the years went on and I became a mother, I started taking pictures of my own children and realizing someday those photos would be all I had left of my tiny babies. Photographs are a gift of time and memories.

I wanted everyone to feel this way about pictures-not just the pictures and memories of the ones they loved but also about themselves in pictures. Getting your picture taken can be intimidating; so many nervous thoughts come along- ‘do I look ok?’, ‘is there anything in my teeth?’, And the person taking the pictures can either make or break your experience of having your picture taken.

Having a photographer that puts the time, effort, care, and concern into your picture taking experience is PARAMOUNT to changing the way you feel and view the picture taking process.

I have been determined to be the photographer that made taking photos FUN! During a photoshoot I do my best to feel out each individual client and their comfortability with having their picture taken. If I can tell they are a little more reserved or nervous about the process I like to talk with them and reassure them that I will be there to help and guide them with posing, tips, and also by showing them back of the camera previews. As the shoot goes on it always amazes me that I can literally watch people become more comfortable and used to having their picture taken. When the nervousness fades, authenticity shines! All of these things really help to get someone feeling more relaxed and at ease to have their picture taken.

Learning how to help calm, reassure, and guide the subject is the difference between an alright portrait and a beautiful, authentic moment captured in time.

I love when I get to capture a genuine smile or moment and then share it with the people it means most to. I hope my style of shooting photographs renews a love for photos for those around me. We are all beautiful, we are all unique, and we all deserve to have our memories preserved, no matter where we are on our journey.

I truly believe and understand the value of being a safe and comfortable photographer to work with. I hope this being a priority of mine is what keeps clients coming back and treasuring their portraits-and ultimately the legacy their portraits leave behind.

If I can help someone to feel good about themselves or like a photo of themselves-Mission Accomplished.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a 33 year old single momma to my 3 beautiful kids. I raise them in a small town in Northern Minnesota. I enjoy running, hiking, staying active, going on adventures to the North Shore of Lake Superior, crafting, thrifting, dancing, and generally just enjoying life!

About 3 and a half years ago I decided to take a leap and open my business. There were some events that transpired in my life that allowed me to walk through this new door of opportunity. Needing to make a decision whether I was going to continue to pursue my career at the Post Office or invest my time, energy, and money into my business and see where it went.

I had always had a love for taking pictures. As a kid disposable cameras or the family film camera. As a teen with the old Kodak point and shoot digital cameras. As a mom-typically with a cell phone camera. I had always had a yearning to learn digital photography but could never afford a camera. Photography isn’t exactly the cheapest hobby for a stay at home mom with no income to take up- so it always seemed like a dream to me.

I finally decided that I was going to get a digital camera for my 29th birthday. I brought all the possible resources together I could to purchase a Canon Rebel T7. It was a great camera for me to learn on, gain my footing, build up experience and my portfolio, and gain the confidence to take the plunge.

I started offering to take my friends pictures, their friends pictures, and word quickly spread and I slowly started to get hired for paid gigs.

As I continued to grow and expand, it became evident to me that I had a special interest in photographing couples and the connection between two people. I love-love.

I like to try to bring something to my photos. I truly try to bring myself. In preparation for your shoot I help you choose a location, choose outfits that coordinate, feel comfortable and look good with the location, and plan the shoot so that you feel ready and prepared going into it! During the photoshoot, I show up as your friend and #1 hype girl (Thanks to my background as a varsity cheerleader, I am literally cheering you on and coaching you the entire shoot!) I try my best to make each and every photoshoot, enjoyable, memorable, and as stress free as possible. At the end of our time together, my hope is that you leave feeling like you had a good time, like you just spent an evening with a friend taking pictures- and because of that the results end up being authentic. Authentic smiles, authentic laughs, and authentic connection captured in the moments we spend together. And last I bring my artistic eye and love for color to your portraits with my editing style. I love a true to life and vibrant edit and think it keeps pictures looking timeless and gorgeous!

Additionally engagements, weddings, & elopements have become a sort passion project for me. I love nothing more than meeting a couple during their engagement period, and working with them all the way through their wedding and then after! I like to try to take my clients on “adventures” for their engagement shoot. Typically we will go on a scenic hike, somewhere significant or special to the couple, somewhere (anywhere) up the North Shore of Lake Superior, or my personal favorite-a waterfall. This makes my engagement portraits unique, exciting, and adventurous, and it leaves the couple with awesome memories as well!

These chapters of a couples life are such a special and fleeting time and I feel very honored to be able to be capturing these sacred moments in my couples lives! I am hoping to add more traveling elopements & destination weddings in the next five years! Check back in then to see if I make it happen!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

What I love most about being a creative is watching an idea or concept go from my head to being out in the world for others to see and share in. The entire creative process is extremely fulfilling to me. Bringing a creative idea to life feels like sharing a little piece of myself with people-very vulnerable and raw. Sharing your soul-essentially. And the fact that I was able to build a business where I get to share my creativity and vision with people is something I feel I can never stop showing gratitude and appreciation for.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

In the time since I have opened Kait’s Captures, I went from being a stay at home mom who did photography here and there to growing it to become my main source of income as a single mom. That leap has been the scariest. I really had to place a lot of belief in myself, my foundation, and my abilities to push through, especially on the hard days. Starting this business gave me the confidence that I needed to believe that I could succeed in life as a single mother and do what was best and healthiest for my children and I.

Photography has been the thing that has supported mine and my children’s lives and have gotten us out of some very dark and scary times. It has been a light and a source of positivity when there wasn’t any, and it has been one of the few things that has helped me to believe in myself and that what I bring to the table is valuable, and for that lesson alone, I am forever grateful to my art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kaitscaptures.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaitscapturesphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaitscapturesphotography