We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kat Hernandez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kat, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Starting my brand was the risk. It is based on the idea of no longer hiding or limiting ones self, to any negative beliefs of failure. My name is Kat and I came “outta the bag” when I decided against questioning my gifts and creating images of failure in my head . College taught me a lot and I am very grateful for my experiences there. Once I graduated, I came home to NYC and fell right back into the rat race. All I was focused on was money and how to make it as fast as I could. I worked with children in after school and summer programs, and eventually went back to retail. It was hard seeing my peers after graduation accomplishing great things, working with big companies or producing their own works and gaining recognition for them. I felt I had failed myself and wasted my talents. I applied to plenty of photography and videography jobs to no success. Lack of “experience” is where I seemed to fall short for these companies. It was very hard and I felt myself falling deeper into a depression over my worth as a creative. After enough sleepless nights, running thoughts and late night cries of where my life was, I knew something had to change. It was me. I wasn’t going to wait for a job, I was going to create it. I was working at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan when I made a leather keychain with the words “outta the bag” hammered into it. That was my first piece of merch that made my brand real for me at that time. I had begun working on a website, walking around my city shooting places I loved to frequent when I was younger and fell in love with my camera and photography again. It was fun and brought me joy! From there I had plans for the things I wanted to sell, create and photograph. I offered services to my friends who needed headshots and also asked them to be my models just to create. My path organically led me to connect with RAW Artists, a company that highlights local artists in art shows held around the country. I got to showcase in two of those shows in Brooklyn, NY and that felt big for me. To go from “nobody will like me or what I have to offer” to having my work be viewed by the people of my own city, that was accomplishment enough. Since then, I have photographed private events and even some cosplay which I really enjoyed! There’s a lot for me on the horizon and I’m excited to see where I grow from here.
Kat, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m Kat, I come from Brooklyn NY and have always had fun taking pictures. I got my first digital camera in middle school for christmas, It was a fujifilm and I loved it. I was just so happy to have something to take pictures of my friends and keep memories for the future. Before then, I always played with disposable cameras and loved to see the developed photos and films afterward. I grew up a singer and found my passion in musical theatre. I sang and performed from elementary to high school. It wasn’t until it came time to go to college that my parent told me I should major in something that “paid the bills” and as a young woman that definitely hurt to hear. I was so lost and had no idea what to do. I didn’t want to disappoint my parent but I didn’t want to go to college if it meant giving up what I truly loved. As the daughter of an immigrant, you don’t want your parents struggles to go to waste.
I applied undeclared to all my schools and canceled any audition plans I had. As I explored majors in college, I remembered my interest in photography and films. I used to love watching the bonus features and behind the scenes content on all the DVDs I watched at home. It was so interesting to me how they came to life. Suddenly I was confident in what my major would be. I majored in film, and double minored in photography, and audio design and production.
I love the worlds of nature, fantasy, comics, animation and the process of creation itself. The way an idea can start in your head and come to life, was always so beautiful to me. I love that aspect of photography and film. When it comes to photography, I love to make my clients feel good while showing them perspectives of themselves they may not have seen. I’m open to trying new things and exploring alongside my clients and finding a new way to achieve our visual goals. What sets me apart from others is my personal interest in theatre and anime. I’m a show girl so I love big, ideas! I love over the top, crazy, colorful, whacky, dramatic ideas so bring them! We can see what we do, how we can change things and how far we can take it. As long as you feel beautiful in your final photos, nothing is off limits.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the opportunity to learn and be exposed to the minds of others. I only have two eyes, but with a friend there are four. There will always be things that I do not see as immediately as others and I value those moments and relationships. I love to learn and get to know people, their stories, experiences and everything they feel like sharing. And with art being so personal, a lot of the time you can see that persons inner world coming out in their work. At least, as much as they’re willing to share with us. It is inspiring to discover new ways to think and approach future works as you are exposed to such varying degrees of creativity and artistry.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
A big pivot came for me when I found out I was pregnant with my son! Suddenly I had to rethink a lot, and a lot of emotions came up around being a mother. It made it a little difficult to enjoy photography for a bit but it soon became my therapy and I felt joy once again. I began rethinking where I saw my brand going, what its future held and how far am I willing to go to achieve these new goals I had. I was inspired to think bigger and remove all limits from my heart. Now I photograph people, my city and those who ask for my talents in documenting special moments. In the future, I see a multimedia company, that produces the original stories, works and artistry of my melanated communities and their rich cultures. I have my son to thank for this new inspiration and vision for my brand.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @_otb.made
Image Credits
Photo Credits to Outta The Bag LLC!