Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kate Weinbender. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Kate thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with talking about how you serve the underserved, because in our view this is one of the most important things the small business community does for society – by serving those who the giant corporations ignore, small business helps create a more inclusive and just world for all of us.
I’m a destination wedding photographer living in Cincinnati, OH focused on queer, non-binary, offbeat, unique and adventurous couples all over the globe. The wedding industry is full of straight skinny white couples but, of course, our communities are much more diverse than that! KEM represents real love from all corners of society. We serve predominantly LGBTQIA+, larger bodied, alternative styled, and culturally diverse couples. Every love story is unique and our goal is to capture people authentically, in their own light. Representation is so important, no matter the industry, and we want to show that all love should be celebrated.
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?
In 2007, while in college, I started playing around with a camera I stole from a friend. I took it to a family Thanksgiving and chased around my cousins the whole time, snapping away. I really enjoyed the creative freedom it gave me and the joy it brought once I got the film developed, so I decided to stick with it.
Early on I started with grad photos and fashion photos. I eventually moved on to engagements, that’s where I felt like I really started to come into my own. When I transitioned to weddings I started learning from the best of the best. I took online classes, I was second shooting, networking, etc. and it really helped me grow into the true professional I am today. Since 2010, I have shot over 300+ weddings!
I’m a photographer, educator, and your new best friend. Everyone has a story, I’m here to capture the essence of yours. Our goal is that anyone who joins the KEM family feels seen, heard, appreciated, and celebrated throughout their time with us.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Our goal is bringing diversity to the wedding industry. The industry is very cookie cutter and heteronormative, but that is not the reality of love. We strive to find new in exciting ways to creatively capture every couple that comes through our door in a way that makes them feel unique, special, and completely seen. It’s incredibly important to us to capture real life relationships as an example for others. Showcasing diverse couples make other people feel confident and proud about their own love story.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
The biggest piece of advice I can give other creatives is too niche down, over and over and over again. Hone in on the thing that you’re good at, master it at a high-level, and continue to improve on that one skill. Many people think that parsing down to one focus will limit their clientele or who will reach out to them, but that ignores the fact that, in order to make a name for ourselves, want to be sought after for something specific. That’s what sets us apart from the crowd.
When we think about quality of items that we purchase, we know that we can get a little bit of everything at a Walmart or Target, but if we want a real quality handbag specifically we go straight to a Coach or Kate Spade store. They’ve gotten incredibly good at one thing and that’s what keeps bringing people back. The same can be said for creatives in a given industry. Find your nice, master your skills, push for growth.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.katherineelysemedia.com
- Instagram: @lovekemedia
- Facebook: @lovekemedia