Kaitie Bryant, y’all — this talented lady does it all and does it unbelievably well. Like, we actually can’t believe what she’s capable of. Kaitie describes Kaitie Bryant Photography as lively, personal, simple, and interesting, and we couldn’t agree more. She loves being an entrepreneur and chasing down ideas, and is extremely passionate about her job — and guess what? We are extremely passionate about her! It was truly a pleasure to work with Kaitie at the third Athens NotWedding, and we are thrilled to feature her as our Vendor of the Week today.
“Kaitie is a woman of many talents and she loves you as a person so well. She has an eye for an awesome shot, a heart for a greater story, and does a lovely job of capturing both. We love her!”
The Athens NotWedding Team
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Describe Katie Bryant Photography in five words or less.
Lively, Personal, Simple, + Interesting
Who or what inspires you?
LIGHT inspires me!!! I fell in love with photography when I started noticing how beautiful window light is when it hits a subject. I am still inspired by light and shadows and the way light changes throughout the day. The first thing I look for when shooting in a new venue is where the light is the most beautiful, even if it’s a small corner or strange nook! Amazing things happen when you put a subject in good light no matter where you are. I also love studying harsh light and seeing what kind of neat lines and patterns it makes. I love both natural light and studio lighting and really just about any light- even lamps fascinate me and I like experimenting with them!
If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be?
Ha! I’ve been so many other things (a high school history teacher, a professional organizer, a T-shirt designer, an Etsy crafter/seller — all of the above!!) that there is no telling what else I might be but really I love being an entrepreneur and chasing down ideas. I also think I was meant to be a DJ at a roller skating rink and find myself dreaming of making rap videos with my family — no joke.
What advice would you give to aspiring small business owners?
A wise friend of ours once told me when I was embarking on my small business journey, “Double the amount of work and divide the pay in half, and if you still want to do it then go for it!” I think about what he said so many times and know that if I am choosing to pursue something I love and am passionate about, then the work is worth it. It’s when your heart isn’t in it that makes it tough to ride out the challenges that come with owning a small business. The other piece of advice is to be a good record keeper of hours worked, money spent, money paid so that your business finances don’t get out of control. Finances are easily the biggest reason small businesses don’t survive, so being wise and calculated with money and time is the most valuable step you can take in setting yourself up for success.
What is your favorite part of The NotWedding experience?
The HUGE push I had to get my business together to present to others in the Tunnel of Love. I liken it to having a party at your house as the reason you finally clean everything up; you almost need an event to force you to get your business together! The NotWedding was the biggest push in my photography business to update my website, have materials to show prospective clients, refine my brand, and be ready to communicate that in words and images through this event. The friends and connections I made through The NotWedding is the other part of my experience that is invaluable. I really can’t say enough about this — some amazing doors have opened up for me because I took part in the NotWedding. I have since been able to open a studio with other NotWedding vendors, work alongside talented people in styled shoots, booked weddings through vendor recommendations, and have an amazing resource to draw from with The NotWedding staff.
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More from Kaitie Bryant Photography:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest
