Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathleen Lopes.
Kathleen, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m 35 years old, I’m the eldest daughter, born at seven months, premature, from parents where my father is 99% infertile, I joke that I’m a miracle from God. I am a married mother of two energetic boys and 1 four-legged named Wolfgang, named after Amadeus Mozart. Most people are surprised to learn that I am a former lawyer who decided to start LIVING instead of just earning a living. I practiced for years before leaving the field to start my own photography business.
Some ask me why I did this, why I left the law and the answer is simple: I wanted quality of life, I wanted to be able to take my children to school, to know what color or food they like, I wanted to get home with peace in my heart and happy. In law I didn’t have a life of my own, I always came home stressed and I rarely saw my children and that was not the mother I wanted to be. I may not be the best mother in the world and I don’t want to either, but I will be the best for them.
Photography allowed me to live this…
I’ve always liked photography, I remember well when I bought my first Kodak kb 18 35 mm when I was 13 (I bought it saving money on lunch), I wanted to take pictures of everything and everyone. I loved photographing my friends and babies.
Over the years I discovered myself in the area of law too, but I didn’t stop photographing. My mother’s house was full of scattered photographs, as the idea of “living forever through images” always existed in me. But there came a time when I had to choose which career to pursue and I decided to pursue law, but I still photographed as a hobby, for friends, acquaintances and myself, to promote my work. Until the day I decided to put an end to the stress that I lived and lived on what made me wake up in the morning happy with the opportunity to tell and record yet another story.
Many think that photography is just pressing a button or having better equipment. What many don’t even imagine is everything behind this photo: the price is high, as we have sleepless nights, a lot of study and investment. I invest a lot in my profession, I want the best results, I don’t want to and I won’t be just another photographer in such a competitive market. Everyone who passes through my lens will always have the best of me and a unique experience.
But to achieve all this comes at a price and it is high, not only financially but emotionally as well. Funny thing is that in the life of a photographer what he does least is photograph. Because you need to edit, answer and follow up with clients, deliver final work, study – but study what? Everything! Marketing, photography, and customer acquisition, it’s a profession that always needs to be studying, updating, knowing what’s new, for those who take it seriously of course.
And to be able to be where I am now I made a lot of mistakes, I cried, I thought about giving up many times. It’s not easy, but I saw that it’s not impossible! You need to have courage, faith, determination and friends who believe in you, who say in your face that giving up is NOT an option. Also, I have three people I am grateful for being part of this entire process: firstly my husband who always supported and invested in my career, he was part of all the moments of my life, my safe haven; secondlymy sister, who is my base, my inspiration, a wonderful photographer that inspired me in so many ways;and my friend Adriana, because after she came into my life, everything changed. These people will never be able to imagine or measure how grateful I am to have them in my life!
I’ve currently lived here for four years and getting to know the market, the culture, and tastes was a difficult task and still is. Every day I learn and try to understand more and more target audiences.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth journey? Not at all!!!! I face way too many challenges: cultural, second language, being accepted in another country, sometimes dealing with prejudice and discrimination.
In addition, there is the issue of the lack of appreciation for the work, many want a beautiful photo taken by a professional, but some think that it is not worth the investment, that it is expensive since it is simply a matter of pressing a button. And like I said before, it’s not just pushing a button.
Every day a new discovery, a new insight, a new ideal.
Today I don’t think about giving up anymore and I won’t. For I am sure that God has put me on the right path.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a photographer specializing in Pregnancy and Newborn. If I want to deliver the best, I go looking for the best. I took in-person classes with the best photography mentors in Brazil, Texas, California and a couple more online. I study a lot.
I also work in the areas of corporate photography and everything related to the family such as birthdays, baby showers, etc.
Many mothers call me the baby whisperer. It was so beautiful when I first heard it and I thought, it’s not like that. Until another mom told me the same thing, and another, and another and I thought, Wow, it’s true:
“My fiancé and I recently welcomed our first child. Of course, we are over the moon. We have wanted to document this amazing blessing with photos. I had never used a photographer before and was honestly a little intimidated because I didn’t know what the social norms are for that interaction/space. I know silly, but nonetheless, I was. We found Kathleen through a sponsored posting on Instagram. Her photos were beautiful, and her pricing was within our budget. I sent a direct message inquiring about the newborn photoshoot and was assisted by Kathleen’s assistant Adriana. I found her to be extremely pleasant and diligent. Before I knew it, I had an appointment scheduled for the same week. At the session, we were greeted by Kathleen, and she escorted us to her unit. I was completely taken aback by how well she utilized the small space. She has a ton of different scenes already set up and a bunch of props nicely organized. I asked her if we could use some of my daughter’s own clothes for a few pictures to have a mix of traditional and non-traditional photos. She agreed and then quickly went to work, slowly changing out daughter’s clothes. In a matter of minutes, I was blown away by Kathleen’s ability to manage a newborn so well. It was evident that we made the right decision. She changed the baby’s outfits and positions without waking her for an hour. I’ve been referring to her as the baby whisperer since our session. I’ve never seen that kind of magic. We watched in amazement as she captured beautiful pictures of our child. She was focused on her art and closely paid attention to the smallest details. We received her photo proofs this morning through email, and let me tell you, she is a master of her craft. We have already been recommending her to family and friends. I can’t thank Kathleen and Adriana enough for making this such a wonderful experience! We look forward to Kathleen capturing more moments as our daughter grows.” Giselle Bishop, client.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Many people do not know how to deal with risks, they are terrified just thinking about change, or considering leaving their comfort zone. I’m not afraid! I like to take risks, try something different, comfort zone is something that bothers me. Because it doesn’t create risks or challenges and by not generating it, you place yourself as one more in the market, in life and accept whatever comes. I do not accept it!
Leaving the comfort zone of law practice can be considered a risk, since I had a consolidated career, with several clients, I already had a name in the market and suddenly I dropped everything and went to photography. It’s a long road, full of stones, ups and downs, but I don’t regret choosing it. I’m grateful Photography chose me. I remember one day my son’s teacher asked what his favorite color was and at the time I cried… I didn’t know…
So was it worth the risk? 100% yes!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kathleenphoto.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathleen.lopes.photo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathleenlopesphoto
Image Credits
Photographer: Kathleen Lopes
