If you’ve checked out my “Meet” page, you already know a little but about me, but if you really want to know the deets about who I am and why, here you go. One of the most important things to keep in mind while choosing a photographer is making sure you connect with them. It’s SO important to feel comfortable around the person who will be following you around on your wedding day.
So, here’s a closer look into who I am and why I love what I do!
I’m Kendra Cates, I’m 25 years old and I was born and raised in Eugene, Oregon. I’m an only child and I was fortunate enough to grow up on a small farm full of animals and things to do. Competing with my horses became a passion of mine when I was about 11 years old, and when I was in High School I knew that I needed to have my horses with me in College. So, when I graduated, I loaded up three horses, my dog, and headed to Las Vegas where I spent the next four years going to school and rodeoing for UNLV.
I began my love for photography while I was in college and a friend of mine let me borrow her camera to take some action shots at a barrel race. I was instantly hooked. So, for my Birthday, my dad bought me my first DSLR, a Nikon D3200. I shot my first two weddings on that camera and it was perfect for learning on, and it showed me that I can actually do this photography thing.
That’s a quick summary of my background. Now I want you to get to know who I am and what I will be like as your photographer.
I’m an introvert. I enjoy my alone time, and I am definitely not a social butterfly with a bubbly personality. Most people associate this personality type as quiet and timid, but I am definitely not that.
Could a timid person control a 1,200 lb. animal and have fun while doing it?
I don’t think so.
I do not like being the center of attention, but what photography has taught me about myself is that I can really be assertive and take charge when I need to. This side of me comes out when I’m doing two things: riding a horse and shooting a wedding. Especially when I have to wrangle 10 half-drunk groomsmen to smile for a picture. It’s no small feat.
I’m a busy body. I wouldn’t say I’m a workaholic because I can recognize when I need a break and I will do so, but I also have never missed a deadline. Pictures from my regular sessions are delivered within a week, usually earlier. Wedding galleries are delivered in less than a month. And that’s with 1,000+ edited pictures. I’m able to do this because of my time management skills, not because I’m up at 2:00 in the morning editing. I get at least 7 hours of sleep every night because eyes that are rested and awake are able to edit a lot better than tired eyes. Self care is important!!
Speaking of my time management skills, since I know this is a strength of mine, I love to help my couples with their wedding timeline. If you book me, I want you to know that I’m available all the time. I’ve been part of the wedding industry for five years now, so I’m able to answer most questions that are thrown at me. The LAST thing I would want is to be someone that you hire and then don’t hear from until your wedding day. Yuck.
Very rarely do I stress out or get overwhelmed. People don’t believe me when I say this, but it’s true. If there’s a stressful or overwhelming situation that I’m in, I might take 2 minutes to feel sorry for myself, but then I start figuring out what I have to do to get the job done. If I have 2 weddings and 4 senior sessions to edit by the end of the week, I break them down into how long I will spend on each session with the time I have available that day. If I’m in the middle of editing a session and I’m feeling distracted or uninspired, I’ll go spend a little time for myself (usually with my horses) to recharge and come back fresh.
I take my job as your photographer very seriously. I recognize that what I’m doing is capturing and documenting huge life events and showcasing them beautifully. It’s a big deal, and some people aren’t cut out for that aspect of this profession.
But, at the same time, I have so much fun doing this! I get so giddy when I’m in the middle of a session or a wedding and I know that what I’m capturing at that moment is something beautiful, and that same feeling comes back when I’m editing those shots!
I really do have the best job in the world, and I love all my clients and their stories I get to tell through my lens. So, if you’re looking for a photographer who works extremely hard, has your vision and best interest at the top of their mind, and has a ton of fun while doing it, then I’m your gal. Let’s meet up and chat. But, can we not do the basic coffee date? I’m not into coffee. Let’s get margaritas instead. 🙂