SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT: Katrina Matthews Photography

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF

Hey, I’m Katrina a wedding & portrait photographer from Hertfordshire. I’ve been shooting weddings for over 6 years now and I’ve loved every minute!
I’m a huge animal lover so always encourage pets on shoots, especially at weddings and really embrace unique and alternative ideas that couples throw my way.
Travel & food come next on the list of my favourite things (after animals of course) and you will often find me tucking into a cheeky cake from the local coffee shop.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO START YOUR BUSINESS?

I have always been creative and started my journey at university studying textile design, dabbling in textile design for interiors and visual merchandising before finding myself on this incredible path as a wedding & portrait photographer.

As with so many other photographers this wonderful career started as a hobby but I kept pushing and educating myself until I got my first studio job. I loved the job but working for myself and having full creative control was always the dream. A year into my portrait studio position I made the jump into self employment and have never looked back.

HOW DOES YOUR TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?

When I’m shooting a wedding there isn’t really ever a typical day, every wedding is so different and I’m so lucky to work at such a variety of venues my working days change so much.
But a typical day at home would start with a lovely morning walk with my beagle Bonnie (a little fresh air in the morning works a treat). Once I’m home and sat at my desk I usually get on with emails first, do a bit of admin, before allowing myself a few hours at least to catch up on editing.
I usually have a few portrait sessions each week too so I often have to prep my equipment and spend a few hours out of the house for those too. It’s so hard to have a routine because every week is different but that’s something I love about my job.

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB?

Best part of my job is 100% the couples I get to meet! I get to work with such amazing people and not only get to know them like friends but also get to share one of the biggest days of their lives with them as intimately as their closest family and friends do. It’s such an privileged to be picked by couples to go through that experience with them.

AND WHAT IS THE WORST PART?

The worst part is definitely the admin part of the job. I’m a creative person and want to be behind the camera and editing etc but I have to make time to be a business women as well. I don’t mind the marketing bit and love emailing clients but doing tax returns is not fun.

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOUʼVE BEEN GIVEN?

To not worry about what others think and be who you want to be & do what you want to do. It’s only in the last couple of years I have really taken this advice and I’m so much happy for it. I show the real me on social media and have been getting the best couples engaging with me ever since!
It apples to so many parts of our lives, especially with wedding planning. Your day should be what you want it to be not what your family want.

WHAT WOULD YOU WANT COUPLES TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT YOU DO?

So the most important thing is my style, I have a really relaxed and natural approach so I can capture real personalities and connections between people without interrupting or distracting those important moments throughout the day.
I also love to add a little fun into the couple portraits, this not only gets the best reactions but creates even more memorable events from the day. From smoke bombs to bursting champagne bottles, piggy backs or lifts there is always something great for every couple to try.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR COUPLES PLANNING A WEDDING?

There is so much advice I could give (you hear a lot in this job) but I think one of the more practical pieces of advice is to work out together who your priority suppliers are. Wedding planning is great fun but it can get a bit overwhelming so instead of looking at a long list of things you need I would recommend making a small list of suppliers that are most important to you, suppliers that will allow your day to go ahead regardless of everything else.
You can get those ticked off your list first and give yourself a break from planning for a few months.
When you pick it up again you will have a clear mind and be raring to go for round two :)

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU DIDNʼT WORK IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY?

During my degree I always thought I would end up being a print designer for textiles and am still obsessed with interiors and fabrics, this is the most practical choice. But if I could do anything I would love to work with animals, probably in a zoo (those zoo programs make it look like sooo much fun!)

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR TIME OFF?

This question comes at a strange time when, like most of the country, I’ve spent most of the last year at home with little else to do. It’s weird to think about what I would do if I could do anything, it’s been so long.
I always love going out for dinner and having friends round for food and a few drinks, basically my time is spent eating.

DREAM HOLIDAY?

I was lucky enough to go on my dream holiday last year to Vietnam. It was actually my honeymoon and we traveled through the country from the North to the South fitting in as much as we could. Everything about the trip was amazing, the scenery, the history, the people & of course the FOOD!

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

Shooting lots & lots of beautiful weddings, hopefully traveling abroad a bit more for destinations weddings and have a much more refined work life balance.

You can find Katrina’s directory page here, check out her website and follow on Instagram !