The Katie Babe Blog: Mood Love styled shoot

For some reason I haven't blogged about my styled shoots. If you don't already follow me then you can follow my new business account

Havenwood Design Co & Antique Rentals

Something like that, I have rebranded my name and still not sure what to call myself.

Basically I am advertising myself as a Designer. Interior design, Retail design, event planning and design, styling photo shoots for photographers or small business. To display their products and get better images for their instagram handles. Basically any element of design possible is where I want to be. I have had a natural talent for it since I was little and I have basically stayed away from it for some reason. I think it is because I didn't think there was money in it. Like art has always been a part of me but more as a hobby or an outlet.

When I was 19 I wanted to go to massage school because I was into the hippie granola stuff and I loved that lifestyle. I wanted to be a nutritionist so I changed my degree in Art that I originally had to Science. My mom was trying to push my artistic side and we went the art institute and I had to sell my soul to attend there so it wasn't an option. I have always felt that my design part of me was too much of a dream, that it was too far fetched to even attempt. I have been scared of it for some reason. I have kind of wondered why it took me so long to finally try it but I think the timing has been everything. I spend the last 8 years making and raising babies and that is where I needed to be.

Last year around this time I was pushed by something to really just stop trying to do the stuff that I have been doing and know like massage, and jump two feet into a business with my art. I started with wedding planning because I have a passion or all the elements of design that a wedding has. Cake, florals, decor, fashion, jewelry, food, it is like a designer's dream. So I got on the internet and googled on how to become a wedding planner. And I will save you time because there really isn't much info to go on. So I decided to go in through the route of my hoarder side and start renting my antiques. I reached out to some photographers and said I need photos of my rentals and I offered to style them as well.
After my first photoshoot I was getting inquiries about styled shoots ever since.

If you are curious about what a styled shoot is and what I have been doing I will try and explain. It is where people in the industry will collaborate in order to build portfolio photos, get a bigger social media following and more exposure in the wedding industry. I have done it many ways.
Sometimes we do bigger events and charge photographers to come and take pictures of a fake wedding set up and brides and they can build their portfolio to show brides how they can photograph their wedding.
I have done it also where I work with one or sometimes two photograpers and videographers and all the vendors will collaborate (put their own time and money into the photoshoot) and they will gain free photos and exposure for their brand.

I have had to quickly learn the ropes, the etiquette and it really is a whole different world than I have ever worked in. But I have been able to meet amazing people that I normally wouldn't ever meet and I have made really good friends and relationships along the way. Each photo shoot has made me grow and learn each time. I will admit that I may have over worked last year to kind of distract me from all the chaos in my personal life and I probably shouldn't have done that....but...I am finally seeing the hard work manifesting.

After a year of styled shoots and doing everything that they say you should do to build your business and I have been discouraged without getting any real bookings besides a few rentals here and there. And I am putting blood, sweat, tears and my whole soul into these photoshoots just hoping that I will be successful one day but not really sure where it was leading me. Well, at the end of the year 2016 I was saying to myself I need to slow down on these photo shoots because it is just too much and taking away too much away from my family without any income or benefits.
As soon as I said that I took a little break and then Chantel Lauren Designs contacts me and I was like wwwwwhhhhat?!?!?! she is my favorite designer, and so much my taste that I was immediately in. Leah and Chantel are both of the most laid back people and so super nice. All of the people I worked with for this styled shoot were all very amazing artists and we all worked so well together. I felt like I finally found my cliche that totally understands my design and appreciates what I do. I can't even tell you how flattered I was to work with these people.

Since then I did another shoot with some of the same people and I am stoked I am about this one. It is so much of me in it and I kind of feel like I have finally hit a good place in my business and where I want to headed with it. Shelby from Bonfireheart Co we work really well together. We don't even need to talk and we just both know what each other is thinking.

I have been getting little nibbles and inquiries and I am getting so excited. And I did finally get my first booking! So I just have a good feeling about this year and what it has for me. It just proves that hard work will not be overlooked when you really want something. So don't get discouraged and don't give up on something if you want it so fiercely.

But this is just the beginning for me, you just wait until I get my hands on some real money and some real brides! One day I will flying out to NY fashion week to pick out my brides dresses, and I will be flying to the bahamas and switzerland for an elopement wedding. I am shooting for the stars here, I am not going to settle for mediocre. I am feeling good about the place that I am in.

So this is the photo shoot that I am really proud of and want to share with you guys. Enjoy!

Link to awesome Video by Skye Films