Rising Stars: Meet Kaitlyn Berryhill

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaitlyn Berryhill. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Kaitlyn Berryhill & I am a Wedding/Lifestyle photographer in Colorado Springs! I recently graduated high school & decided while pursuing my associates in Business Management that my love for photography was enough to pursue as a career. 

Being 18 years old at the time I started Kaitlyn Marie Photography, there was a lot to learn but I couldn’t have loved it any more. From the first time I picked up a camera during an actual session I knew it was exactly where I was supposed to be. From beginning, this business offering free sessions to gain any & all experience to now this past summer I had the honor of some of my couples taking me to Moab UT, Palm Springs CA, San Diego CA & just about all over Colorado is eye-opening just how blessed I am from this career. Now after a little over a year and a half of running this business, hundreds of couples, tons of weddings, and countless adventures I could not imagine myself doing anything else. 

While I primarily focus on weddings, couples & families- I am totally open to portraits, seniors, and all that. I was able to go full-time with this business in July of 2021 and it has been nothing short of amazing. As a photographer, my goal is always to create the best experience for my clients & give back images that they feel connected to. The kind of photos you can look at a million times and never be tired of, but most importantly the kind of photos that feel 100% you. Being trusted to capture people’s special days & precious memories allow me the creative space to create timeless photographs and make lifelong connections along the way. I truly could not imagine life without this business and the amazing people I have had the chance to meet, both clients and fellow creatives. While it hasn’t all been easy as a young business owner it has been beyond worth it. 

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?
Like any journey there definitely have been some struggles, however, every bump in the road has gotten me to this place in my business which I could not be more thankful for. The biggest hardship I think I have had to face during this business would be starting in January of 2020 when just months later we entered a lockdown for the Covid-19 Pandemic. As an 18-year-old who just started following my photography dreams, juggling a worldwide pandemic, and finishing my senior year of high school you can imagine the emotions were high. In the summer of 2020, I had already had 8 weddings booked and 3 of those in different parts of Colorado along with 1 out of state in California. The uncertainties of our world being the same and ever opening back up all the way to the fear of traveling during any of this was certainly not easy to manage. However, what got me through this bump was my clients experiencing it all right there with me. While neither of us knew the right way to handle it we got through it together. Through rescheduling, until safer times, the 2021 wedding season became double the chaos which also was new to me. 

Now flash forward to the end of 2021, after 22 weddings and countless sessions in between, it has been a crazy year and a half with Kaitlyn Marie Photography but I am so blessed with the most amazing clients who navigated through 2020’s curveballs with me. I cannot wait to see all of the clients and experiences 2022 will bring me. 

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 Wedding & Lifestyle Photographer based in Colorado Springs but open to travel all around Colorado and out of state. I focus mainly on couples; weddings and families, however, am open to any and all sessions. My goal as a photographer is to create authentic warm images. As every photographer is different, so are every client which is why I think experiences clients can express themselves and their story in is so important. My mission is for my couples and families to enjoy getting their photos taken, to have fun, let loose, and allow me to tell their story through a camera. 

I am most proud of the amount of growth I have experienced since starting this business almost two years ago. From having my friends take countless photos to build my portfolio to now traveling out of state to capture people’s wedding days is proof all the hard work paid off. I try to set myself apart from others by creating a relationship with my clients to allow for a comfortable environment come their session or wedding day. Especially on elopements, micro weddings, or traditional weddings, your photographer is who you will be with the majority of the time. Making sure my couples are comfortable with me is so important because I will be with them on one of the most special days of their lives. So, setting aside I feel I do whatever I can to help the process and therefore my clients turn into friendships. 

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Overall, this career has blessed me in more ways than I could ever describe. I have had the honor of meeting some of the most amazing people. Each and every client holds a special part in my success within Kaitlyn Marie Photography. I take pride in being able to be a part of milestones throughout so many different lives. Many clients start out as a couples’ session which moves to an engagement, then a wedding, and down the road pregnancy announcements leading to family photos for a lifetime. Many people view us as just people who take photos but we truly get to take part in the most special moments of so many different lives which is something I hold so close to my heart. I cannot wait to embark on so many people’s journeys throughout the coming years and hope yours becomes one of them. 

Pricing:

• Couple Sessions: 60 mins $300
• Elopements: start at $1000
• In-State Weddings: start at $1700
• Out of State Weddings: start at $2700

Contact Info:

• Email: photography.kaitlyn.m@gmail.com
• Website: www.kaitlynmarie.photography
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaitlyn.mariephoto/?hl=am-et