The end of a decade requires (at least!) a recap of what happened this past year, so really, what the heck happened in 2019 at Kate Voda Photography? It has definitely been quiet on the blog front (that will be changing in 2020!), but man were things happening behind the scenes! From shooting film photography, to adding weddings, to working with so many new families….

2019 was an absolutely amazing year here at Kate Voda Photography!

There were so many positive changes, new experiences, and exciting moments! Trying to narrow it down to the highlights of the year seemed like an impossible task, but I managed it! So here there are – the 5 most exciting things to happen this year:

1. The New Website

This year brought about the KVP website overhaul and rebrand. My old site was… functional (to put it nicely!), but my new website (with the help of the brilliant Jessica Gingrich) really showcases who I am as a photographer and what my business can do for you! It’s fun to look back on my original logo and see how far I’ve come to get to where I am today. I am always fine-tuning and refining my brand to better reflect my business, but man – this was a great change!

2. The Big Switch and an Awesome Add

Some other huge changes this year were the big switch from Nikon to Canon and adding in film photography to my sessions. The change to Canon made my shooting and editing experience much more enjoyable. Almost instantly after the switch, I noticed a massive difference in the overall aesthetic of my photography and I am able to take what I see in my head and translate it through the camera. Not only that, but it decreased my editing time substantially which allowed me to turn around family photos for the holidays this year in an average of 3 days. My record was less than 24 hours for one session!

I have always been in love with film photography. It’s how my passion for photography started, and I am so thrilled to be shooting film again. It hasn’t been without trial and error and a lot of help from some amazingly talented friends, but oh.my.gosh. There just isn’t anything like a beautiful film photograph! I am really looking forward to shooting more and more film this year and can’t wait to learn everything I can about it and incorporate it into your session!

3. Weddings. All the weddings!

2019 was the year of weddings! I worked with some ridiculously talented photographers this year and learned SO much from them. Rachel, Danielle, and Rebecca took me under their wing, taught me all sorts of tips and tricks, and supported me along the way. It is absolutely thanks to them that the weddings I photographed on my own this year were so successful! I can’t wait to work more in 2020 with these 3 new friends of mine!

Speaking of weddings……

May was a gorgeous San Diego Wedding for Rachel and Brad:

October was a classic, romantic  wedding in Santa Barbara for Jessica and Daniel:

And December was a chic winter wedding in San Francisco for Jacque and Justin.

Blog posts for all of these are coming soon – keep an eye out!

4. Newborns, Maternity and Family Sessions

I photographed 14 (!) sweet newborns who I was thrilled to welcome to the KVP family. I loved working with each of them and their families, and continue to be overwhelmed with how lucky I am to work with such wonderful people!

This year also brought me 14 family sessions. One of those sessions was for a co-worker of mine who’s mother was visiting her from Korea for the first time in over 5 years! It was so much fun to spend time with them and document their visit.

Another one of those sessions was for one of my first California families who was also my first California newborn! I absolutely LOVE when I get to work with the same families year after year. Being a part of their annual traditions and seeing how their families grow and change is such an honor.

5. More Hours!

One of the biggest changes to KVP this year was the addition of an extra workday(!!!!). I have been so blessed to be kept busy enough this year that I was able to change my hours as a nurse and spend more time working on my photography business. Being able to give more time to this passion of mine and seeing the changes in my business and photography over the past year has been absolutely amazing. I truly am the luckiest!

So what’s next?

Like I said at the beginning, 2019 was an amazing year! I continue to be amazed by the journey this business has taken me on, as well as unbelievably grateful for all of the people I have gotten to meet and work with along the way.

2020 will be holding many more weddings (Contact me to book yours!), more and more film photography, and even more growth in both my business and photography.

Thank you all SO much for joining me on this journey – I would not be where I am today without each and every one of you! I can’t wait to share 2020 with you!

I wish you all a happy and healthy 2020!