We try not to pick favorites around here. But if we are being honest, our hearts will always beat a little faster for the Unraveled OG’s. You know, the people who have been around since the beginning of time – through thick and thin, cheering us on and. doing their part to help build a strong community of artists. Kate is one of those people and we are so grateful for her. On top of that? She is an incredible photographer – one who captures joy and adventure so well.

Moreover, Kate Williams is a Northern Colorado (and Bay Area) photographer who specializes in lifestyle maternity, newborn, and motherhood sessions. She started her photography journey while on maternity leave from her job as an instructional designer in Santa Cruz, California, and hasn't looked back at cubicle life. She is as passionate about business as she is photography and LOVES to share her knowledge with fellow female creative entrepreneurs. When she isn't working, she likes to get outside and explore with her girls and dog, renovate her mid century home, go camping with her fam in their teardrop camper, and visit all the breweries. Kate believes the best moments to capture are the in-between ones, and she makes sure she always has some sort of camera (or iPhone) on her to record these candid(ish) moments with her family.

More inspiration from Kate:

Instagram | Website | Facebook

Here is Kate, Unraveled…

What inspires your art?

Nature is my muse and I try to incorporate it somehow into all that I create. I love bold graphics (like Marimekko fabric), abstract art (especially coastal paintings, such as by Karen Smidth), mid century modern/Scandi design (pretty much everything in Dwell Magazine), music, travel, visual contradictions (like a single flower poking out of a crack in a driveway), and watching my kids trying to figure out the world.

What do you shoot with? Camera body and favorite lens?

For client work, I shoot with my Nikon Z6 and typically my 35mm lens, but I also like to throw on my Lensbabies when I remember to slow down and get more creative during my shoots. For my everyday/travel with my family work, I tend to use my little Fujifilm X100v because it’s just so easy to bring along everywhere and Fuji colors are great.

What other ways do you express your creativity?

I'm super into interior design, gardening, and cooking, all of which allow me to zone out (my goal). I also love dance partying, especially with my kids in the kitchen when we should be doing the dishes.

How do you de-stress at the end of the day?

If I'm not out shooting a session, I will happily enjoy a glass of red wine and watch a favorite show (like Stranger Things or Top Chef) with my husband at the end of the day because I go pretty hard all day long. I always read before bed (currently reading Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan) and I make sure to turn my phone over when in bed so I don't scroll social media or read client emails during my "off" hours (cause my endocrine system needs a friggin' break).

What kind of music do you listen to while editing?

I actually make my own Spotify playlists that I share on my blog cause I'm such a music nut. But because I have major ADHD, I pretty much always listen to chill music when I edit, like Tycho, Mac DeMarco, Yo La Tengo, and reggae or yoga playlists.

What is your favorite book?

This is tough because I used to be a high school English teacher and I love to read! But to answer your question- I'm not even sure if this is my favorite book, but one that haunts me and I still regularly think about years after reading it is A Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Name one movie that inspires you.

The Royal Tenenbaums by Wes Anderson.

How do you handle self-doubt or creative slumps?

Ugh, it's tough. Honestly, I can anticipate that for a few days every month, I'm going to have an identity crisis and rethink everything I do, so I kind of just plan for that now. When I'm in this low vibe mode, I turn to movies, books, Instastalking my favorite painters/graphic artists/ceramicists on IG, or spending time outside in nature to recalibrate and focus on what inspires me. I avoid looking at other photographers' work within my motherhood genre (I don’t even really follow my peers on my business IG account) cause I will always compare myself to them during these moments, and comparison is the thief of joy! I also find podcasts incredibly motivating and love to listen to them while I walk my dog. I come home to a computer pinging with the millions of reminders I’ve created for myself during my walks, and before I know it,I find myself back in action, whether it's implementing a new business idea or trying a different approach to my photography.

What has been the most difficult part of your creative journey?

I have few!
1. How to be an artist and not also be a complete and total narcissist.
2. Rewriting my self limiting beliefs from my upbringing about the possibly of living a "normal" life as an artist.
3. How to negotiate what I want to create vs what the clients want. It’s easy to start feeling like you’re on a hamster wheel when you’re getting paid to reproduce the same images again and again.
4. How to reel in my impulses to pivot every time I see someone's work that inspires me so I can continue to work towards developing my own aesthetic and voice.
5. The emotional ups and downs that can come with being a creative.

What is your favorite pizza topping?

I actually concocted my own pizza recipe that I make every Friday night that is totally bomb- on your pizza dough, spread in this order: apricot jam, crushed rosemary, prosciutto, mozzarella and crumbled feta and bake until brown and bubbly. This pizza is a winner.

What is your most favorite kind of light and why?

My favorite light can actually be found on the coast in California about 30 minutes before dusk. The particles in the air just make everything glitter and gold. I’m obsessed. When I’m not in California (I moved from Santa Cruz to Colorado 3 years ago), I love the golden light that pours through my west facing windows and allows me to get these incredible rim light shots of my girls.

Who is one of your favorite photographers?

It's so hard to choose just one person, but I've been inspired by Australian wedding photographer Dan O'Day for as long as I can remember.

What is your favorite course or lesson at Unraveled?

There are so many! One that I think has really helped me in my motherhood genre is Creating Living Poetry, Part I with Jodi Lynn Buckles because she provides both inspiration and practical tips for successful maternity/motherhood sessions. I also love watching her editing videos and appreciate that she keeps her editing relatively simple.