Today we’d like to introduce you to Cathy Quarles.
Hi Cathy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always enjoyed taking photos and looking back on the memories that were made. There is just a happiness and joy from within when you look at photos of people or events from your past, especially when some people in those photos are no longer here with us.
I can attribute a lot of my passion and drive for photography to my high school photojournalism teacher, Susan Newberger and also to my college professor/advisor, Matthew Bossiso, who told me to never give up on my dream of portrait photography.
My dad purchased my first SLR camera, a Canon Rebel 2000, as a birthday gift when I was a junior in high school. At the time, it was top of the line and the best you could get without being a professional photographer, owning a business and spending thousands of dollars. It was also a film camera but it had digital dial information on it which made it that much cooler. I dabbled in photography during my college years and was on the yearbook staff for a while but quickly realized I wanted to be social so I put the camera down and enjoyed my 20’s. It wasn’t until 2018 that I decided to pursue my dream of portrait photography. After having my second child and officially becoming a stay-at-home-mom, I was missing something and needed a hobby. I always loved and enjoyed taking lots of photos of my children and decided it was time that I pursue my dream, start a business and relearn everything I was taught since it had been many years.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I’ve learned that like most things in life nothing ever comes easy and if you want success, you have to work hard and earn it.
The struggles of starting a legitimate business such as understanding taxes, purchasing business insurance and having the proper tools and knowledge to actually make a profit hasn’t been easy. A big issue that many photographers, including myself, face is pushback from consumers on why we charge so much for our services. Many consumers don’t understand what it takes to actually run a successful photography business and have a big misconception that all we do is just take a photo. However, there is so much more to being a part of this profession than just pushing a button. Besides knowing how to properly use your camera and create great portraits, we charge what we do to make a profit and support our families because we still have to pay taxes, replace equipment due to wear and tear, purchase business insurance, keep up on our education, and market ourselves which all comes at a cost.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in creating customized, unique and professional portraiture for families, children, couples, high school seniors and headshot photography. I strive to provide my clients with an exceptional and fun portrait experience that captures the raw, emotional connections between each other creating a distinctive style of images that documents the true personalities of those that I photograph. In addition, I make a conscientious effort and pay attention to all the details during all my sessions which ultimately allow me to produce superior heirlooms for albums or on the walls of your home.
No two sessions are alike which is why I customize every experience so that my clients receive the type of portraits they actually want and will cherish for generations.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.cathyquarlesphotography.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/cathyquarlesphotography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/cathyquarlesphotography
Image Credits
The professional photos of me are taken by Molly Beale
