LAB: Info about the company: location, number of employees, focus/specialty, website, contact info.
KT: I’m Kellie Trenkle, of
captivating photography & design
co., located in southern Oregon. I’m the girl with the camera and the vision. I have no paid employees, but I do have a team of encouragers – my volunteer V.P.’s that for the past decade have encouraged me to step-up and embrace my creative vision and passion for photography.
My husband is my business manager. He’s got some serious smarts about the business side of things (with nearly 2 decades of upper management on his resume), and my four babes (ages 6 & under) are my inspiration, my models, and my cheerleaders.
I’ve always loved & treasured photos, but when my husband and I bought a Minolta film SLR camera for our 2001 wedding, I was hooked on being behind the lens and creating that short & sweet depth of field in my shots.
Fast-forward to 7 years and four busy kiddos later, I was browsing CraigsList one night at 2:00a.m. looking for something additional I could do to help supplement our income. “Just making it” can be challenging at times.
I’ve been freelancing as a graphic designer & marketing consultant since 2003. It was pretty casual, about one design job per month, which was the perfect workload with my babes being so young, while we were simultaneously serving full-time as youth leaders for EPIC, our high school youth group, and homeschooling our oldest. We were already a busy family and I always wanted being a wife and mom to come first for me.
So, like a crazy woman, I sat at the computer contemplating creating Google ads, filling out online surveys for $2.50 for every 500,000 questions, or telemarketing. I even got lured into looking at a surrogacy website from one of the job listings (hey, $20,000 to carry a baby? I KNOW I’m good at that!).
[Ridiculous! Don’t try making any career decisions in the middle of the night – you’ll end up with lots of spam.]
Anyway, the next morning, my husband looked at me earnestly and said, “Babe, you don’t have time for a “job.” (True.) “But I know what you’re passionate about. God’s put some desires in your heart and if you’re wanting to bring in income, do what you’re passionate about – that’s where His will is.” And off to work he went. I got a call
literally later that same day from a friend who wanted to know if I’d ever considered getting into sports team photography. “Funny you should ask…”
That week, I applied for a business license. I voraciously read several technical photography books, including
Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson, devoured everything written by Scott Kelby, bought a 50mm, joined some online forums, subscribed to
kelbytrainingonline.com and would later take a class at the Umpqua Valley Arts Center. Late last October, I took the leap of faith going from freelancing to giving my dream a name –
captivating photography & design co.This month I’m celebrating one
fabulously-fruitful-beyond-my-most-hopeful-expectations first year of business! Wow!
My focus? Well, primarily my focus is to glorify the Lord through my eyes, heart and lens. That’s just the truth of it. That’s why my business is called
captivating. For me, this work that I do captures the life and spirit of the One who inspires me! I serve a loving, generous, creative God who’s full of mercy, grace and wonder! He’s captivating. That word for me is so indescribably descriptive. I want to bring that essence into all my images:
color,
joy,
grace,
love and
life.
My focus practically? That’s a tough one. I’m still developing my portfolio, so I can’t say that I have a specialty quite yet, but I love lifestyle portrait photography. I love those serendipitous moments. But,
I also love setting up a shot and letting “life” unfold in its own style. And I always feel so privileged to be part of documenting a wedding -- it’s so sacred – a day full of meaningful yet fleeting moments and gorgeous details. It’s like the photographer’s ideal shoot. You get stills, you get action, you get portraiture, you get lifestyle, and you capture a covenant being made. Dude, that’s a big deal.
LAB: The latest trends/techniques in professional photography.
KT: I still consider myself a newbie to the pro industry, so I can’t really answer on an expert level what the latest trends are, but I’ll tell you what I am watching, and that’s Off Camera Flash. That’s one of many things I am soooo going to learn & play with this next year. The other trend I see unfolding on the non-technical side of things, is this spirit of sharing among the professional photographer community. I have learned so much from Becker (
thebecker.com), the
[b]school.com and Matt of
matthewsaville.com. It baffles me to think that the industry hasn’t always been like this. I feel really blessed to come into the professional photography community at this time and to be encouraged and mentored without any strings or dollar signs or egos attached!
LAB: What sets you apart from other photographers?
KT: I don’t know! My sparkling personality? I’m half joking and I’m half serious. I have a background in marketing and PR and a background in retail, so I know how important it is to develop relationships. Whether it’s working with my favorite salesperson at the LAB or the coach for a 3-year-old soccer team at our local YMCA or a first time mom who just got back into her “skinny” jeans and has asked for (and is a teeny bit nervous about) boudoir photography as a gift for her husband. I want them to be able to trust me! I love doing what I do and I want that spirit to be
infectiously contagious. I don’t want to just "take pictures.”
I want to capture life and to capture it vividly.
LAB: Favorite subject/event to photograph and why?
KT: I’ll tell you what: I’d be lying if I said that my children are NOT my absolute favorite subjects for my photography. They are such a source of creative inspiration for me.
Besides, following my children around like their own personal paparazzi, I love being asked to do family portraits. Not only will those images become art for their home, it’s way cool to capture a glimpse into this particular season of their life, their history. The experience leaves me skipping to my lou – my photography becomes an element of their little family legacy. Maybe that’s melodramatic, but it’s true. I’ll grab my husband when I’m working on a session and say, “come look at these!!! I want to be IN these!” The images give me such a rush.
And because I already couldn’t just give you one simple answer, I’ll tell you that I also love to shoot senior photos. It’s fun to capture their persona, their image -- it’s edgy and exciting and beautiful all at once.
I adore maternity/newborn and baby photography. I have a special stylized session for babies called
BebeGlam. And really, is there anything cuter than babies glammed-out in vibrant hues, tutus and bling? I’m probably just biased, but for me it’s fun and hip and different!
LAB: What camera(s) do you use? What’s in your camera bag?
KT: I am a Nikon user. I upgraded from a D70s to the D700 last spring. Oh
yeah, I digg it. It’s a full-frame, virtually noiseless, little gift from heaven, I am not even joking. There are days that I miss the DX reach factor, but man, this camera is a keeper. I’ve only purchased two lenses within this first year of business: a 50mm f/1.8, and a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. I love them both, but now I’m having a hard time deciding which lens to purchase next. I’d love the 85mm 1.4, but I would also adore having the 70-200 f/2.8… any thoughts? (By the way, tax-deductible contributions may be sent to…)
LAB: What lens is your favorite to shoot with?
KT: I use my 24-70mm ALOT, wide open. My favorite lens is my prime… it is so fun to shoot wide open and it challenges me to be more artistic with my composition -- me and my camera,we dance. And it usually resembles The Worm, as I often shoot on my tummy. We cool like that.
LAB: What’s your favorite Photoshop tool/filter?
KT: Okay, so I love
Totally Rad, they are as their name implies, TOTALLY Rad.
LAB: What is on your equipment wish list?
KT: I’m still researching which lenses to add to my arsenal, but like I mentioned before, I’d love to own both the 85mm 1.4 and the 70-200mm 2.8 someday. It would probably behoove me to purchase a wide-angle lens at some point. Also on the list, some Alienbee strobes so I can dabble in artificial lighting! It rains a lot in Oregon in the winter, it’d be fun to have an indoor haven of a studio with the right lighting, some plush velvet softness and backdrops in something a little unexpected. I’d love to launch a whole new dimension of offerings to my photography. Does a velvet fainting couch count as equipment? It does, it so does.
LAB: What is your MUST have in photography equipment?
KT: A shootsac from
http://www.shootsac.com, a gazillion 4GB Extreme III SanDisk cards, my Gary Fong Lightspheres for my SB600, my battery grip, and my Nicole Miller lip gloss because my lips need to stay glossed when I’m shooting.
LAB: Any tips or advice for your fellow photographers out there?
KT: For the love -- Encourage Others! There are so many seasoned pros and lots of us up-and-comers, we should rejoice in our collective passion and pay-it-forward. Give kudos when you dig another’s work, be the leader in your community. Oh, and you should totally join the
[b]school.
AP: Remember to add anything that you want…this is your article?
KT: I’m addicted to Lay’s kettle chips, sharp cheddar flavor.
Other secret things you might like to know:
- I love writing.
- I love to write, express, feel, describe, meditate upon and play with words.
- I’m a perpetual procrastinator with fabulous intentions, those count, they really do!
- I’m a pastor’s wife.
- I totally think Boise State should get a BCS bid.
- I love to use all lowercase when typing.
- I can’t stop eating Sonic ice. I have 2 bags in my freezer at all times.
- I have a huge feeling of accomplishment when I vacuum the baseboards in my hallway and clean the lint out of the dryer.
- I adore chasing my four gorgeous kids (with and without my camera).
- I love their kisses, stories, 59 clothing changes a day, and their unabashed love for me.
- All of that brings me such joy.
- And I love that my husband cherishes me and he still chases me sometimes too.
- I have the best family and most supportive, encouraging friends in the world.
- And I love and serve a gracious and faithful God, Christ Jesus.
- He’s stolen my heart. He is loving, intriguing, and well, He is captivating!
- And it’s because of him that I get to do what I do.
- For. The. Love.
- And thank you for asking!
http://www.kellietrenkle.com/p: (541) 580-3612
Photos ©2009 Captivating Photography & Design Co.
LAB: Info about the company: location, number of employees, focus/specialty, website, contact info.
KT: I’m Kellie Trenkle, of
captivating photography & design
co., located in southern Oregon. I’m the girl with the camera and the vision. I have no paid employees, but I do have a team of encouragers – my volunteer V.P.’s that for the past decade have encouraged me to step-up and embrace my creative vision and passion for photography.
My husband is my business manager. He’s got some serious smarts about the business side of things (with nearly 2 decades of upper management on his resume), and my four babes (ages 6 & under) are my inspiration, my models, and my cheerleaders.
I’ve always loved & treasured photos, but when my husband and I bought a Minolta film SLR camera for our 2001 wedding, I was hooked on being behind the lens and creating that short & sweet depth of field in my shots.
Fast-forward to 7 years and four busy kiddos later, I was browsing CraigsList one night at 2:00a.m. looking for something additional I could do to help supplement our income. “Just making it” can be challenging at times.
I’ve been freelancing as a graphic designer & marketing consultant since 2003. It was pretty casual, about one design job per month, which was the perfect workload with my babes being so young, while we were simultaneously serving full-time as youth leaders for EPIC, our high school youth group, and homeschooling our oldest. We were already a busy family and I always wanted being a wife and mom to come first for me.
So, like a crazy woman, I sat at the computer contemplating creating Google ads, filling out online surveys for $2.50 for every 500,000 questions, or telemarketing. I even got lured into looking at a surrogacy website from one of the job listings (hey, $20,000 to carry a baby? I KNOW I’m good at that!).
[Ridiculous! Don’t try making any career decisions in the middle of the night – you’ll end up with lots of spam.]
Anyway, the next morning, my husband looked at me earnestly and said, “Babe, you don’t have time for a “job.” (True.) “But I know what you’re passionate about. God’s put some desires in your heart and if you’re wanting to bring in income, do what you’re passionate about – that’s where His will is.” And off to work he went. I got a call
literally later that same day from a friend who wanted to know if I’d ever considered getting into sports team photography. “Funny you should ask…”
That week, I applied for a business license. I voraciously read several technical photography books, including
Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson, devoured everything written by Scott Kelby, bought a 50mm, joined some online forums, subscribed to
kelbytrainingonline.com and would later take a class at the Umpqua Valley Arts Center. Late last October, I took the leap of faith going from freelancing to giving my dream a name –
captivating photography & design co.This month I’m celebrating one
fabulously-fruitful-beyond-my-most-hopeful-expectations first year of business! Wow!
My focus? Well, primarily my focus is to glorify the Lord through my eyes, heart and lens. That’s just the truth of it. That’s why my business is called
captivating. For me, this work that I do captures the life and spirit of the One who inspires me! I serve a loving, generous, creative God who’s full of mercy, grace and wonder! He’s captivating. That word for me is so indescribably descriptive. I want to bring that essence into all my images:
color,
joy,
grace,
love and
life.
My focus practically? That’s a tough one. I’m still developing my portfolio, so I can’t say that I have a specialty quite yet, but I love lifestyle portrait photography. I love those serendipitous moments. But,
I also love setting up a shot and letting “life” unfold in its own style. And I always feel so privileged to be part of documenting a wedding -- it’s so sacred – a day full of meaningful yet fleeting moments and gorgeous details. It’s like the photographer’s ideal shoot. You get stills, you get action, you get portraiture, you get lifestyle, and you capture a covenant being made. Dude, that’s a big deal.
LAB: The latest trends/techniques in professional photography.
KT: I still consider myself a newbie to the pro industry, so I can’t really answer on an expert level what the latest trends are, but I’ll tell you what I am watching, and that’s Off Camera Flash. That’s one of many things I am soooo going to learn & play with this next year. The other trend I see unfolding on the non-technical side of things, is this spirit of sharing among the professional photographer community. I have learned so much from Becker (
thebecker.com), the
[b]school.com and Matt of
matthewsaville.com. It baffles me to think that the industry hasn’t always been like this. I feel really blessed to come into the professional photography community at this time and to be encouraged and mentored without any strings or dollar signs or egos attached!
LAB: What sets you apart from other photographers?
KT: I don’t know! My sparkling personality? I’m half joking and I’m half serious. I have a background in marketing and PR and a background in retail, so I know how important it is to develop relationships. Whether it’s working with my favorite salesperson at the LAB or the coach for a 3-year-old soccer team at our local YMCA or a first time mom who just got back into her “skinny” jeans and has asked for (and is a teeny bit nervous about) boudoir photography as a gift for her husband. I want them to be able to trust me! I love doing what I do and I want that spirit to be
infectiously contagious. I don’t want to just "take pictures.”
I want to capture life and to capture it vividly.
LAB: Favorite subject/event to photograph and why?
KT: I’ll tell you what: I’d be lying if I said that my children are NOT my absolute favorite subjects for my photography. They are such a source of creative inspiration for me.
Besides, following my children around like their own personal paparazzi, I love being asked to do family portraits. Not only will those images become art for their home, it’s way cool to capture a glimpse into this particular season of their life, their history. The experience leaves me skipping to my lou – my photography becomes an element of their little family legacy. Maybe that’s melodramatic, but it’s true. I’ll grab my husband when I’m working on a session and say, “come look at these!!! I want to be IN these!” The images give me such a rush.
And because I already couldn’t just give you one simple answer, I’ll tell you that I also love to shoot senior photos. It’s fun to capture their persona, their image -- it’s edgy and exciting and beautiful all at once.
I adore maternity/newborn and baby photography. I have a special stylized session for babies called
BebeGlam. And really, is there anything cuter than babies glammed-out in vibrant hues, tutus and bling? I’m probably just biased, but for me it’s fun and hip and different!
LAB: What camera(s) do you use? What’s in your camera bag?
KT: I am a Nikon user. I upgraded from a D70s to the D700 last spring. Oh
yeah, I digg it. It’s a full-frame, virtually noiseless, little gift from heaven, I am not even joking. There are days that I miss the DX reach factor, but man, this camera is a keeper. I’ve only purchased two lenses within this first year of business: a 50mm f/1.8, and a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. I love them both, but now I’m having a hard time deciding which lens to purchase next. I’d love the 85mm 1.4, but I would also adore having the 70-200 f/2.8… any thoughts? (By the way, tax-deductible contributions may be sent to…)
LAB: What lens is your favorite to shoot with?
KT: I use my 24-70mm ALOT, wide open. My favorite lens is my prime… it is so fun to shoot wide open and it challenges me to be more artistic with my composition -- me and my camera,we dance. And it usually resembles The Worm, as I often shoot on my tummy. We cool like that.
LAB: What’s your favorite Photoshop tool/filter?
KT: Okay, so I love
Totally Rad, they are as their name implies, TOTALLY Rad.
LAB: What is on your equipment wish list?
KT: I’m still researching which lenses to add to my arsenal, but like I mentioned before, I’d love to own both the 85mm 1.4 and the 70-200mm 2.8 someday. It would probably behoove me to purchase a wide-angle lens at some point. Also on the list, some Alienbee strobes so I can dabble in artificial lighting! It rains a lot in Oregon in the winter, it’d be fun to have an indoor haven of a studio with the right lighting, some plush velvet softness and backdrops in something a little unexpected. I’d love to launch a whole new dimension of offerings to my photography. Does a velvet fainting couch count as equipment? It does, it so does.
LAB: What is your MUST have in photography equipment?
KT: A shootsac from
http://www.shootsac.com, a gazillion 4GB Extreme III SanDisk cards, my Gary Fong Lightspheres for my SB600, my battery grip, and my Nicole Miller lip gloss because my lips need to stay glossed when I’m shooting.
LAB: Any tips or advice for your fellow photographers out there?
KT: For the love -- Encourage Others! There are so many seasoned pros and lots of us up-and-comers, we should rejoice in our collective passion and pay-it-forward. Give kudos when you dig another’s work, be the leader in your community. Oh, and you should totally join the
[b]school.
AP: Remember to add anything that you want…this is your article?
KT: I’m addicted to Lay’s kettle chips, sharp cheddar flavor.
Other secret things you might like to know:
- I love writing.
- I love to write, express, feel, describe, meditate upon and play with words.
- I’m a perpetual procrastinator with fabulous intentions, those count, they really do!
- I’m a pastor’s wife.
- I totally think Boise State should get a BCS bid.
- I love to use all lowercase when typing.
- I can’t stop eating Sonic ice. I have 2 bags in my freezer at all times.
- I have a huge feeling of accomplishment when I vacuum the baseboards in my hallway and clean the lint out of the dryer.
- I adore chasing my four gorgeous kids (with and without my camera).
- I love their kisses, stories, 59 clothing changes a day, and their unabashed love for me.
- All of that brings me such joy.
- And I love that my husband cherishes me and he still chases me sometimes too.
- I have the best family and most supportive, encouraging friends in the world.
- And I love and serve a gracious and faithful God, Christ Jesus.
- He’s stolen my heart. He is loving, intriguing, and well, He is captivating!
- And it’s because of him that I get to do what I do.
- For. The. Love.
- And thank you for asking!
http://www.kellietrenkle.com/p: (541) 580-3612
Photos ©2009 Captivating Photography & Design Co.
How fun! Congrats getting interviewed! 2 bags of Sonic ice in the freezer? They sell that to you?
ReplyDeletethanks, kia. yep. $1.29. serious.
ReplyDeleteAww, awesome! I love reading your writing. You have a breezy, refreshing style. You can write your own photography books sometime and make BIG bucks. lol. :-)
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, you want a protegee? I'm game! I'll come carry your junk and worm around with you!