Meet Katherine Rivera | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katherine Rivera and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katherine, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I always envisioned myself being an entrepreneur and have had many business ideas like being a cake baker, painter, yoga instructor, selling eggs, making & selling cheese, designing dresses and so much more! I gave many of these passions a try during the years but since I did photography for my adventures and travels since I was 17 it stuck with me the longest and the passion seemed to grow more and more. What motivated me to start my own photography business was that I was tired of working for others and I wanted to work my own schedule, be available for my family & friends, and that trying it out would not hurt me! Three years ago I decided to go for it and started with my travel camera, old laptop for editing and created an instagram page to post and advertise. I made my spare room into a little studio and bought back drops and props and photographed my 2 year old daughter. I would do model calls and post photos of family & friends to show my work. I then joined styled shoots and created a website, signed up for thumbtack to attract clients that do not use Instagram. I posted on my personal instagram and facebook to let my friends and family know that I was in business. There was a lot that I had to do and I had to stay consistent if I really wanted this endeavor to work out. I was part time at first but then once I got more business I quit my waitressing job and decided to focus full time on photography!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My photography style is very natural/true tone but I also love to make my images sharp, colorful and I direct my clients to capture them in their natural state & in poses that flatter them! I focus on maternity, couples, family portraits & elopements & weddings. I love capturing people outdoors the best in beautiful landscapes from oceans, deserts, lakes, mountains, forests, fields and gardens. I love traveling so my goal is to get more out of state and National Parks jobs.

Something I am so proud of is buying a fishing row boat and turning into a photography prop! I always envisioned a photoshoot with a boat with flowers on a lovely lake. I saw some photos like this on pinterest years ago and wanted to buy a boat brand new but they cost thousands of dollars and had to be shipped from out of state. Eventually, I found a cute little fiberglass boat on offer up that was grey and red & my husband transformed it to look beautiful for photos. We sanded it down and found it had a wooden trim and then painted the rest white and I add flowers in the front and back and a eucalyptus garland for aesthetics. It is now a popular prop for my lake photoshoots for engagements, anniversary’s, bridals and maternity. More clients come to me now because of this boat and they say how beautiful the photos look and how they feel like they are in the movie “The Notebook”. I also rent this boat out to other photographers so they can offer this experience for their clients too.

I got to where I am by continuing to believe in myself and being consistent in posting on instagram, finding jobs on Thumbtack & upgrading my tools such as camera, lenses & laptop to deliver quality images. It was not easy to stay positive in the dry seasons and it took time to pay off my gear to actually make a profit but when I felt like giving up I thought of all the perks & positives of having my own business.

I learned to not compare myself to others & not to compete with others on instagram. It is easy to look at someone who has been in the industry longer than you and feel like you are no where near their accomplishments. I stopped comparing and started to post my favorite work that I was the most proud of and I have found people that love my style & many who returned to me more then 4 times!

Things I want the world to know about me is that I am an adventurous soul, a social butterfly & someone who will treat you with respect and as a friend even when we first meet! I am a mother of two girls named Alannah Colleen and Amelia Grace who I love being a mother too & you will occasionally see after my sessions. I lead a table at my church for an organization called MOMCO that helps bring mothers together in community to support one another and help us feel less alone in our motherhood journey. I am an adrenaline junky who was a former long boarder & rock climber so I can relate to those adventurous souls like me. I was a painter who painted for fun and for therapeutic reasons but also had a goal to become a painter when I grew up. This is still a goal I will pursue when my children are a little older and I can have more time.

I also have travelled to Europe three times adding up to a total of 9 months abroad. I feel like traveling has made me more worldly but also more open minded to the differences we all have as humans in our own cultures and ethnicities. I also will do ANYTHING to get “The shot”! I was 9 months pregnant squatting & on my knees getting the angle I needed for my clients photos! Finally, the last fun fact about me is that I want to own a farm/ranch one day but for now I have 30 chickens and eventually will get goats to make goat cheese! I guess this pretty much adds up who I am and how I am not afraid to be myself & connect with you as a friend in our similarities and differences.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in a small town called Mead Valley and there is not too many things to do here locally but living in Southern California makes it easy to find something to do every day and a week long trip with me would go something like this.

Day 1: Pick them up from the Riverside train station or Ontario Airport and head to my house. I will make them a home cooked meal probably salmon and roasted veggies or if they don’t like seafood some chicken tostadas and we would catch up and I would show them my home & chickens. That evening I would invite my childhood friends and we would all go to Round 1 in the Moreno Valley mall to sing karaoke & play pool and then eat dinner at Amagi Sushi in Riverside.

Day 2: Wake up early & kayak at my local lake called Lake Perris and enjoy the tranquility of the lake and the sky changing colors at sunrise. Afterwards eat breakfast at Harry’s Cafe in Perris, CA, they are cheap and delicious with breakfast, lunch and dinner options! This year I got Castle Park passes for my family and I so we would then spend the day there riding rides and playing mini golf at sunset. Dinner would probably be a hamburger or pizza place since we would be tired and craving carbs.

Day 3: Drive 5 hour and go on a camping trip to Mammoth Lakes where we would set up camp in the Inyo National forest, cook some shrimp or steak and rice for dinner and bathe in hot springs that evening.

Day 4: Wake up and make breakfast, usually we make banana pancakes, bacon and eggs. Then pack sandwiches and hike to a small waterfall for a swim and visit the visitor center and small Log Cabin museum and make sure we make s’mores and look at the stars before bed.

Day 5: We wake up really early before sunrise and hike to Lake Ediza a 15 mile round trip hike. We will take a cold plunge in the lake and have lunch with the beautiful views. Usually on a hike this long we pack lots of snacks, boiled eggs, some candy, energy blocks and we filter water from the rivers to drink. That evening we will be so tired we will eat spaghetti which the sauce and meat would get heated and noodles boiled for a quick dinner.

Day 6: Head home and talk, sing, and nap on the 5 hour drive. I sometimes take my laptop on trips so even get some editing done when I am bored!

Day 7: Have breakfast and pack a lunch and head to Laguna for a beach day. Enjoy a great swim, picnic and then grab some Carl’s JR on the way home.

The next day take my friend home either to Riverside downtown for them to catch a bus/ train or drop them off at Ontario airport.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There is many people in my life who encouraged me to take on photography as a career because they would say my travel and self portrait photography was beautiful. My sister Jeanette Mendez had me photograph her wedding, bridal portraits and maternity photos before I had any experience with that style of portraits. Soon after my sister Jessica Rivera and childhood best friends Moniquie Peterson and Irene Castillo asked me to photograph their milestones. Years later I had my very first paying clients Carlos & Casandra in October 2021 who trusted me with their halloween portraits.

I also want to shout out a group I joined over a year ago called “Faith & Photography” created by Kaitlyn, Kimberly & Michelle. This group is for Christian women photographers who need encouragement and community in their faith & photography. They were a motivation and a great support group when I felt like giving up at times, when I felt overwhelmed or unworthy in this industry. They spoke about the challenges we all face in owning our own businesses and how to overcome them with positivity and prayer and they shared advice on how to succeed.

Last but not least, my husband Nicholas Fink who believed in me & has been by my side and encouraged me to do what makes me happy. He is there to listen when I need to talk photography things, he supports my ideas and is always hands on when I need his help with a project. He also has gotten so good at taking my photos when I am in need of some portraits myself!

Website: https://katherinerphotography.zenfoliosite.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katheriner.photography/