Meet Katrina Murphy-Cicero | Entrepreneur | Business owner of a Photography Studio & Gift Boutique

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katrina Murphy-Cicero and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katrina, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My thought process started with wanting freedom. I always knew I wasn’t built for a traditional 9–5… which is funny because now I work 24/7, so the joke is definitely on me.

But truly, I wanted to build something creative and meaningful. Something that allowed me to connect with people, tell their stories, and help them see themselves in a way they maybe couldn’t on their own.

Over time, that one creative business grew into more than I expected. What was once all connected under one roof has now become two separate businesses in two separate buildings: my photography studio and Gab & Gather Gifts. Each one needed space to grow into its own thing.

Starting my own business was never about having it all figured out. It was trusting my gut, taking the next step, working really hard, and being willing to evolve along the way.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business has really grown in chapters.

I started as a photographer, and over the years it became so much more than just taking pictures. My photography studio is about helping people feel seen, confident, and celebrated—whether that is through branding, portraits, motherhood, beauty, or legacy work. I have always believed that a portrait can do more than just document what someone looks like. It can remind them who they are.

What sets my business apart is the experience. I don’t want someone to just walk in, take a few photos, and leave. I want them to feel guided, taken care of, and surprised by how much they actually enjoy the process. From styling and concept planning to hair and makeup, posing, artwork, albums, and wall art, it is very full service. A lot of people come in nervous and say, “I’m not photogenic,” and my job is to prove them wrong in the best possible way.

More recently, my business grew into two separate spaces and two separate brands. My photography studio now has its own building, and I also opened Gab & Gather Gifts, a curated boutique and creative gathering space. At one time, those ideas were blended together, but they both grew enough that they needed their own room to breathe. It has been exciting, terrifying, and slightly insane all at the same time.

It definitely was not easy. I think from the outside, people see the pretty parts—the finished studio, the ribbon cutting, the social media posts, the beautiful portraits. But behind that are years of learning, failing, pivoting, rebuilding, and figuring things out as I went. There were seasons where I questioned everything, seasons where I had to get really creative, and seasons where I had to trust myself before anyone else could see the vision.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that you don’t have to have it all figured out to begin. You just have to be willing to keep going, keep learning, and keep evolving. Business has taught me resilience, humility, creativity, and a whole lot of patience. It has also taught me that the things that feel like detours are sometimes the exact things that lead you where you were supposed to go.

What I want people to know about my brand is that it has always been built with heart. Whether I am photographing someone’s story or creating a space where people can shop, gather, and feel inspired, the goal is the same: connection. I want people to feel welcomed, seen, and reminded that there is beauty in their story too.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting for a week, I’d want to show them why our little North Shore towns feel like a Hallmark movie—but with better restaurants, better views, and a lot more personality.

We have charming villages, incredible restaurants, vineyards, beaches, farms, horse properties, walking trails, and scenery that makes you stop and say, “How is this all right here?”

We’d start in St. James because that’s home. I’d take them through town, stop into Gab & Gather Gifts, show them my photography studio, and then spend the week doing all my favorite things: Lunch at Basil, Dinner at eatMOSIAC, a Stony Brook day with the village, shops, water, and a Port Jefferson day by the harbor.

I’d also plan a North Fork day for vineyards, farm stands, and that slower, prettier side of the island. And of course, there would be a beach day, because the shores and sunsets are part of the magic.

For me, the best part of Long Island is that you can have a small-town morning, a vineyard afternoon, and a waterfront dinner all in the same day. It’s charming, beautiful, unexpected, and full of incredible people and places.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Absolutely. I would have to give a huge shoutout to my family first.

My husband Alex has been there through every version of this business—the exciting parts, the terrifying parts, the “why did I do this to myself?” parts. My girls have also been such a big part of my why. They’ve grown up watching me build, pivot, work late, take risks, and keep going, and I hope in some way that shows them what’s possible.

I also have to credit the people around me who have supported the business over the years: my clients, my local St. James community, other small business owners, and the women who have trusted me with their stories and their portraits. That kind of support is everything.

And behind the scenes, no business is built alone. I’ve had amazing help, encouragement, mentorship, and people who believed in the vision even when it was still messy. I’m very grateful for that. My story might have my name on it, but it definitely has a whole lot of people woven into it.

Website: https://katandmousephotography.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katandmousephotography

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-cicero/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KATandMOUSEphoto

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1NUegtWSkvBd0spAo1SG5g

Other: Gab & Gather:
https://www.gabandgathergifts.com
https://www.instagram.com/gabandgathergifts

Image Credits
Katrina Cicero