Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Heatley.
Hi Katie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Cross, South Carolina, a very small town outside of Charleston, SC. I’d say my elementary school years were where I got introduced to the creative arts. My teachers and parents always encouraged exploration in reading, writing, and artwork. My sister and I joined an after-school program called Step-Art where we were able to dive into our creative arts realm even deeper. I had artwork displayed as a part of the North Charleston Arts Show multiple times growing up. I remember one Christmas my parents got us little film cameras and I feel like ever since then I was always taking photos somewhere.
One summer during middle school years, there was a step-art summer camp and I enrolled in the photography class. I learned how to develop my own photographs. From then on, I continued to take photos at school of friends, during family beach trips, and more. I was on the yearbook staff throughout middle and high school designing layouts, taking photos, and filming events.
Once college years came around, I knew I wanted to pursue a photography degree. After bouncing around a couple of colleges, I ended up finishing my Associate in Arts (Commercial Graphics/Photography) Degree at Trident Technical College. I earned a photography merit award in my graduating class and Cum Laude. I initially wanted to be a surf photographer, travel, and design surfboards for my love of the water/ocean.
Throughout those years, I found a love for yoga around 2008/2009, doing a home practice and finding a yoga class to attend when I worked retail in Myrtle Beach. The Summer I graduated, (2010) I was taking on small photography projects and knew it would take a while to gain clientele, I thought “what if I don’t do as well and need a backup option.”
For some reason I thought “let’s go to Massage Therapy school”, the only thought that crosses my mind as to why I chose to go was, when I was younger, I remember giving my mom little massages and her feeling good afterwards. So, I got accepted to Trident Tech’s Massage program in the Fall of 2010. I never expected to do as many things with my massage career as I have.
I got my license in the Summer of 2011, I have worked at Chiropractic offices/salons, gyms, etc. I joined my Professional Organization, the American Massage Therapy Association, and the local state Chapter where I started volunteering and connecting with other professionals. Naturally, I was drawn to the Newsletter Editor with my graphics background, served as Delegate, Vice President, and became President of my local chapter during the years of 2016-2020. I was also an adjunct massage therapy instructor during the years of 2013-2015. Since then, I have taken many certifications for bodywork and massage therapy modalities, also becoming a Reiki Practitioner. I have a solo office now and have worked with the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) since 2015 as one of their contract massage therapists. In the middle of all of that, I received two yoga teaching certifications finishing my 200 HR in 2015 from Holy Cow Yoga in Charleston and recently became certified in Stand-Up Paddle Board Yoga. I feel like all of my endeavors have circled around allowing me to have the life I’ve always wanted.
There have been lots of ups and downs over the years with my workflow, but I feel like I’ve found my flow through following my intuition. My yoga practice and knowledge of the body/mind has allowed me to have tools in my toolbox for being a creative, highly sensitive being. I want to continue to encourage the low country to dive deep into their mind, body, and soul therapeutically enhancing their wellness and creative outlook on life.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not always been a smooth road. Being self-employed and knowing all three paths you’re on are viewed as “wants” not specifically needs for the world out there can be challenging. It takes time to build your craft, to build your clientele. I have done little side jobs/gigs in the past to get to where I needed to be. There would be months where I thought “how am I going to pay my bills.”
Once I started trusting myself along my path and putting myself out there more, I find it always works out. I believe in synchronicities and that things happen for a reason both of which have happened throughout my life numerous times and I’m forever grateful for the people and events that happened along the way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I would label myself as a multi-passionate entrepreneur. I’ve tried to stop doing one of my paths at some point but it always comes back. I’ve taught more yoga at one point in my life or I’ve massaged more than photography at some point. I used to think I had to pick one, but I stopped doing that and it ebbs and flows as needed.
I am most recently proud of my artwork being displayed at City Gallery during Piccolo Spoleto and the MOJA Arts Fest in 2021. I have found that I love having my images printed on metal rather than something like canvas. It’s different, it’s more durable and it makes the colors pop a lot more. If I do have prints printed for framing, I would rather get my images printed on metallic paper. Most of my scenic artwork is from my travels or sunrises and sunsets, so the colors shine a lot more with the selected print medium I choose.
Within my portrait realm, I’m moving towards more creative/empowering sessions. I’ve combined my services into one for almost like a mini-retreat day, helping my clients to explore their mind/soul, and in doing so becoming a little more vulnerable, accepting of themselves in the present moment. That’s why I do a lot of self-portraits, I like to create scenes/dress-up/get weird and take photos of myself to see different views, to open up more to myself, how can I ask my clients to do that If I can’t experience it also.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Some risk-taking I feel like I’ve dealt with more recently is saying no to projects or clients that don’t align with my path. In the past that sometimes wasn’t an option and I had to take on something or someone that drained me. I know now a part of my self-care practice is keeping my mind/anxiety at ease and that means saying no to things now. Also living in “Covid” times, there’s so much uncertainty just as there is with life, change is the only consistent thing in life. I know I must continue to prepare as much as I can and flow with the changes that will cross my path. Believing and trusting in yourself are two great qualities to have as a business owner, if you don’t at first, who will?
Contact Info:
- Email: katieheatleyphotography@katieheatley.com
- Website: www.katieheatley.com
- Instagram: katieheatleyphotography or coastalkt88 or beardsandboudoir
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katieheatleyphotography
- Twitter: twitter.com/misskt88
Image Credits
Katie Heatley Photography
