Kastle H Photography in Mount Vernon, WA

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m constantly pushing myself to new limits and thinking about new ways to create something beautiful. I’m in love with photography more than anything and constantly striving to learn more from other photographers.

Hey there! My name is Kastle, and I’ve been an established wedding photographer since 2016! I’m constantly pushing myself to new limits and thinking about new ways to create something beautiful. I’m in love with photography more than anything and constantly striving to learn more from other photographers.

A little more about me – I've been in love with my best friend for 3 1/2 years. My dad, mom, and my two sisters mean the world to me, and more than anything I understand that life is a gift. I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma in August of 2017 and just finished up chemo in 2018. I'm so happy to say that I've been cancer free for over a year! I'm also an incredibly positive person. I take every challenge as an opportunity to grow, and a way to look on the bright side of life.

How did you become a wedding photographer?

The joy I get from capturing a perfect moment, a natural pose, even a laugh is the best part of this job.

I've always loved being behind the scenes. Before I hit college, I bought my first fancy camera, a Nikon Coolpix. I started doing lots of free photoshoots for my friends and learning as much as possible.

I bought a different camera every year, usually bigger and more complex. My biggest desire was to keep growing, to keep pushing myself to new limits with photos. By the time I finished college, I had my first Canon DSLR camera. It was absolutely amazing. I learned everything about a DSLR by researching, taking classes, and I never stopped.

Then finally, I got my first wedding inquiry in 2016. My friends asked me to shoot their wedding! It made me so happy and honored to capture their big day. After their wedding, my boyfriend asked, "Why don't you actually pursue this for real? You have the talent for it." It hadn't even occurred to me I could be making some extra money because I had so much fun doing it.

Now here I am three years later with a full-blown website and inquiries almost weekly for photoshoots. The joy I get from capturing a perfect moment, a natural pose, even a laugh is the best part of this job.

How would you describe your style?

My style is classic, traditional, with a touch of art. I love shooting in natural light, and I often get inspired in the environment I'm in to create beautiful pictures.

Why is wedding photography important?

Wedding photography is so important because you only get to go through this big important moment in your life ONCE. You get to relive your wedding day over and over again just through photos. Why not capture every part of it?

Where and how do you find a good wedding photographer?

There are so many good wedding photographers. I would highly take your friends recommendations, and then thoroughly search Google, and Instagram to see a variety of styles. Find your favorite styles, and look up those wedding photographers. Look at all their reviews, their pricing, and ask to see a full wedding gallery! The Instagram grid of their best photos could look completely different from a full gallery.

How much does a wedding photographer cost?

Why is wedding photography so expensive?

As a photographer, one of the most common phrases I hear is "Wedding photographers are expensive," or "Why can't I find any photographers in my budget?". This is a total myth. For someone who lives on a tight budget, and rents an apartment for under $1,000 a month, I used to think that spending that much money on photos was crazy. But since I've become a full-time photographer, I now understand why.

Let's take a photographer who has a $3,000 package for 8 hours of wedding coverage and a complimentary engagement session:

• $900 - goes towards taxes. Us photographers have to put 20% away for self-employment taxes, and up to 10% for goods and service taxes.

The remaining $2,100 goes toward:

• Your engagement session
• Travel time to your wedding
• 8 hours of coverage
• Going through 2,000 photos to delete the blurry ones, and editing each individual photo after that. This can take 20-30 hours or more!

So if you think about it, every cent we charge you is used for a purpose.

Which portion of the process keeps you busy the most, and what takes the most energy?

The process that takes the most time is actually the editing process. I comb through thousands of photos at home to select the best ones.

The process that takes the most time is actually the editing process. I comb through thousands of photos at home to select the best ones. Then I use Lightroom and Photoshop to smoothen skin, edit parts of it if needed, use the right levels of contrast, exposure, shadows, highlights, and colors for each photo. It's not easy work, but it's incredibly rewarding. On the day of the wedding, I usually get there 2-3 hours early before the ceremony to do the getting ready photos, first look, and all bridal portraits, family portraits, and bridal party. Then we have the ceremony and reception. Sometimes it lasts even longer so I stay for their send-off.

What was the most memorable wedding you photographed?

The most memorable wedding I photographed happened in March of 2019. It was the most beautiful day by the ocean, the perfect sunny day. They were both college friends of mine getting married, and it was so emotional. They both cried during their first look and their vows. Everyone was celebrating with them, no one was sitting by themselves, and it was just a day full of joy.