Meet Kathryn Johnson

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kathryn Johnson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kathryn, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

I feel like my confidence and self esteem grows the most when I am doing things that scare me or make me uncomfortable. It’s like I prove to myself that I can overcome and get comfortable with the things that I shy away from which makes me like hellll yeah, okay, my mind was playing tricks on me damnit. And when I let my mind go wild for too long I doubt myself, I get in my head a lot, so that’s how I fight it, but never settling and staying stagnant or comfortable for too long and also hot yoga keeps me in check mentally and physically. Being able to do that for myself really feeds that self love and grace we aim to have with ourselves.

My husband always recalls the time I got so mad because I couldn’t take a picture through a chainlink fence and get this cool shot I had in mind. I had zero confidence in myself, I’d get so pissy about stuff but one thing I didn’t do was… I didn’t give up or stop asking questions. Which in turn grew my confidence as a photographer and really just putting myself out there and jumping into things and just figuring it out as I go. That helped show me that no matter what I will figure it out and I got this. And the proof is in the other experiences that lead me to this one. I am also an odd duck that really just is hella motivated from seeing others succeed. I love learning about their story and their struggles and how they overcame stuff because it makes me feel like okay someone else out there gets what I am doing and feeling and if they could push through and do it, I can too. Like why not me? So that’s been my mantra, why not me, why can’t I build the life that I dream of, if they could, I could too. Which also helps protect my self esteem by not getting trapped in the toxic comparison game. In Gods time, he’s got me, as long as I just keep showing up and being true to myself, it’ll work out when it should and how it should. Gods time.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m Kathryn Johnson, a Tampa based photographer specializing in intimate weddings and elopements for couples who crave something more intimate + intentional and different. My work is all about giving couples the freedom to create a day that feels deeply personal where the day is true to who they are and what they want.

Whether it’s a simple “just us” elopement, an intimate ceremony with a few close family members, or a small wedding surrounded by their closest crew, my couples get to choose what matters most. Together, we craft a celebration centered on memories + hell yeah moments with their person or with their people.

I grew up chasing the feeling of feeling alive, give me all the road trips, live music, and nature and that love for adventure runs deep in my work. Also, I grew up with the want of fitting in and trying to people please and thank God I grew outta that because honestly, life is toooooo dang short to abandon ourselves just to make everyone else happy. Every elopement + intimate wedding or couples session I photograph is about celebrating their unique story and making them feel comfortable and zero pressure to do what their friends did for their wedding days.

What makes my work special is that I’m more than a photographer; I’m a guide and partner in the process. I help my couples find the perfect locations, design stress free timelines, connect with trusted vendors, and make sure every detail feels like them by offering unique places and experiences to do together. That’s how couples don’t feel awkward and weird in from of the camera, they’re comfortable with me, they focus on each other/ their people, and they get to have a unique day where they can be fully present and not worry about how they look. My photography style has a dash of bold, candid, cinematic, and full of emotion.

Right now, I’m focused on expanding my elopement and intimate wedding work throughout Florida especially in the Tampa Bay, St. Pete, and Clearwater areas and building more resources to help couples craft their dream experience from start to finish. At the end of it all, I want my couples to walk away saying, “Oh man, we did it” with epic photos and memories they’ll relive for a lifetime.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, the three qualities that have shaped my journey most are empathy, adaptability, and staying true to myself. Empathy has been the core of everything I do. Photography isn’t just about pretty light or pretty ass poses it’s about understanding people. It’s about creating space for them to feel safe, seen, and free to be exactly who they are. That kind of trust transforms the way a story is told through my lens.

Adaptability has come from living a lot of life. I’ve moved around a lot, I left my home state of Illinois and lived in Texas, Colorado, and now Florida, and each season has taught me how to start fresh, find my footing, and stay open to what’s next. That ability to adapt, to trust change instead of fear it… has shaped how I show up for my couples. It’s made me calm under pressure, creative in the moment, and able to turn any setting or situation into something great.

But the biggest lesson? Being true to myself. Honoring my intuition has guided every pivot in my life and business. When I follow what feels right, creatively or personally. It always leads me where I’m meant to be.
For anyone starting out, here’s my advice: trust your gut. Be bold enough to evolve and grounded enough to stay you. The right people, opportunities, and moments will always find you when you’re you’re meant to be.

How would you describe your ideal client?

My ideal clients are the ones who know life is short and finding your person isn’t always simple or straight. Whether it’s their first marriage, second, or somewhere in between, they’ve lived enough life to know what truly matters and man, they love their person and they love the freedom to do whatever they want. It’s that best friend, ride or die Bonnie and Clyde kinda love. They’re sentimental as hell and care deeply about the small, meaningful details, but they also value experiences and nature more than anything else. I love when I get clients who wanna check out our awesome beaches because they’re romantic and our sunsets are gorgeous. I also love and get really inspired for those couples seeking a true old Florida experience with springs and state parks, or couples who just want to have the ultimate freakin date night and check out awesome roof tops, shoot some shots, jump in the pool, and just have the ultimate date night experience and call it their wedding.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

NA all my own images

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