Supplier Focus: Copper & Blossom Photography

Here at Whitewed, we love seeing businesses grow, and we are lucky to have so many talented and ambitious business owners on our directory. 

This month we asked Kate Southall of Whitewed approved Copper & Blossom Photography to tell her super successful business story.  Kate is a hugely talented documentary photographer and she tells your story through her beautiful imagery.  She had the enviable start working with the BBC photographing live music gigs, and she has since shared her beautiful documentary style across weddings, family and business shoots.

Kate is not one to sit on her laurels, she constantly has a gem of an idea or a complementary service up her sleeve, and I love her focus on such important attributes: drive, passion, flexibility, organisation and focus - and she has them all in spades!

Here she shares how and why she started her business, what proud moments and challenges she has achieved and faced, how she made lockdown work for her, and what 2021 has in store...

Tell us about Copper & Blossom, the photographer behind it and what you offer

My name is Kate and I am the owner of Copper and Blossom Photography.

As a documentary photographer I apply my skill of telling stories through photographs to everything from weddings and outdoor family photo shoots to live music events and business photography. I love capturing emotions, interactions and details to provide my clients with beautiful memories.

What was your business light bulb moment?

When I first started my business, I felt pressured to pigeon-hole myself. Everyone I met asked me what type of photography I specialised in - was I a music photographer? A family photographer? A wedding photographer? I felt like I wouldn’t be taken seriously if I didn’t concentrate on one particular aspect of photography. It took me a while to realise that it didn’t matter that I photographed so many seemingly different things because, to me, they all had a common theme - story-telling! That was my light-bulb moment! From that point on, I defined myself as a “documentary photographer” and I haven’t felt the need to pigeon-hole my photography since!

What made you take the plunge and go for it?

Many years ago, I would, on occasion, volunteer to photograph live music events for the BBC. I loved telling the story of what happened side-of-stage as well as capturing the events happening onstage. As the events became more frequent I was asked whether I would be happy to cover the events in a more official capacity (i.e. they would start paying me to be there!). Of course I jumped at the chance! There was just the small matter of actually registering as self-employed to ensure that everything was done properly! I didn’t have anything to lose so I set the business up and decided to see how it went. That was 10 years ago now and I haven’t looked back! Turns out it was the best decision I ever made.

What have you loved so far?

All of it! I love looking back through weddings that I have photographed and getting all emotional when I see the happiness (and happy tears) that I have managed to capture. I love looking back over the amazing concerts that I have attended and remembering the experiences that I have been so lucky to have. I love getting to see my happy couples again a few years down the line when they ask me to come and photograph their growing families.

What challenges have you faced that you weren’t expecting? How have you overcome them?

The biggest challenge my business has faced by far is Covid! 2020 was due to be my busiest, most profitable year to date. I had big plans for the business this year which, of course, have all gone out of the window! Despite the setbacks, I have been overwhelmed with the support I have had from my couples over the last few months. If anything, the additional conversations that we have had discussing postponed wedding dates and amended plans has brought us even closer.

In hindsight, I am extremely thankful that I didn’t restrict the types of photography that I offered when I started the business. It has meant that I have been able to promote my family and corporate photography a little more to fill the gap whilst there are fewer weddings taking place.

I’m also not ashamed to say that at the start of lockdown I took on a temporary job at a local supermarket to ensure the survival of my business. I’m happy to say that my photography commissions are already starting to pick back up (this week I’ll be photographing my 8th wedding post-lockdown) but I have no reservations about taking on temporary employment again if required!

Lockdown has been difficult for our industry, but how have you made it work for you?

Lockdown has definitely made me re-evaluate my business and tweak the way I do certain things. I have a renewed appreciation for my own skill-set and the breadth of services that I am able to offer.

For example, instead of offering face-to-face workshops and photography training I used the imposed downtime over the summer to write an online course. I also launched a graphic design service which expands on the album-design work and social media graphics that I was already designing for my own business.

How else have you expanded from your original offering and why?

When it comes to weddings, I have always been proud to offer bespoke pricing. However, with micro-weddings being the new normality, I have specifically added a “ceremony-only” package to my website.

It’s understandable that couples need a little extra reassurance at the moment so I am doing as much as I can to help them out. This includes:

- For new bookings I have reduced my save-the-date fee to just £100;

- Offering to transfer bookings to a new date for no additional fee;

- Freezing my current prices until the end of 2020.

How important is your community of wedding supplier friends to your business?

I have found it invaluable to have a support network of wedding supplier friends. As most of us working in the wedding industry are sole-traders, for the majority of time, we each work alone. Therefore to have a supportive group of people who understand the work that goes into every wedding and who are happy to offer advice and guidance when needed is worth its weight in gold.

Throughout lockdown, a small group of us would schedule a video-call every week. We kept each other motivated, provided guidance and support and encouraged each other to keep going despite everything that was going on! It really was a god-send! 

Pictured L-R: Sarah of Cakes by Mrs F, Alex of Burnt Orange, Kate of Copper & Blossom Photography, Judy of Blooming Chic

During lockdown we came up with the seed of an idea and, following lockdown, we banded together to provide one lucky couple (who had needed to postpone their wedding) with a “taste of their wedding”. We provided them with a photo shoot, cake, bouquet and Prosecco - it was so nice to be able to do something creative and spread a bit of joy after a tough few months for couples and suppliers alike!

What are your proudest moment in business?

When I finally took the plunge and took the business full-time is probably the moment that I am most proud of. The fact that I had worked hard to build the business to the point that it was sustainable and profitable enough to be my only source of income still fills me with pride!

I am also hugely proud that I have photographed nearly 150 weddings over the last 10 years! I look back at every wedding with fondness and joy. I get emotional at every wedding but after photographing my 100th celebration I drove home in tears because I was so proud to have reached such a milestone. I pinch myself every day that I get to do something that I love!

Other proud moments include my re-brand to “Copper and Blossom Photography”, being recognised for my “Customer Service” in this year's Chippenham Business Awards, having my photographs featured on magazine covers and in Hello magazine, not to mention being trusted to work closely with musicians such as Bon Jovi, Paloma Faith and Taylor Swift.

In your day to day role, what can’t you live without?

I suppose my camera is too obvious an answer (although it is of course the one thing I NEED to run my business!). Aside from the obvious material things, I couldn’t run my business without drive, passion, flexibility, organisation and focus.

What’s next for Copper & Blossom?

In 2021… LOTS of weddings! I’m proud of the fact that I have managed to reschedule almost all of the weddings that needed to postpone this year and I’m so excited for each and every event! It does mean, of course, that 2021 is already looking rather busy - I can probably take on another 4 or 5 weddings at which point I will need to close the diary for next year.

Aside from weddings, I’m concentrating on building upon the online course that I have created this year, and also investigating the possibility of providing a photography mentorship programme. There are lots of exciting ideas to explore!

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It's been a delight to learn more about you and your business Kate, thank you for sharing your Copper & Blossom Photography story so far with us. We so admire you and all that you've achieved - and we can't wait to follow your progress and see what happens next!

From the Team at Whitewed