We are bringing in the New Year with a Proud Member Spotlight! Help me welcome Kellie Hetler of Hetler Photography!
Where are you located?
Grand Rapids, Michigan
What is packed in your camera bag? (Ex: I love my Nikon 850, and my 35mm and 85mm! Plus The Bunny!)
I shoot with a Canon mirrorless R6 camera and various lenses depending on the situation. I also pull out either a 35mm or medium format film camera for special occasions!
What is your favorite go-to family session pose?
When photographing families, I always try to capture the "perfect" smiling at the camera photo first. After that, my favorite photos are captured when we just run around, play tag and have fun together.
Tell us about a session that moved you or changed the way you think about your business?
At 20 weeks pregnant with my second child, my husband and I found out that our daughter had upper limb differences in both arms. We were honestly scared and upset because it was so unfamiliar to us. When she was born, we also found out that she was profoundly deaf. The combination of the two made communication nearly impossible in our sheltered eyes. It took time but we healed, going from grieving the child that we expected into loving the beautiful child that was in front of us. Sharing our story through photos and turning that into our eventual healing changed the way I think about photos. They became a tool and a necessity more than just a luxury. Families have wonderful stories and share lives. Those should be recorded because time is short, life is full of joy and sometimes you just need a photo to remind you of that.
What business owners (or photographers) inspire you?
Molly from The Lucky Fin Project. She brought together people from all over the world with upper limb differences. I hear so many adults with "lucky fins like Nemo" say that they didn't have a community that looks like them while growing up, but because of Molly, my daughter does. https://luckyfinproject.org
What is your favorite thing about being a photographer?
My favorite thing about being a photographer is knowing that I played a small part in creating heirlooms for future generations. You may not know it now, but those photos you have on your hard drive will become more and more priceless as the years go by. (Make sure to make copies!)
What is your favorite editing snack?
In my desk, I have an assortment of healthy snacks so that I'm not tempted to eat candy all day while editing. I love eating almonds, yogurt covered pretzels, banana chips.... And I love Earl Grey tea with cream and sugar in the winter!
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