Meet Katharine Witt

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katharine Witt.  

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hey everyone, I’m Katharine. A full-time resident & photographer on beautiful Mackinac Island. At just 6 months old, my family brought me to Mackinac Island on my very first trip & I’ve been in love ever since. 

As a child, I’d vacation to the island every year & always dreamed of one day working on Mackinac. In 2015 after my freshman year at CMU, I had the opportunity to come to Mackinac & work for a season. I worked for what used to be Martha’s Sweet Shop, The Leather Coral, & I waitressed evenings at The Mustang Lounge. After that season I truly thought that I’d never be back to Mackinac again other than for a vacation. A few months after returning to CMU my mom, Rose, whose always dreamed of living & working on Mackinac got offered a job & my dad retired early & they made the move to Mackinac to run a B&B. While they were on Mackinac, I visited any chance I got. 

In 2018 I graduated from CMU with BAA in Public Relations & started doing some freelance social media work. During this time I’d visit my parents & decided I was totally missing out on living an incredible life on Mackinac. In 2019 & 2020 I worked alongside my parents running two B&Bs on the island & started doing social media & photography work on the side. During this time, I not only fell in love with Mackinac living, but I also started talking to an island boy & I completely fell in love. 

In 2020 I, unfortunately, had a horrible bike accident & had to put my photography & social media work on the back burner while I recovered. At the end of the 2020 season, I was feeling great again & I couldn’t fathom leaving Mackinac or my boyfriend for the winter, so I ended up staying. My first winter on Mackinac was beyond magical & I knew this was now the place I’d call home. 

At the beginning of 2021, my mom made a move & started working at the incredible Bicycle Street Inn. With my parents & boyfriend’s support, I was able to pursue my dream of doing photography & social media work full-time. In February of 2021, I started Katharine Rose Photography & it completely took off, like I mean better than I could’ve ever imagined. 

If my accident taught me one thing, it taught me that life is so short & it’s so important to love & take in each & every moment. That’s why I love photography so much, it allows you to freeze time & capture priceless memories that one day you’ll share with your children, grandchildren, & many generations to come. For as long as I can remember my mom was always taking photos of me & my family. Today, being able to look back through those photos is something I’ll always cherish. 

Now I’m blessed to be a resident in a community that I love & doing what I love every single day. I get the opportunity to walk out my doorstep & capture all the beauty Mackinac has to offer & get the honor of capturing so many wonderful people making their own memories on Mackinac. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It’s been a climb for sure. I’ve never personally owned a business before, so all the logistics of even getting started was definitely a learning curve. I’ve always been the girl to be crazy organized & on top of everything, but wow running a business on your own is an entire new game. Being on top of emails, messages, finances, shooting, culling, editing, my social media clients, & marketing, all while still taking care of myself & having time for my family & my personal life, has been a task in itself. But, over time, I’ve learned to manage it & I’m really proud of myself for that. Thankfully being on Mackinac, busy season is only for 6 months, then I get a nice break. I just always remind myself to see the light at the end of the tunnel each season & it helps me get by. 

I’ve also struggled with having confidence in my work & myself for a long time. Being able to set that aside & really put myself & my business out there was really difficult for me in the beginning. With so many incredible photographers not only on Island but all over, imposter syndrome was real! Over time my confidence has grown & I finally feel proud of my work & proud to call myself a photographer. 

We’d love to learn more about your work. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
With being on Mackinac & only having work for really 6 months, I can’t really put myself in just one category when it comes to photography. I capture everything from families, senior portraits, couples, engagements, & weddings to commercial photography. I’m most known for my bright & colorful images that are both timeless & classic. 

When I think of what I am most proud of, I have to say myself. I’ve come so far & have never given up. I always think of little Katharine just visiting the island & how happy she would be to know I’m back on Mackinac & how proud she would be of the woman, business owner, & photographer I am today. 

I think what sets me apart from others is that I treat my clients as if they were my very own family. I can’t even put into words how incredible each & every person is that I’ve had the honor of working with. It truly means the world to me capturing their memories on Mackinac that they will look back on forever. I also make sure to not only capture my clients but to also provide them with helpful information about the island to make their trip the absolute best! 

What are your favorite apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think have been helpful to you?
Instagram & Facebook are both the driving force in my business. Finding clients in a tourist destination can be hard, but both these platforms have allowed me to reach people from all over the world. If it wasn’t for these platforms, I honestly don’t think my business would be as successful as it’s been so far. The other big one would be Google Calendar! Being a one-woman show, my calendar helps me keep my life in order. From balancing sessions to making time for family & friends & even time for myself, my calendar is what keeps it all together. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.katharinerosephotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katharinerose.photography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatharineRose.Photo
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/katharinerosewitt/

Image Credits
Katharine Rose Photography