We’re looking forward to introducing you to Catie Eovaldi. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Catie, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I love my current morning routine! Every morning at 7:00am, our cat (named Willie Nelson) crawls up next to me as the sweetest wake up call. I spend a few minutes petting and snuggling him while laying in bed. I usually get out of bed and go straight for coffee. Willie eats his breakfast while I drink coffee and do a simple skincare routine. Once I’m done getting dressed and ready for the day, Willie usually wants to go outside for a quick mouse hunt which gives me time to clean up his toys scattered throughout the living room. At this point I take some time to just sit in the quietness and think about what I want to accomplish for the day. Sometimes I’ll dive right into work (especially during my wedding season), but I love taking a quiet moment before opening my laptop. By 8:00am my laptop is open and I’m responding to emails for the first half hour of my day!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a Southeast and Mid Michigan wedding photographer that specializes in documentary style photography! Weddings are something that are usually talked about or thought about for a long time afterwards. When I’m at gatherings with friends, we share memories made at other friends’ weddings. When I’m flipping through photos albums at my grandpa’s house, he always has a story about his wedding day.
These little moments we share, drives me to be very intentional about what I capture throughout the day for my couples. Some day, these photos will be someone’s sentimental memories that they share with friends or family. So with that in mind, I tend to focus more on natural, candid moments throughout the day than trying to force poses or moments. I want things to unfold naturally and for my couple to look back and truly remember what they felt on their wedding day.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Definitely my husband. When we first met, I was working 3 part time jobs to stay afloat and he was in college. My camera was shoved to the back of the closet because I didn’t prioritize it. He had always encouraged me throughout our time dating to get my camera out and get outside, but things shifted differently during the COVID shutdown. I suddenly had to slow down and we often went hiking to get outside the house. I started carrying my camera everywhere again and fell back in love with photography.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Being a business owner isn’t easy, and there have been a couple times I’ve wondered if it’s worth it to keep going. I photographed a wedding back in 2024, I was still fairly new to wedding photography at the time and this was one of my first big weddings. I delivered the gallery and was super proud of it, but the couple hated it. There was a disconnect between what I provided and what the couple wanted.
I was gutted and almost gave up. I was distraught that I had messed up someone’s wedding day and that when the couple looked back on their images they’d think of how much they hated them. I reflected on this a lot (and I still do now sometimes). Instead of quitting, I used this opportunity as a learning experience and changed how I communicate with couples pre-booking and photograph wedding days. I am proud to say I have not had this happen since!
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
I learned a long time ago (think high school era me) that if you are being a different person in private than you are in public, you’ll lose who you are. As I got older, I realized that if someone can’t handle the real me, that’s okay. I don’t have to be everyone’s friend. I’m just a girl that loves to stay home, read, and snuggle her cat when she’s not photographing a wedding.
I encourage my couples as well to be themselves. It’s easy to get caught up in trends and the latest thing- then before you know it, you start to lose yourself a bit. I encourage every couple I work with to really be themselves and have a wedding that reflects their heart.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
Oh easily every day I get to be behind the camera. This business is literally the dream I’ve had for a long time, so while it can be hard at times I am so excited every day to work with couples from all over. Remember how as a kid, you were so excited for Santa to stop by your house that you literally couldn’t sleep? That’s me every night before a wedding day, and I’m so incredibly thankful to have a job I can be that excited about!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://catieeovaldiphoto.com
- Instagram: @catieeovaldiphoto
