Catherine Hill
website | instagram | facebook
As a full-time, professional photographer, Catherine strives to offer creative, honest, heartfelt imagery, capture a beautiful moment in time, and evoke an emotional response from the viewer. With over 12 years of experience, Catherine wants to capture ‘the real thing’: expressions, laughter, tears of joy; whatever comes naturally. In particular, Catherine specialises in documenting weddings to tell a story of one of the most significant days in somebody’s life by using her photojournalistic and artistic style.
Catherine is passionate about natural, unobtrusive photography because she loves the personal stories these pictures tell.
Catherine is also extremely interested in documenting family life. What interests her is the connection between a family. She’ll provide you with creative and unique bespoke photography together with a fantastic memorable experience with your loved ones—photographs that reflect you as a family and your relationships.
Catherine spent many happy years holidaying with her grandparents at their farm in St Martins and visiting her wider family, so Jersey has a special place in her heart. Fate has brought Catherine back to live and settle in Jersey for the third time after recently marrying a Jerseyman. Catherine and her husband live in a beautiful rural part of the Island, St Ouen.
“You will have setbacks, which will make all the achievements all the more rewarding. "
Tell us about your path to setting up your business and what motivated you?
Catherine’s mother is an artist and gifted her a camera as a young child. Catherine used to drive her family potty as she was keen to photograph everyone and anything. Fast forward to a chance meeting with a fellow student at a darkroom course in Canterbury, Kent (who is now one of her closest friends). Her friend was looking for a career change and had suggested Catherine join her on an intensive wedding photography course. Although initially unconvinced that this would interest her (mainly due to her view of wedding photography at the time – we’re talking of 15 years ago), she packed my bags and accompanied her friend to the course. Catherine fell in love with this genre of photography and never looked back. It’s taken years to hone this skill, and she’ll always want to progress as a photographer. Since setting up the business, Catherine never worked so many hours.
The flip side is that she loves what she does, and it’s the most rewarding career.
Catherine feels fortunate to be able to create a career out of a passion. She has worked with fabulous couples and families, some of whom have become friendships.
Catherine is proud to have received many awards and is driven to refine her skills continually. Her clients motivate her to create images which exceed their expectations and touch their lives.
How do you work and what is a typical day like for you?
A typical day will begin with either progressing a project in the garden (Catherine is a huge fan of gardening) and then working on a recent body of work in her study, punctuated with coffee breaks! Catherine is lucky enough to live very close to the coast in St Ouens, so regular walks are also part of life. Catherine is a big believer in being organised before a shoot, so good communication with her clients is vital, be it a documentary family shoot, or obtaining a brief for a commercial project or liaising with clients about the itinerary for their wedding day.
What are the best parts about your business?
Meeting a variety of people and being invited into a family’s home “Each family is unique, with their own story and characters. Having been invited into their family life, Catherine observes their relationships. She captures those everyday beautiful, comic, contemplative, delightful, enchanting, funny, playful, and memorable moments that people outside of their family home rarely see. It’s a real privilege and one that Catherine doesn’t take for granted. Similarly, being commissioned to document one of the most significant days in a couples life is pretty special. It’s wonderful to receive heartwarming feedback from happy clients.
What has been your greatest struggle as a business owner so far?
Without doubt, the pandemic has been incredibly challenging, as for most of the population. The industry is also very competitive, but I think the most important thing is to stick with what you believe in regarding one’s style and approach.
In the height of the wedding season, it can be a struggle to meet deadlines with the volume of work (engagement, wedding & family shoots, album designing), which will entail many a late night!
What has been your biggest a-ha moment so far?
I suppose realising that I could blend my documentary approach to wedding photography with family life. I get so much joy out of spending time with families and observing all the interactions and what might seem routine to deliver a meaningful body of work. My style transfers very effectively.
Do you have any advice for other small business owners?
Stay truthful to yourself, dig deep and persevere. You will have setbacks, which will make all the achievements all the more rewarding. Speak to other small business owners, even if it’s to meet up for cuppa (even virtually). It can be lonely working for yourself, so to have a support network of likeminded people is so valuable.
What currently inspires you?
Beautiful light – be it a sweet spot where it is falling; gorgeous golden light; early morning sunlight; contrasting light.
Being a photographer has taught Catherine to look at everyday life and her surroundings differently. Living so close to St Ouens Bay and being lucky enough to have access to the headland, the views across the bay and reaching Corbiere Lighthouse, are sensational. Catherine is an enthusiastic gardener. She gets so excited to see hibernating winter plants emerge in Spring and minuscule seeds produce such beauty. Catherine is inspired to continue to grow as an artist and is excited to see where her work will take her.
You can contact and find me here