Meet Katrina Call of Beyond the Mask Fine Art Photography in Maricopa

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katrina Call.

Katrina, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up knowing exactly what I wanted to be. I wanted to have a horse farm and train, breed, ride, board, etc. And then I grew up, got married, had children, and life just went in another direction. One day I received a message from a good friend telling me that my photos were so amazing, I should start a business. At that time the only career I knew about in Photography was extreme photographers working for National Geographic or fashion magazines, or people working at department store photo studios. This opened up a whole new world for me. I’ve always loved taking photos. I received my first camera at age seven and used up the first roll in the first five minutes of getting it. My mom was not too happy! My dad had an old full frame Minolta film camera that I loved taking out with us on trips, photographing landscapes throughout my middle school and high school years. So when this new world opened up, I immediately started researching. I realized that I could combine my passion for photography and my passion for horses! I figured one could fund the other. I started just like most other photographers. Photographing friends, taking college classes, learning as much as I could from every type of resource I could find. I tried out family photography, children, pets. etc. I photographed some local horse shows and friend’s with their horses. From the very beginning, I volunteered my talent for local pet rescues. This is something I still do today. It is such an incredible feeling to be able to be such a big part of finding these animals homes. When I lived in Maryland I was hired as a Freelance photographer for Harford Style Magazine. It was an amazing experience where I was able to meet many local business owners, authors, even an Italian vineyard owner! I still thought I was going to eventually get into the world of Equine photography. But again, God, the Universe, whatever you want to call it had other plans and my photography eventually took a new direction thanks to my work with Harford Style.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I am going to be brutally honest here. As most know, Photography is a saturated field. When DSLR’s became affordable everyone was buying one and trying their hand at photography. Many saw it as an easy way to make a quick buck. The shoot and burn photographer was born. This has made it very tough for those of us who were trying to build a real business and make a profit to support ourselves and our families. I don’t know anyone who owns a small business that has had a smooth road. Building a business is hard work. It isn’t something that just happens overnight. It takes years of work, marketing, networking, and constant learning. As a photographer, it can take years to find your style and voice. I have moved twice, so I have pretty much had to start my business three times now. Moving to Arizona has been amazing. I have found an incredible group of creatives called the Rising Tide Society. Their motto is “Community over Competition”. I have found that this is the mentality of most small business owners here in Phoenix. I have met some incredible people who I have been able to network and work with. They have helped me along the way with my business here.

Tell us more about the business.
After a few years of trying out different things, I finally fell upon my true passion, which is working with women. Whether it’s boudoir, portraits, weddings, or business branding photos. I love meeting so many amazing women and hearing their stories. I began interviewing women in business for my blog when I moved to Arizona four years ago. However, Boudoir is my true passion. Watching the transformation a woman goes through from when she steps into the studio to that exact moment when she opens up and finds her true self and begins to enjoy herself, is truly magical. This is how my business got its name. So many of us live our lives behind a mask. It is my goal to help women release that mask and be their true selves. This past year I had to take a step back from my business for personal reasons. I spent the better part of the year focusing on photography as a creative outlet. I’ve worked on collaborations and done personal work to reconnect with the creative side of photography. I have also been published now in two magazines! I have met some incredible women this year. Models, photographers, authors, and business owners. Next year I have quite a few plans for my business. I will be starting the year by photographing a women’s empowerment workshop in Las Vegas with a local author and many other incredible women. My most exciting plan is to create a group for women to come to where they can open up and be themselves, make friends locally, and learn from other local women in business. We will have weekly videos from other business owners on many topics, such as beauty, health, nutrition, exercise, life coaching, etc. I am so excited to finally launch this, as it has been a dream of mine for a couple of years now.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I have notoriously bad luck. I don’t believe luck has anything to do with business though. The success of a business depends on how hard you are willing to work and how much you are willing to put yourself into it. A business is also built on relationships and networking. Many creatives like myself are introverts. I like to say that I am an extroverted introvert. However, building this business has really helped me to come out of my shell. I truly love meeting new people and getting to know them. I have had some amazing opportunities along the way because of the people I have met. You cannot build a business if you hide away at home or behind your computer. You can plan all you want, but you have to put one foot in front of the other and hit the pavement running. You have to put those plans into action. Otherwise, your business will never get off the ground.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.beyondthemask.org
• Phone: 4808184104
• Email: katrinamcall@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthemaskphoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeyondtheMaskPhoto/

Image Credit:
Portraits by Whitney Rose
Beyond the Mask Fine Art Photography

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