Meet Kristen Spratt | Lifestyle Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristen Spratt and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristen, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born in raised right outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Being from Pittsburgh comes with a deep pride in where you are from, a sense of community, and the type of down-to-earth people who value family and working hard. It also comes with an obsession with our sports teams. One of my grandfather’s worked in the steel mill and was a farmer, and the other owned and operated a funeral home. I can physically observe their legacy when I visit home. Most people from that area tend to stay, and they have built deep roots. There is something to be said about having a sense of history in where you are from.

My parents gave me a life that was rich with a deep sense of community, and I learned to appreciate what we have. These values have stuck with me when I lived in Philadelphia for 6 years, then in Colorado Springs for going on 6 years. Having a strong sense of home has allowed me to explore new places and foster community and roots wherever I live.

My upbringing impacted my approach to photography and my down to earth style of shooting. I am not a photographer that will be focused on making things looked polished and perfect. I want to make things to look real and how they felt in the moment. I want to capture the emotion behind this season in your life, and to make art that reflects who you are. My goal is to help you pass down a legacy that is honest and beautiful.

Another part of my upbringing that deeply affected my approach to life and art was losing my father when I was a teenager. That experience has made me a person who is looking to capture the moments that bring me joy and that will help me to remember. Experiencing loss makes you appreciate the people who are in your life. I love to capture legacy and help people to remember the precious moments they have. My aim is to work with families and individuals to capture who they are and to provide the type of photography that will be printed and preserved so they can pass down their own story.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I believe my work has become more of my own over the years. My early days of photography I tried to emulate my favorite photographers, but I was unsure how to put myself into the work. My photography is focused on emotions, interactions, and preserving moments you care about. I have moved away from doing events and large weddings, so I could focus on work that brings me more joy and creativity. I still love capturing intimate elopements, families, and individuals.

My journey to photography has been a bit slow. I have been shooting on side for over ten years, but I have always had other endeavors and jobs that were also important to me. It has been challenging to overcome the fear of putting my work out there as there are so many great photographers that I admire. For me, my biggest mindset shift was going from a thought process of comparison and allowing myself to share my art without any expectation of response. I believe that the right clients will be drawn to my work, and that will likely create the best results. In addition to photography, I am a full-time graduate student studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Photography has fit so nicely into my life at the moment, and I believe it will compliment my profession as a counselor in the future. It has been a creative outlet that allows me to connect with others in other ways beyond the counselor-client setting.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Colorado Springs is where I currently live, but when I have hosted visitors I always make sure to give them a variety of experiences. I usually take time to go to the mountains. I love Frisco and the surrounding towns. Experiencing the mountain towns, views, and hopefully a bit of snow rounds out the experience. When in Denver, I would take my visitors to the LoHi neighborhood. On the list is Avanti, Postino, Little Man Ice Cream. I love to grab a scooter and see what is happening downtown. Depending on the person, I might take them salsa dancing at La Rumba, one of my favorite salsa clubs in Colorado. In Colorado Springs, I love to take my visitors to Cerberus Brewery, 503 West, the Odyssey Gastropub, and some of the other great bars and restaurants down town. There are amazing coffee shops to explore including Switchback Hillside, Building three, and others. Nightingale bread is a must, and I love their short hours of operation because it makes you prioritize when they are open.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Kristland Lee Photography is based in Iowa, and is a friend who initially showed me the ropes of making my photography a business. I owe endless credit to her for allowing me to second shoot along with her and trust my work when I was still learning. https://www.kristlandlee.com/

Website: https://www.kristenjonelle.com/

Instagram: @kristenjonellephotography