Today we share the story of a passionate photographer whose love for the ocean and outdoor life shapes her unique and authentic style. Growing up in coastal Rhode Island and deeply connected to the sea, she has seamlessly blended her photography career with her marine roots. From capturing genuine moments by the water to navigating the challenges of the commercial photography industry, she shares her journey, inspirations, and valuable lessons learned along the way.
Website: catebrownphoto.com
Instagram: @catebrownphoto
Describe your signature style or approach to photography.
I always aim to capture life outdoors & by the sea through a lens of approachability and authenticity. My approach is to keep things as relatable and true-to-life as possible, even for adventure sports to make them feel approachable for the everyday viewer. I know the word ‘authentic’ tends to be overused these days, but that’s truly what I aim to capture, whether it’s using athletes from a given sport as models, genuine moments of enjoyment and happiness by breaking down barriers with subjects… I want everyone to look at my shots and feel like they were there or could be there or want to be there.
How did you discover your niche of water and marine photography?
I grew up in coastal Rhode Island, I come from a sailing family and used to teach sailing. Growing up, some days I spent more hours on or by the water than I did at home. I discovered photography at a young age too, and went to school in western Massachusetts where I was an hour and a half from the ocean, and that was too far. I immediately knew upon graduating that I wanted to move back to the Ocean State, and found a way to combine professional photography with my love of the water. I started by shooting the sailing community I was familiar with — regattas, juniors… — seascape fine art prints followed, and then I got a water housing to get my nicer cameras in the water too for a more unique perspective. The marine industry is a very small niche for photographers, there’s just a handful of names that dominate the industry which makes it difficult to break into so I wanted to expand beyond strictly marine and into a more general lifestyle. In 2016 I made a very concerted effort to expand my portfolio to other sports and lifestyles, but always with a watery backdrop whenever possible, and there’s been no looking back.
Who’s your ideal client?
Anyone who is collaborative, communicative, and respects the process. Whether it’s a client big or small, I would just love to have a client who is eager to bring me on as a part of the full creative process, not just someone to click the shutter. I love getting in during concept development so I can help guide ideas for the best execution on the ground. An ideal client also has a proper understanding (or at least respect for) licensing, which exists to help balance actual usage needs with image value, so I can both make a living and the client can get their use out of content.
What challenges have you faced in the commercial photography industry?
Clients who want an awful lot without paying for it. The trend has been for bigger and bigger asks, smaller budgets, tighter turnarounds, and it’s hard to earn a living when I’m also acting as producer, creative director, and barely have a budget to properly compensate models or bring on an assistant. Clients more and more often want all usage rights all the time, and I’m constantly having to educate or push back on that, especially when budgets are tight.
The other biggest issue has been ghosting. Both new and returning clients will ask for estimates, or we’ll go so far as to have creative calls with me developing treatments or mood boards with the next step of booking a time on the calendar and collecting a retainer, and it’ll be crickets. I’ll find out months later after multiple follow-ups that projects were put on hold or they went a different way entirely, but it would save everyone a lot of time and effort if clients were more upfront about their intentions or directions as soon as they had an idea that things might be going in another direction. The lack of professionalism in these regards has only been increasing and is beyond infuriating, not to mention it wastes everyone’s time.
Can you share any valuable lessons you’ve learned about client communication and project management?
Communication is key, and sometimes that means changing my language to be as straightforward as possible and even using bullet points or dashed lists in emails, especially for newer clients who are less familiar with the process. Too often people do not read emails through properly, and details get overlooked or questions unanswered, so whenever possible I try to get on an initial zoom or phone call, or a follow up phone call after a lengthy email, to make sure everyone is on the same page. Adapting communication to your clients is huge so everyone is properly informed about what they’re looking for, and what I can deliver.
What have you learned from past mistakes or failures in your career that have helped you grow as a photographer?
Being unafraid to say ‘no’ or set clear boundaries for clients with big asks has been a very long learning process, and I continue to struggle with this. Especially for newer creatives, the fear of losing a gig entirely if you say something wrong or even if the client just takes it the wrong way… can leave a lot of things not being said at all. And whenever that happens, it tends to be harder on the creative in the end. So just learning to be firm but professional, clear but cooperative is so key. This goes back to the importance of communication too, the more details that can be sorted out well in advance, the better it is for everyone in the end and the better results can be delivered for the client too.
What’s your favorite way to unwind after a long day?
Go to the water. I’m there often for shoots, but to unwind its great to get down by the water for myself too. If it’s summer, I try to get out to the boat on the mooring to have a swim and a read, all to myself (no beach sand to deal with when you’re on the boat!). If it’s the winter, I’ll bundle up and go for a beach walk. Just get in some ocean time!
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