Meet Katie Vela

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Vela.

Katie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin? 
I began my film photography journey quite recently- in October of 2022. As a history major at The Ohio State University, I felt as though I spent all of my time at school or at work, and I wanted to pick up a hobby that would utilize my creative talents. I have always been interested in fashion and photography, as I would often take photographs of my friends for their social media accounts when we hungout, and my love for history drew me to the world of film photography. I decided to create my photography Instagram page, filmbyktvela, in order to document my photography journey. I began to do film photoshoots with some of my friends who modeled in order to improve my photography skills, which helped immensely. A few months later, I would truly break into the fashion photography world by capturing film photographs at the local OutLoud Ragdoll Runway Fashion Show. At the show, I met many local models, designers, and photographers who I would work with in the future, and from there, my photography career has blossomed! I am immensely thankful for everyone who has modeled for me or provided me with guidance in my photography journey. I truly would not be where I am today without the love and support of the Columbus fashion and photography community! 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The two largest obstacles I have encountered on my photography journey have been learning how to shoot with film and balancing photography with my school and workload. Unlike with digital photography, in order to shoot with film, you must buy the roll of film (which only has 36 images apiece), pay for the roll of film to be developed (or develop it yourself utilizing expensive chemicals), and be exceedingly conscious of the lighting exposure and the ISO of the film while shooting. As a result, shooting with film is both expensive and difficult to master. For the first couple months learning how to utilize film, and occasionally still today, if I am shooting in new conditions, each photoshoot was a gamble. That is to say; I was never sure if the film would be able to be developed, if the photos were good quality, or if the film was loaded correctly. Therefore, it took me a long time to learn how to correctly utilize my film camera and how to capture the best quality images. Although I have improved drastically from when I began, there is still much I can learn about shooting on film! Furthermore, as I am a master’s student in Public History at The Ohio State University, and I have numerous internships, it can be difficult for me to balance my photography business with my schooling. Unfortunately, I will not have the ability to dedicate as much time as I wish I could to photography until after my graduation. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am both a historian in training and a film photographer. I am most well-known in Columbus for my film photography, in which I primarily capture fashion and editorial photoshoots. My website is “Filmbyktvela.org,” and my Instagram is “filmbyktvela”. I would say my most unique trait as a film photographer is the creative and fashionable nature of the photoshoots I capture on film. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I feel as though I have gotten immensely lucky in meeting the right people at the right time. Early in my photography journey, I had the great fortune to meet the Columbus-based model Arianna Wyant. I had taken a few pictures of her walking in a couple runway shows that she really liked, and despite the fact that we had barely spoken, she asked me to accompany her to Los Angeles to be her photographer during LA Fashion Week Festival. This experience not only provided me with the opportunity to improve my skills as a photographer and gain experience, but it also provided me with three very close friendships that continue to impact my life today. I cannot express the significance of the positive impact meeting Ari has had on both my personal life and my film photography business. 

Pricing:

• My standard photoshoots typically cost around $160, with the breakdown below:
• Roll of film: $25
• Development of film: $20
• Hourly rate: $50
• Studio Rental: Varies on Studio but is typically around $65

Contact Info:

• Website: filmbyktvela.org
• Instagram: filmbyktvela
• Other: VSCO: https://vsco.co/filmbyktvela

Image Credits
Jon Toland
Katie Vela