Good morning, everyone! I hope you all had an amazing and fruitful weekend!
For this week’s blog post, I wanted to go over what this year has looked like so far for Ruhe Liebe, as well as what all I have planned for the future. It’s always so nice to check in halfway through the year and to look back at all of the progress, challenges, and goals moving forward. For me, it helps me stay grounded and make sure I’m focused on the right things for myself and my business. And – of course – it’s always way more fun to do it with friends!
As always – grab a comfy seat, your fave morning bev, and your coziest blanket – and let’s get into all of the fun together!
Saying ‘Goodbye’ to K.COLLECTIVE (January/February)
Realizing that it has already been almost 7 months since my rebrand is so mind-boggling. I still feel like I only just started my page for K.COLLECTIVE, and yet we’re already about to hit a year with Ruhe Liebe. It truly has been so rewarding and fulfilling getting to do this as one of my jobs. Through all of the anxious, long, and busy days, the lessons I’ve learned throughout the way, the amazing people I’ve met, all of the support and encouragement – I truly could go on and on forever. There just aren’t enough words to explain how grateful I am for this experience so far, and how much it has done for and meant to me.
When I started K.COLLECTIVE as a conglomerate page for anything to do with makeup, hair, interior design, gym days, vlogs, etc. – I would’ve never guessed that it would lead me to cross paths with all of the beautifully talented people I’ve met so far. If I’m being honest, I truly didn’t expect it to go anywhere at all. As a previous Cosmetology student, I know how competitive creative industries are/can get. And no – I don’t meant in the “community over competition way” – I mean it in the “I know how loyal clients are when they find their person” way (and no, I’m not complaining – I like it that way).
I really could have never imagined what K.COLLECTIVE (& Ruhe Liebe) has become, and the evolutions are still coming. Each season, I swear I learn something new about myself as a creative and where I want to take this passion of mine. I couldn’t be more grateful for where K.COLLECTIVE brought me.
Off-Season & Snow Sessions (February)
The beginning of the year remains an off season for Ruhe Liebe, but that doesn’t always mean “slow”. The beginning of the year was jam-packed with re-vamping my new website, starting this blog you see here, and other bits of admin work to help make my brand feel more like me – feel more like home. I also (apparently) grew a wild hair and slowly started working through re-editing all of my older galleries to help the images feel more cohesive with my new, warmer style of editing. Lastly, I went through and made sure all of my contracts, questionnaires, etc. were up to date and included all of the information needed to properly reflect my new business policies.
Other than the admin work, February was busy with snow sessions with family and friends, a grand opening for a new Studio Space here in Winston-Salem (Shoutout to the Daisey Haus!!), practice product branding, a bereavement session for a client, and a family trip out to Boone, NC. Like I said, February was a productive month to say the least – and so incredibly rewarding. I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my new season.
Concerts, Styled Shoots, and Cross-Country Moves (March-May)
Still working my way out of slow season and into the first few events of the year, March thru May hardly slowed me down at all. Between moving my Mom and Step-dad to Sweden, seeing Bad Omens in concert in Raleigh, and planning my very first Styled Shoot – I definitely had plenty of fun waiting for me for these 3 months.
Helping to move my Mom and Step-dad several thousand miles away – and across an ocean, at that – was definitely a unique experience for me. IYKYK – my Mom and I have been attached at the hip pretty much all of my life, so with all of the hustle and bustle of the move itself came all of the emotions of soon being so far away from the both of them. Also, the weird mix of surprise and confusion of what to do next as their flights kept getting pushed back. After packing everything up, spending 2 weeks in GA trying to catch a flight, coming back to NC for another couple of weeks to wait on a more solid way out, and then finally back to GA to *actually* leave – they’ve finally made their way there and are getting settled into their new home and ways of life in a fresh place. Every day I’m so excited to hear about the new adventures they have planned together, and all of the things she probably once thought she’d never see.
Bad Omens has a backstory of it’s own as well, which begins back in September of last year when my Husband and I were on our Honeymoon trip to Louder than Life in Louisville, Kentucky. Our friends we went with were pretty big fans of theirs, and we really enjoyed listening to their music on the way there while we prepared for the festival ahead. However, when we went to their show on one of the last nights, my Husband had gotten sick and we had to leave the show early to head back to the Campgrounds. He’s talked about being disappointed that he missed most of their set ever since, so I surprised him with tickets to see them for his Birthday this year. He was so excited to finally be able to see and enjoy their show live and in person again, and they truly put on an amazing show! If you’re into that kind of music – I highly recommend giving them a listen and/or trying to catch their next tour!
Love Letters in the Spring also made it’s debut in May! If you missed it, I posted a blog (a few blogs back from this one!) about the whole experience, what I learned, and everything in between. Feel free to read more about it HERE, and be sure to check into my Instagram pages to see photos and content from the day! It truly was such an amazing, fruitful, and incredibly informational experience and I couldn’t have asked for anything more out of my first Styled Shoot. It only gets better and better from here, and I’m so happy to bring you all along with me as more incredible concepts and shoots get brought to life!
Admin Work & the Catch-up Game (June)
Whether it was a choice of my own or a divine intervention, June has been a much slower month for me (well, depending on how you look at it…). Partially due to multiple illnesses across myself, my husband, multiple friends and family members, and even a couple of my pets. Apparently, we all had some dues to pay to the Universe LOL
But in all seriousness, the Month of June has been a catch-up month for me. Between finishing up photos and content from LLITS and communication, preparation, purchases, planning, etc. for my upcoming shoots, and cleaning up other bits and pieces of the Admin side of Ruhe Liebe – June has brought a lot of office work and hours spent designing Concept slides and posts on Canva. Honestly though, these are some of my favorite parts of running my own business – making everything look pretty, clean, and organized while planning events is so enjoyable to me (I know, I know. Hot take, am I right?). But seriously, it truly had been so much fun and I cannot wait for you all to see everything I have coming up soon!
Moving Forward | 2027
My goals for the rest of 2026 and into 2027 are to embrace all of my slowest and busiest seasons, and to make sure that I apply everything I’ve learned over the last year and a half and in regards to any future Styled Shoots and Events I have planned. I have no doubts that I’ll continue to have more opportunities to learn and grow as the years go on, but this past year in particular has brought so many foundational and important lessons. My goal beyond anything is to make sure that my processes continue to improve so that all of my Clients and fellow Creatives can enjoy their sessions the way they deserve. I’m so far from done with my journey, and will remain forever grateful for all that have come along so far.
From the bottom of my heart – I truly cannot convey how appreciative and emotional I am thinking back on all of the support, encouragement, opportunities, and so on that I’ve received and experienced in the last few years in this industry. I’ve met some of the most kind, incredible, and talented human beings I think I’ll ever meet. I’ve traveled to and visited various places and venues I thought I’d never see in person. I’ve worked with people I’ve admired and looked up to in the industry since the start of K.COLLECTIVE/Ruhe Liebe.
This next year, I look forward to diving deeper into the world of Styled Shoots and other Events for people within my industry. I have found so much love, light, and reward in this part of the Creative Industry, and I really want to focus in on that for the 2027 season. No, the camera isn’t being put away at this time. I’m simply just taking sessions and Clients as they come to me and enjoying using my slower seasons as a chance to pour into those events I have planned and upcoming. I have so many beautiful, interesting, and thought-provoking concepts coming up – especially for the 2027 season – and I cannot wait to see them all brought to life as the months come and go.
If you’re a fellow creative, vendor, etc., and are interested in attending or taking part in a Styled Shoot of mine – please feel free to reach out to me directly at ruheliebephotography@gmail.com, or visit my booking page HERE. Additionally, you can always find more specific information (or the visual concept posts) for these Styled Shoots/Events on either of my Instagram pages; Ruhe Liebe Photography or Ruhe Liebe.Concepts.
Otherwise – I’ll see you in the next blog!
Talk soon,
Katelynn | Ruhe Liebe Photography | Ruhe Liebe.Concepts
