This Is Me

Hi, I’m Katrina. It’s nice to meet you.

I’ve been married now for over a decade to my husband Dave. We set up camp in a 120-year-old house in Rossendale, and we have lived in the same spot since, what feels like forever.

In hindsight, I should have known when I met Dave that his ambitious nature, mixed with my stubbornness, would have resulted in us raising two little strong minded whirlwinds of personality and fun. I don’t think there is ever a quiet moment in the Meehan household!

It’s part of the job description that you ‘need to be creative’ to be a photographer. You could say that it flows within my veins. My job as a graphic designer has fuelled my artistic side for over 15 years, and the progression to photography has evolved quite organically. I wasn’t born for the academic lifestyle, and life hasn’t come without its challenges. I was a mature student when I went to university, and my oldest child was born shortly after graduating.

I took the plunge and entered one of my images into a photography competition. It doesn’t sound like much, but putting yourself out there for your image to be judged by top photographers in the industry is a big deal. So, you can imagine my surprise and joy when a little email popped up in my inbox to say that I had made it as a finalist in The Documentary Family Awards (DFA).

In my free time I love to go out with my friends. I had my first experience at an outdoor cinema recently to watch my all-time favourite film Dirty Dancing. It was in the autumn (totally the best time of year), and we happily settled down in our camping chairs with blankets on our knees, drinking wine out of plastic cups. What could be better than watching a young Patrick Swayze shaking his hips whilst singing at the top of your voice to one of the best film soundtracks ever!

My kids love baking, this is mostly because they enjoy filling their faces with the cakes and biscuits they have joyfully produced. But baking is messy! And in the wake of their destruction comes tantrums and arguments over who gets to go first, and whose turn it is to use the gold bowl (actually it’s a yellow bowl). But these best-loved activities, alongside the everyday bedtime routine are my favourite moments to shoot. Because the best moments come from everyday life.

Although I have an eye for detail, I’m easy-going and non-judgemental. If your house isn’t “perfect” then that’s great, it makes for a much more interesting photo. So don’t mind me if I’m climbing over your sofa (I’ll take my shoes off first), or if I’m sprawled across your floor in what can only be described as a yoga position. I’ll be taking the best photos of you and your family, so you can look back at the memories in 40 years’ time and remember the moments you might have forgotten. Nobody lives forever, but beautiful images on pages in your album can last for generations to come.