authenticity and play in focus: in conversation with kate t. parker
MCA warmly welcomes Atlanta-based photographer Kate T. Parker to our team.
World-class portfolio, humble approach, Kate T. Parker is delighted by the idiosyncrasies and imperfections that make us human. A successful commercial photographer and New York Times bestselling author, she’s spent the last two decades striking a resonant chord with audiences who are seeking images that go far beyond skin deep. Working for A-list clients like Disney, REI, Athleta, AT&T, Lululemon, and Mercedes Benz, Kate has also managed to author five books in the last seven years, beginning with Strong is the New Pretty, a book containing more than 175 images of young girls showing the world what inherent strength and confidence look like for them. In a rapidly changing media landscape, Kate’s photos illustrate her innate ability to connect with clients, talent, audiences, and causes—all with a much needed dose of authenticity and play.
Below, we chat with Kate about the first click of the shutter that hooked her, her favorite moments on set, and her dogged belief that every good idea can be made to be great, if only given enough time and attention.
Tell us a bit about your photographic focus, and what initially brought you to the camera.
I shoot commercial photography as well as personal work, and I'm the author of five photography books. My books are mostly focused on girls and women, encouraging us to use our voices, speak up, be ourselves, and draw attention to what is going on inside us, as opposed to what our outsides look like.
Before I became a full-time photographer, I worked at CNN as a video editor and then at an agency where I was a producer. When I had my first daughter, I was home with her and missing a creative outlet—but not quite ready to go back to full-time work. I borrowed my sister-in-law's camera, and literally took one shot and immediately knew this was what I wanted to do. I bought a nice camera and I learned as much as I could about photography. I was constantly taking photos of my kids and family. I took my camera with me everywhere.
What do you think it was about that first shot or the feeling of the camera in your hand that clicked for you?
That's such a good question. That first shot that I took had a lot to do with me as a mom, capturing this moment that I wasn't going to get back. I think my daughter was one-and-a-half at the time, and she was messy, her hair wasn’t done, she had a diaper on. It wasn't how you typically saw little kids, and especially little kids in the South, in a photograph. I wanted to celebrate that part of kids and people. I love it. It feels honest—not perfect or filtered for the world.
How did you transition to getting commercial jobs?
I was shooting a project about my kids and their friends called Strong is the New Pretty, which grew into my first book, and a friend of mine I’d worked with at the agency saw the work and asked if I could shoot portraits for American Standard. I enjoyed the challenge of trying to be creative within the box of what they needed with the layouts, and what they were trying to sell. The commercial work continued from there.
What stands out to you from some of your favorite projects?
I love the projects where there's a creative director who provides a detailed shot list but also understands that there needs to be room for the things I do well—like leaving time to play, which is especially important in jobs with kids. Having that freedom makes me feel like I was hired for a reason. They want me to do my thing. Being able to utilize the space, utilize the talent, utilize the light in a way that is not on the shot list, is always my favorite thing. I like to create a little bit of magic with what's there on the day, that's sort of unreadable beforehand.
We did this shoot for REI about encouraging women to get outside, with the message that the outdoors is the greatest level playing field. We shot all over California, trying to make it look like we were all over the world, with women being complete badasses and taking up space. This job stands out because it was a confluence of my personal and commercial work. I was really happy with the work, and it went on to win awards.
Is there a part of the whole process that you like most? Any rituals you’ve integrated into your creative practice, or steps you've learned you have to take to achieve your best work?
I love the second shot. I can be anxious to get the first shot on set going. There’s so much to set up and a lot of nervous energy and excitement to metabolize. But usually by the second shot, we’re all settled in a little bit. I’ve gotten to know the talent and we start to play a little. I feel like I can exhale.
I always like to have a mood board printed out for myself for each job. I never want to recreate images exactly, but if I ever feel stuck these boards help me to remember my vision and goals. I make these really thoughtfully and with intention, based on direction from the client. Sets are busy, and sometimes goals can get lost. So having these boards to draw everyone’s focus back to is really critical.
Tell us a little bit about how you think through your book projects. I think that's such an interesting part of the work you've made. What does bookmaking bring to your overall creative process?
I love making books and have done five in the last seven years. My first book was called Strong is the New Pretty, and it encourages girls to be strong, capable, and to pursue their passion, whatever that looks like. I'm a mom, I have two girls, and that's what I want for them. It sounds selfish, but I make books mostly for myself—ones that I would want to read, or my kids to read. My second book, Heart of a Boy, had a similar theme, but was for boys, encouraging them to be vulnerable, open, and accepting, as well as strong.
My fourth book was called Play Like a Girl: Life Lessons from the Soccer Field. I've played soccer my whole life, all the way through college, and it was a huge passion of mine. Around the time of the Women's World Cup, I was approached by my publisher and asked if I would be interested in doing a book about the lessons you can learn from soccer. It was a dream invitation.
I want the books to be as diverse as possible, but tend to start each one in a similar way, with a spreadsheet of every different scene or shot I can think of. And then I open it to my social media and other networks, including awesome organizations like Girls on the Run, the Girl Scouts, or Boys and Girls Club. Each person in the books has a quote that accompanies their photo and explains the activity they're doing, which we gather through an interview process before or after the shoot. I feel such a responsibility with bookmaking to make sure every participants’ story is told authentically, to make sure their name is spelled correctly and their age is right. Especially with the youth, it’s as much their book as it is mine.
What would you describe as the through line in your work?
I think it’s that honesty and reality that I found so compelling at the very beginning. I love energy and color and that feeling of connection to life. That’s why I love photographing kids and dogs, because you're not getting a lot of phony stuff from them. It's all real. I really enjoy talking to kids. They are fully formed people with opinions, thoughts, and things they love to do. I try to make the shoots fun for them by engaging with them and getting down on their level. That’s what I hope my photographs bring out, and if someone said I’ve done that successfully, it would be the biggest compliment.
What are some lessons you’ve learned on shoots?
I learn something on every job. Sometimes I see a level of production that is so attuned, or a director who is so calm and cool and allowing everybody to shine at their jobs. I love picking up stuff like this and learning how we can really make an impact as photographers and crews. I often work alone, so I soak this up as much as I can when I’m on jobs with others. I wish there were more ways to look behind the scenes, because I love this kind of learning. I didn't come up in the business assisting, so I’m always eager to see how others do things differently.
What's exciting to you about the future of photography—or the present? How do you stay inspired?
There’s so much discussion about AI, and how AI will impact our work and what we do. I have no idea how to tell the future, but I do think that trying to infuse as much personality and staying true to the thing that I think sets me apart as a photographer will continue to serve me, no matter what. I’m hoping that it remains very hard to replace these human aspects with AI, and I take it as an invitation to lean even more into what I do well, which is make a picture that resonates with energy and spontaneity that can’t be prompted.
I get a lot of inspiration from playing with technologies of the past, including this little Super 8 camera I just ordered. It is helping me see things in a different way. I don’t want to keep shooting the same stuff over and over from the same angles, and mixing up my equipment can help with that.
What are you looking forward to about joining MCA?
I could tell from the first time I talked to them that we share a lot of the same sensibilities. They approach the work in a measured way, with a sense of kindness and integrity, while still thinking outside the box. There was an awareness of where my work would fit well, and they're hustling to do that on behalf of every photographer on their roster. I’m always impressed by hard work, and they they're doing it, so I’m really excited to be on board.
Okay, last question: What do you think you'd be doing if you weren't a photographer?
Oh my gosh…if I wasn't a photographer, I think I would go back to agency work. I enjoyed all the stages of creative work, especially when we were brainstorming and building concepts with the time to sit at a desk and really think through them. I always have to apologize to my friends, because I’m a maximizer. Someone will have an idea and I’ll be like, “I love that idea, but what about this?!” It doesn't mean I didn't like the initial idea, I just always want to make things bigger and better. It’s my favorite thing, to add all the hats onto the idea.
Thank you, Kate, and welcome to MCA!