Caitlin Michelle Photography

“Ever since I was a little girl, I liked taking pictures with my mom’s old camera and my little LeapPad Explorer (a children’s toy),” said Vail resident Caitlin Nelson. “I’ve always been really intrigued with it.”

Her fascination with photography led her to launch a business while she was still in high school.

The 2023 Ar-We-Va High School graduate started Caitlin Michelle Photography when she was just 15.

Caitlin grew up in a rural area a few miles outside of Vail, where she took pictures of her cats and dogs, the trees, flowers and anything else she found interesting.

She moved on to cows, sunsets and agriculture subjects as a member of the Denison Diamonds 4-H Club.

In 2019, when she was a high school freshman, Caitlin was given a Canon Digital Rebel T6 camera for Christmas; the T6 is a consumer camera that has professional-grade qualities.

The COVID pandemic hit a few months later, and she picked up the camera as a way to help alleviate her boredom.

“I started taking pictures of my friends, and I loved it,” she said.

Some of her friends suggested that she should start charging for her services.

“I thought, well … maybe, but I didn’t know if I wanted to do it for the rest of my life,” Caitlin said.

“But then I continued to do it, and I’ve grown from there.”

As an Ar-We-Va student, she went to Carroll High School for the first four periods of the day.

“I had a lot of Carroll students that I took pictures of – mostly seniors and couples and young kids,” Caitlin said.

She launched a Facebook page for Caitlin Michelle Photography in the summer of 2020.

By that fall, she started charging $30 per session.

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Caitlin said the transition from photographing cats to photographing people wasn’t too difficult.

“I’ve always been kind of a people person, so it was just something new to try,” she said. “I’ve been told by my previous clients that they forget they’re even in front of a camera. I don’t want to have it seem posed; I just try to make them feel comfortable and do what they would normally do when they’re not in front of a camera.”

Over the last four years, she has worked to learn more about cameras and grow her knowledge of the art of photography.

“When I started, I had no idea how to work my camera; I just used whatever setting it was on and just shot with that,” Caitlin said. “I’ve watched a ton of videos and I’ve done mentorships. I definitely know the right way to do things, now. I’ve dedicated a lot of time and effort, but it’s all been worth it.”

Her featured services have grown along with her skills.

“A lot has changed, and I’ve expanded myself through the kinds of pictures I take and what I offer,” she said.

“I do anything from seniors to families to couples. I’ve done a few weddings, and I’ve started to dabble in newborns and maternity photography.”

Caitlin has created new bonds and friendships with her clients along the way; she said she gets the most enjoyment out of meeting and photographing couples.

Last fall, she purchased a Canon EOS R6 Mark II, which is a professional-grade camera with modern features.

“It was a lot of money, but it was worth the investment,” Caitlin said.

The R6 was a major improvement over the T6, which was no longer up to date.

With the new camera came new techniques to learn and new possibilities for her photographs.

Her new puppy is one of her favorite subjects.

“Everyone loves seeing those kinds of pictures,” she said.

In recent weeks, Caitlin has started to offer a free service to local businesses.

“I’ve been reaching out and asking them if I can take pictures of all the ins and outs of their business for free,” she said. “And then, in return, I tag their Facebook page and they tag mine; it’s kind of a cooperative marketing system.”

She started taking classes last fall toward a degree in marketplace design at Western Iowa Tech Community College, but decided to switch her major to business management, which she thinks will be of more value to her photography business.

“I’m hoping this year to expand my clientele a little bit and venture out into other counties,” Caitlin said. “I want to push myself out of my comfort zone a little bit and try doing new things.”

She plans to make a career out of photography.

“I don’t ever plan on stopping,” she said.

Featured here is a selection of photographs by Caitlin Nelson, including Alexis Gruhn and her cattle, and Nolan Simons and Reagan Irlbeck sharing a moment.