Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Proto.
Hi Kate, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
This year, I’m celebrating 20 years of Taproot, and it’s incredible to look back at how much it’s evolved. When my doctor told me I likely wouldn’t be able to have children, I figured I’d pour my heart into starting a photography business instead. Surprisingly, a month later, I found out I was pregnant with my son. Building my business slowly over the years allowed me to be home with him, savoring both my motherhood and his childhood.
My photography has always been about preserving the meaningful connection of families and children experiencing the freedom of nature. Six years into my business, my family bought a small farm where I had my first studio and acres of land to photograph clients. It was there, in rural Indiana, that I fell in love with gardening. Looking back now, I realize that’s where my passions for photography and gardening first began to intertwine.
Life on the farm felt full of possibility until my marriage slowly unraveled. We eventually left the farm and moved back to my hometown of West Chester. Our new backyard was little more than an aluminum shed and a tree stump, but little by little I transformed it into the garden it is today. As it grew, so did my vision. I opened it to other photographers, then to small businesses, simply following what felt meaningful one step at a time.
As a single mom, I learned the importance of caring for myself and leaning on the incredible women who supported me through my divorce. Their friendships inspired me to create that same sense of community in my own garden, leading to women’s retreats, gatherings, and opportunities for women-led businesses to connect and grow.
Today, photography is still at the heart of Taproot, but it has grown into so much more. In the garden, I photograph families and elopements while also welcoming photographers and small businesses to gather, create and grow. Looking back, every chapter has been rooted in the same purpose of creating meaningful experiences that help people feel connected to nature, to one another, and to themselves.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I think the biggest challenge was having to start over in 2018. I had already built a successful photography business in Indiana and when we moved back to West Chester, I was essentially beginning from scratch again. Building a business once is hard enough, but building it twice while trying to create and adapt to a new home, navigate a changing marriage and be present for my son was a completely different experience.
Then, a few years later, I went through a divorce and became a single mom. For a long time, I was just trying to survive. My business suffered financially, and there have been many moments when I wondered if I’d be able to keep it going or if my 20th year would be the year I’d leave it all behind. But, through it all, I discovered that resilience isn’t about never wanting to quit. It’s about continuing to show up, even when you can’t see how those hard seasons are shaping what’s to come.
Looking back now, I realize those seasons changed me in extraordinary ways. They gave me a deeper understanding of what people carry, and that’s become part of everything I create through Taproot. Whether someone comes here for photographs, an elopement or a gathering, I want them to leave feeling like they’ve found a place where they can breathe, feel seen and reconnect with themselves.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At its heart, Taproot is about creating meaningful experiences. Photography is still the foundation of my business, specializing in young families, children in nature, personal branding and intimate garden elopements. But over the years, it has grown into something much bigger.
What sets Taproot apart is that I’ve created a space where people can slow down. The garden is a breathtaking backdrop for photos, but more than that it is a place for connection, creativity and community. It’s where families make memories, photographers create for their clients, small businesses gather and women come to reconnect with themselves and one another.
I’m most proud that Taproot has become more than a business. It’s become a place where people feel welcomed, inspired and genuinely at peace. If someone leaves feeling more connected than when they arrived, then I know I’ve done my job.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
For me, finding the right community has been the most important part of networking. Early in my career, I tried connecting with other photographers, but I didn’t find it to be a particularly welcoming or supportive experience, so I stepped away from networking for years.
This past year, a friend and I decided to start attending networking events regularly, and it completely changed my perspective. I’ve met some incredible women who have become not just business connections, but genuine friendships. What inspires me most is hearing the stories behind people’s businesses like the challenges they’ve overcome, the healing they’ve experienced and what brought them to where they are today.
One experience that has stayed with me was taking a beginner painting class from a couple who owned a small, in home art studio. Having been an art major, I sought out the class not because I needed to learn the basics of painting, but because I wanted to reconnect with creativity. This couple made us all feel welcomed and seen, and I left feeling inspired by the thoughtfulness and heart behind the way they built their business. That experience has stayed with me because it reminds me that people often remember how you make them feel more than the service you provide.
That’s the same feeling I’ve found in the best networking communities. They are places where people are generous, encouraging and genuinley want to see one another succeed. My advice for networking is to look for communities where relationships come first. The right connections don’t just help you grow your business, they remind you that you’re not building alone.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.taprootphotos.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taprootphotograpphy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taprootphotography
Image Credits
Taproot Photography (all other photos)
Laurie Carrozzino Photography (Personal Photo and Taproot Quote Photo)
