Today we’d like to introduce you to Kellie Belcastro.
Hi Kellie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Photography has a unique story for my husband and me. We gifted ourselves a starter camera for Christmas in 2019 to take photographs of our daughter. At the time, I was a registered nurse working at a local level 3 NICU in Pittsburgh. COVID hit, but my husband and I had the idea to start offering outdoor sessions for family and friends. Photos are important to us, and we wanted to share that love with others. I still remember our first official “post” of putting ourselves out there and offering free sessions for whoever wanted them. From that moment, this pastime turned into something I couldn’t have imagined.
As time passed, I became pregnant with our second daughter. I was working my nursing job Monday through Friday at the local children’s hospital, and shooting photography on the weekends. By this time, word of mouth had become so widespread, and we were shooting multiple sessions essentially every weekend all over the Pittsburgh area. One day I looked at my husband and said: “I cannot do both anymore”. I was so exhausted from working two jobs and being a mom who was also 6 months pregnant. Expecting him to answer that it was time for us to put photography on the back burner and focus on the job that’s a safe bet with a regularly paying salary, you can imagine my utter shock when he looked at me and said “Just do photography for a while and see where it takes you.”
That moment has changed the trajectory of our entire lives. We have successfully built a reliable and successful photography business from the ground up. Our values are truly the core of our business and when people ask me what the key to success is, I think that’s my main answer. Take care of people. Treat people well. Always remember that before you’re a business, you’re a human- preserving memories for other humans’ most important days of their lives, and that should not be taken lightly.
Now, my days are spent outside of the hospital and in wedding chapels and newborn nurseries. I went from being part of people’s worst days to preserving some of the best days of their lives, and that’s something I’ll forever be grateful for.
Although the majority of my work days are filled with happiness and celebration, there are also days when mourning is still present. When I worked in the NICU, I was part of a bereavement photography team. Sadly, not every story ends the way it was intended, and not every family gets to bring home their baby. Being part of this team, I would photograph babies who had passed, along with their families if they desired, and would help give them a piece of their baby to hold onto forever. I thought I had left that piece of photography behind; however, when a dear friend of mine lost their baby in 2025, I received the message, and I sped to the hospital to photograph. Every family deserves to have something to hold onto, and although the insufferable pain is present in that moment, I hope these photographs can serve as peace and happiness as time passes. I now offer complimentary bereavement photography services to anyone who needs it.
TK Photo & Film, at its core, is: kindness, care, preservation, and the want to put good into the world. With my husband by my side as our videographer and our second shooter, we are a family-forward photo and video team, and I somedays I wake up and have to pinch myself that this is really our lives. Never underestimate the power of hard work and community. We wouldn’t be where we are today without those two things,
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not always been smooth, but it has always been worth it.
Going from a nursing job to running a business was a struggle; however, over time, we have found our own way of running things that works for everyone.
Our biggest obstacle currently is being work-from-home parents. It is my dream, and simultaneously the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Work-from-home jobs seem to have become popular since COVID happened, and I don’t think it’s talked about enough how tough it can be to balance work time alongside children at home. We’ve had to find solutions to “office hours,” and sometimes I’m still working alongside a sleeping baby at 11 pm, but in those moments I remind myself of two things: 1. This is exactly what you’ve always wanted, and 2. This season will not last forever.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
TK Photo & Film started by photographing anything we could. Our mindset was that practice makes perfect, and as self-taught photographers, we knew we needed practice. We called this stage our “grind” period. Even if it didn’t interest us, we photographed it. Over the years, I became immersed in the beautiful world on film. I love the way it made me feel when I looked at it. I loved the idea that the photos taken with it weren’t instantly on a screen for you to view; I loved the way it forced you to study and understand light and how it danced.
Fast forward to today, my husband and I shoot film professionally, lots of film. We shoot 35mm film, 120 film, and Super 8 film. Film is an art and something that requires studying and understanding of a lot of elements that don’t come into play with digital shooting. We have put in so much work to provide clients with the best film work we can offer.
The thing I am most proud of is how we can serve our clients with not only our film offerings, but with the trust we bring in knowing their photographer has their heart behind the camera.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I think the main characteristic for our personal success is kindness and taking care of others the way you would want your own family or loved ones taken care of. This works so well for us because both my husband and I feel this at our core. We always want people to leave us better than they came. Especially when you’re dealing with something as vulnerable as being in front of a camera.
We also ALWAYS want the world to know that anyone is welcome with us and this is a safe space. We capture unique love stories and genuine emotions regardless of age, background, religion, or sexual orientation. Always.
Pricing:
- Wedding Coverage starting at $3,000+tax
- Digital Sessions – $450+tax
- Hybrid (Digital & Film) Sessions – $800+tax
- Motherhood Collective starting at $700+tax
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tkphotographypittsburgh.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tkphotoandfilm/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TKPhotography.Pittsburgh/
