Kate DeCoste Photography

10/23/2026

She saw the glass house, grabbed a fistful of tulle, and took off. I didn't pose this one. I just ran after her.

Some of my favorite frames happen in the thirty seconds before we "start." Kids don't wait for permission to have fun, and honestly? Neither should we.

Fall mini sessions in the glass house at Gravel & Grace in Waverly are the coziest thing I've done all year. 🍂

10/23/2026

Photographers, let’s do some quick math. 🧮

Reply to an inquiry. Email back and forth to find a date. Send the contract. Follow up on the contract. Send the invoice. Remind them to pay. Send the questionnaire. Send the prep info. Check in before the session.

If each of those takes ten minutes, that’s well over an hour per client before they ever step in front of your camera. And none of it is the reason you got into photography.

On this week’s episode of The One Behind the Lens, I’m walking you through how I’m getting that time back with VSCO Workspace. I share the booking link that ended the “does Tuesday work?” dance, the automations that send contracts and payment info the moment someone books, why I send my prep guide the day after, and the three-day reminder I’ve used for years.

Most importantly, I talk about why automation doesn’t make your business feel like a robot. The systems handle getting clients prepped. The consultation and the session are where I show up fully present, so every client feels seen.

Your challenge this week: count your touch points for one client, then pick one and automate it. Drop a comment and tell me which one you’re starting with! 👇

🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platform or on YouTube!

And if you know a photographer who’s drowning in follow-up emails, tag them or share this post. That’s the biggest way the podcast grows.

10/23/2026

Photographers, let's do some quick math. 🧮

Reply to an inquiry. Email back and forth to find a date. Send the contract. Follow up on the contract. Send the invoice. Remind them to pay. Send the questionnaire. Send the prep info. Check in before the session.

If each of those takes ten minutes, that's well over an hour per client before they ever step in front of your camera. And none of it is the reason you got into photography.

On this week's episode of The One Behind the Lens, I'm walking you through how I'm getting that time back with VSCO Workspace. I share the booking link that ended the "does Tuesday work?" dance, the automations that send contracts and payment info the moment someone books, why I send my prep guide the day after, and the three-day reminder I've used for years.

Most importantly, I talk about why automation doesn't make your business feel like a robot. The systems handle getting clients prepped. The consultation and the session are where I show up fully present, so every client feels seen.

Your challenge this week: count your touch points for one client, then pick one and automate it. Drop a comment and tell me which one you're starting with! 👇

🎧 Listen here: https://pod.link/1826428370/episode/NWJmZGFkOTctOTE3Ny00NzM5LTk4NGQtZjQwY2YxYzM3ODAz

And if you know a photographer who's drowning in follow-up emails, tag them or share this post. That's the biggest way the podcast grows.

Listen to S4 Ep 3: The One System That Gave Me My Time Back from The One Behind the Lens with Kate DeCoste wherever you get your podcasts!

10/23/2026

I’ve been photographing Brett since he was about five years old. This year, I got to take his senior pictures. 🏈

On our consultation call, Brett and his mom knew one thing for sure: he wanted to keep it simple.

Read the whole story here 👉

One park, a hot summer evening, and a senior who wanted to keep it simple. See Brett's Northwest High senior pictures at Pioneers Park in Lincoln.

10/21/2026

Barefoot, denim, and a look that says she’s not asking for permission.
I gave her the wall and the ledge, and she gave me lines I didn’t even know were possible in wide-leg jeans.
Dancers, this is your sign. Let’s make something bold together.

10/20/2026

Hours in the studio show up in the way you hold yourself, even when you’re not dancing.

Ella from the Wahoo Dance Academy competition team, grounded, confident, and completely herself.

Dancers, I’d love to photograph you next. Link in bio.