Drum Hill Studios is a fully-equipped portrait studio specializing in maternity, newborns, children and families. Owner and photographer Kristen Rath provides a personal approach and professional results, helping families capture their most precious memories.
Kristen has a knack for making her clients feel at ease in front of the camera and believes that a portrait session should be fun. Whether shooting in her studio, outdoors or at a client’s home, her focus is on the subject, their unique personalities and natural expressions that reflect who they are.
Portraits by Drum Hill Studios show authentic joy, and Kristen’s talent for capturing just the right moment.
“My studio work is very clean. I keep props and decorations to a minimum. I really want the focus to be on you and what makes you special. When it comes to families, my goal is to show the connection they share,” says Kristen.
She describes her own family photos as her “most treasured possessions.” Among them is a framed snapshot of her parents that she proudly displays in her home. Kristen took the picture herself when she was just nine years old, back when the film had to be developed in order to appreciate the results. Kristen’s father passed away when she was a young adult, and it is one of the few photos she has of her dad, who was usually the one behind the camera acting as the family photographer.
Kristen holds her clients’ family photos to the same high regard. She explains, “The most rewarding aspect of my work is knowing that I have been able to turn some of the most memorable moments of my clients’ lives into something tangible that they can carry with them for a lifetime.”
For Kristen, the journey to becoming a photographer began with motherhood. After the birth of her two children, now ages 11 and 13, she made the difficult decision to leave a successful career in television production and advertising to stay home with them.
“When you become a mother, you finally get it. You finally understand what unconditional love is. Getting that perspective is something that made me really take a different look at things,” says Kristen.
Raising her children also led Kristen to explore her interest in photography, something she didn’t originally consider as a career option in the day of film development and darkrooms.
Kristen says, “When I left work to have children, like all new moms, I became obsessed with photographing every detail of their young lives.”
She realized how rapidly they grow and change and didn’t want to miss out on those precious moments. She decided to invest in a better camera and started taking digital photography classes.
One day she had an epiphany. What if she could combine everything she had learned as a student, a professional, and as a mom and start her own family portrait photography business? The idea clicked and she opened Drum Hill Studios in 2012.
Appreciating the limited window of time to capture childhood memories, Kristen created the Milestone Baby Plan, which includes four portrait sessions that take place over a baby’s first year. With sessions scheduled in advance and friendly reminders, the Milestone Baby Plan is a popular package and also makes a great gift for new and expectant parents.
“I love this plan because it gives me the opportunity to really get to know the families I’m working with,” says Kristen.
Drum Hill Studios portrait sessions are a combination of arranged and candid shots. Services extend beyond the session and include retouching, professional print services, custom wall art display design and consultation. Clients are not expected to pre-purchase a package. They are given time to review the finished images before they make a decision and there is no minimum purchase required. All in all, it’s typically a two-week process that results in timeless images.
First Communion portraits are another Drum Hill Studios specialty. Sessions typically take place during April and May. To reserve this or any portrait session, visit drumhillstudios.com.
