Business & Tech
Bridgewater Local Is Capturing Life's Precious Moments One Photo At A Time
Drum Hill Studios, based on Drum Hill Road in Martinsville, offers newborn, family, headshot and event photography.
BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater photographer Kristen Rath always says, "A photograph is a gift that only gets more valuable with time."
Rath, owner of Drum Hill Studios at 1444 Drum Hill Road, in the Martinsville section, learned at a young age the importance of photographs after her father died.
"I value life so much because of that. I valued it before, but you realize how important and fleeting these moments are," said Rath to Patch.
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Photographs were all she had to hold onto her father, and now she continues to help capture those timeless moments for families.
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In college, she took photography classes, but her real passion for being behind the camera came after having children.
"I became obsessed with photographing every detail of their young lives. I realized how rapidly they change, and I didn’t want to miss a minute," Rath stated on her website drumhillstudios.com/about.
She bought a DSLR camera and also began photographing her friends' children.
As her skills grew, she had an epiphany to open Drum Hill Studios in her home in 2012.
Rath added that she understands that finding the right lighting or angle doesn't always come naturally to someone.
"I want to help others, just to have those moments, but just captured perfectly," said Rath.
Rath started her studio with photographing newborns, babies, children, families, and professional headshots. Last year, she expanded to take on more event work, including Sweet 16s, bat mitzvahs, weddings, vow renewals, communions, and graduation portraits.
Rath said she works both in her home studio and outdoors, depending on what clients want. She said many families prefer outdoor sessions, and that she also travels for shoots in towns including Bridgewater, Warren, Basking Ridge, Hillsborough and White House Station.
She said her approach is built around time and flexibility, rather than back-to-back bookings.
Outdoor sessions are scheduled around available light, often in the morning or late in the day. Newborn sessions typically run about three hours, while other sessions may be shorter.
"I just think photographs are so invaluable. They're just everything. They're all you have at the end of the day," said Rath. "People pass away, your children grow and move away. And you have your memories, of course, but to hold, to have something to look at, and it takes you back to that time is so special."
For more information or to book Drum Hill Studios, visit drumhillstudios.com or facebook.com/drumhillstudios, or instagram.com/drumhillstudios.
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