After 13 years working from home, a self-taught Fife photographer has finally opened her own photography studio.
Shootsweet Photography owner Rachel Watson has taken the leap to move from her living room studio to a unit at Craigencalt Farm in Kinghorn.
Surrounded by a baker, holistic body-worker and a jeweller, Shootsweet Photography aims to offer professional headshots with a safe and enjoyable experience.
After enduring the restrictions of the pandemic Rachel decided the time was right expand her base of operation.
She said: “If waiting 13 years has taught me anything it’s that there is not a right time to go for it, sometimes you just have to be brave and take opportunities when they come.
“The money you have to spend to find somewhere better than your own living room is eye-watering but this is a lovely space.”
Branding itself as a mixture between ‘board and boudoir’ photography the Fife based business hopes to empower its clientele through positive, professional imagery.
Seeing the light
After being awarded a bachelor degree in English literature Rachel fell pregnant twice within 17 months.
Following the birth of her first two children Rachel suffered from postnatal depression.
It was on a holiday to the Lake District where she learned photography could offer an escape. A way to see things in a more positive light.
“Postnatal depression is like having a wall between you and the rest of the world, in this dark place, but using the camera let me see outside it – see all the beautiful things around me again.
Rachel’s most high-profile exhibition, 40 over 40, garnered great feedback after it was displayed in Glenrothes’s Rothes Hall in June 2022.
Photography for the community
Following the studio’s opening, securing new clients will be essential to the company’s success.
With that in mind, Shootsweet will be offering free headshots for Fife business people on Friday February 3.
She said: “There are so many incredible business owners in Fife that I would love to help, I want to be on the team of people who are making the world a better place.
“Women in business in particular can often feel overlooked.
“If you’re doing something creative like me people say it’s cute but this is my serious business, that I would really hard at.
“Headshots are such an amazing way to make a woman, as a business owner, feel professional and empowered.
“I really want to be a community player, community is so important for everything whether it’s raising a family or running a business.”
Appointments can be made on the Shootsweet Photography website.
People can book a 15 minute slot during the day, with walk-ins accommodated depending on time and availability.
Each client will receive a free headshot of their choosing and have the option to purchase more if required.
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