Katy Schilhab Photography

We’ve had the pleasure in the past to have our family photographs taken by the lovely and talented Katy Schilhab. Not only is she talented and sweet, she is a local Pearlander, mom, wife and successful business owner. Check out our interview with her and some of her favorite shots!

How many children do you have and what are their ages?  My husband Brent and I have been married for 16 years in January! We have the two sweetest kiddos on the planet. Our daughter Mia just turned 13 which is so hard to believe! We also have a son Benjamin (Ben) who is 8.

How long have you lived in Pearland? What made you decide to live here? 
We moved to Pearland in 2008! We weren’t planning on staying here as long as we have. At the time our daughter was going to a preschool in the medical center, my husband was working in League City and I was working in Katy. It was the perfect middle spot for us. Once our kids finished at preschool and our jobs changed, we felt like Pearland was still the place for us. Now we are plugged in and feel like we have found a great community here. We don’t have plans to leave anytime soon!

Where’s your favorite place to eat and/or shop in your Pearland? 
Shopping is one of my favorite things to do. If I’m shopping in Pearland I often find myself at Old Navy, Hobby Lobby, H&M in the Town Center, Home Goods and of course, Target! We are big time foodies and often find ourselves driving into Houston for sushi (our favorite). We love to cook at home so we don’t eat out a ton but my kiddos love Big Horn Barbecue!

What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you? 
I almost went back to get my degree in nutrition!  I am a total nerd and read nutrition science books for fun. I love learning about the way food affects our bodies and still, every now and then think about this as a profession! If my love for photography wasn’t so strong, this would for sure have been my career choice 🙂 

Anyone special you’d like to thank for helping you through parenthood? 
Mia and Ben both have special needs. The preschool that we attended was a preschool for kids with and without disabilities . The families and staff at that school became our family and our biggest support system. We still keep in contact with so many of them and some of them live in Pearland too so that has been wonderful! 

How has the Pearland community been instrumental in getting you where you are now?
The Pearland community has been a huge factor in why we have stayed here for so long when we weren’t really planning on that!  The school that we have been attending for years has been a huge blessing to us and we are so thankful to have worked with an amazing principal and some amazing teachers and support staff as well. I have met so many people through my photography business and am so thankful for this way to connect with people in our community!  

Where do you go locally for pampering or a Moms night out?
I love a good pampering! I found a little nail place I really like called Q Art Nails and Spa. I also will sometimes pop in to Massage Heights if I need a good massage.

Please share with us how you juggle running your own business and being a mom and wife? 
Being a mom and running my own business has been more challenging than I thought it was going to be and I feel like I am still learning and evolving with that every day. I am lucky to have a husband that has supported me and encouraged me. But finding that work/life balance is hard! I have learned some tips and tricks from others in my industry which has been helpful. One thing that is and was a priority for me is making sure that my family always comes first. I try to plan out my shooting calendar for the year and have set days/times that I shoot that work for my family. I also only take a certain amount of shoots that I feel works best to not interfere with my family time. It took my a while to learn what that was but now I finally feel like I have figured that part of it out. Ultimately, having people/friends/mentors in my industry has been the most helpful for me. I still talk with them almost daily and we are always helping each other. 

Please share with us about your photography business?  What led you to be a photographer? Where are your favorite places to take photos?
My photography business has been such a blessing to me in so many ways and such a journey. Photography has always been a hobby of mine since I can remember. I started developing my own film in college and that’s when I really fell in love with the art. Much later I started taking photos for friends and it kind of turned into something that was taking up a lot of my time! I was worried that starting a business would take away from my love of the art so I was hesitant to start at first but I am so glad I did.  I have met so many amazing people on this journey. My true passion is to document life. I have found that photography is the way I most prefer to tell the story of NOW. Families as they are NOW. Kids as they are NOW. Babies as they are NOW. Time is ruthless and these moments with our little ones, our families are fleeting. I believe that photographs are important to remember a time that will never be again. Recently, my mom gave me a box of old slide film. There were so many photos of my sister and I at our first Christmas, our first birthday, etc. They are such a gem to me and I cherish them so much. I am so thankful that my mom took them and kept them for so many years. Is everyone perfectly posed and looking at the camera in every shot? Absolutely not. Does that make them any less special to me? Absolutely not. THIS is what I want to give people. And although my shoots are not completely candid events, I still believe in the power of them and giving people a lot more than just the everyone-smiling-at-the-camera photo (although we go for that one too :)) 

You’ll find me most of the time taking photos in Pearland at Tom Bass Park. I often go into Houston as well and most of the time shoot around the museum district or downtown. 

Mention The Pearland Moms and get $20 off!

You can connect with Katy on her social media and see more of her beautiful photographs on her website.
Facebook: @KatySchilhabPhotography
Instagram: @KatySchilhabPhotography
Website: www.katyschilhabphotography.com
Email: [email protected] (best way to contact)