PHOTOGRAPHER Kathryn Gibbons is putting Wellington’s independent shops firmly in the frame to give them a helping hand toward success.

Canadian-born Kathryn set up her own business, Kathryn Anne Photography, after moving to live in Wellington’s High Street two years ago.

Now, she is aiming to put together a portfolio featuring 25 independent shops and businesses which have started trading in those two years – free of charge.

“Being self-employed, I know how gestures like these can go a long way to growing a small business,” said Kathryn.

“For me, it is also a great opportunity to get to know my neighbours and be creative while helping the community.”

Kathryn hopes the portfolio will promote the new-starters as well as highlight the way small independents make Wellington special and show the town’s resilience in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

She has been talking with the town council about using window wraps on empty shops featuring some of the images from the portfolio and adding a QR code for people to scan to learn more about them and to brighten up the shopping centre in the run-up to Christmas.

Kathryn told the Wellington Weekly: “When I moved to Wellington the independent charm of the high street, alongside the warm community spirit is what I noticed straight away.

“I live on the high street myself, so stepping out my door and noticing these things daily confirmed that I made a good decision moving to Wellington.

“The more I have been involved with the community I realise that there are so many talented and inspirational entrepreneurs around town working behind the scenes and contributing to society in their own unique ways.

“I think what is so special about Wellington is that people are not shy to cheer and promote each other. It is a real team spirit and I am a little bit smitten.”

Kathryn chose a total of 25 businesses to work with, including herself, because it was a number she felt she could manage pro bono while balancing earning a living and being a mother to her son aged seven years and one-year-old daughter.

The project will promote the new independent businesses through visual display and will include portraits of their owners tied in with an element of what they do.

Kathryn is managing to photograph an average of two to three a week alongside her full-time photography business and hopes to complete the project by the autumn.