003 - Networking

Shot on Canon 6D & 24-105mm

This past week was my first official week of being a freelance photographer. It was a weird week. It definitely had its pros of being able to sleep in if I wanted to, I was able to go to the gym every morning and work out of coffee shops, but by and large it was strange to have such an unstructured week for the first time in years. (I'm very much a creature of habit, you see.)

Luckily I'm surrounded by encouraging and talented friends who are also in the same industry to keep me positive and motivated. I met up with Cibelle Levi and Melly Lee this week, two female photographers in LA that I really respect and love their work. Cibelle and I swapped fashion week stories and laughed about being the only females amongst the paparazzi. Melly showed me an SD card reader to send photos directly from my SD card to my iphone (!!!) and I watched her catch a Cubone in the coffee shop. 

This week I learned not just the importance of networking, but friendship. I think the most detrimental mentality to adopt is exclusivity and selectivity when it comes to collaborations and reaching out to people. My long time photographer friend John Garduno and I went to school together and every time we meet up he teaches me something new. I love the idea of a collaborative workforce rather than a me vs you mentality. I'm really thankful that I can have these conversations with like-minded people in the industry where we can grow each other and create meaningful work.

I'm writing this post to remind myself that I am not alone in this process, and neither are you. This week I learned that our most important network is the people that are already there in our lives. It just takes a mindfulness to nurture and foster these friendships so that we can lift each other up.

Happy Sunday!

- Karen

002 - Trust The Process

2 blossoming peonies documented at random intervals of the day with Canon 6D, 24-105mm, handheld. 

My best friend said to me once, "Nothing is ever black or white. Everything is a process." We looked at each other for half a second after she said that, and then we burst out laughing because it was such a blanket statement that had nothing to do with the context of our conversation. 

But what she said that day stuck with me. Nothing is ever black or white. Everything is a process. It's true if you really think about it. We are constantly evolving and changing and growing. I love the word malleable because it so aptly sums how I see the world in one word. M-a-l-l-e-a-b-l-e, malleable.

I shot this study of the two blossoming peonies a week ago when I was on vacation in Norcal. I recently left my full-time job to become a freelance photographer so I decided to give myself a little break before my next projects. It was nice to finally have a break. On my drive up to the bay to visit family, I stayed overnight in a tiny house in Carmel and went wine tasting in at Folktale winery, which I highly recommend because of their garden backyard style patio seating. I was able to do mundane but very fulfilling things. I learned how to make pour-over coffee. I saw Stravinsky play in the SF symphony. I sat in Barnes and Noble and read books. But my vacation was bittersweet because a part of me was very anxious to get back to LA to start on my new projects. (Signs of a workaholic.) Needless to say, this struggle with having patience for myself and my career made enjoying my vacation a bit difficult. 

I picked up these peonies on a whim one day when I was at the market. 

Peonies start out as round little buds, but they bloom into such luscious and beautiful flowers. I did this photo study because I wanted to create a visual depiction of process. I did this to remind myself that like these two peonies, my career also needs time to form. So I will be patient for God's plan. And I'm excited because His plan is more beautiful than I can ever imagine. 

- Karen 

001 - Following Your Passion

Shot with iphone 6

I must have launched and relaunched a blog at least a few dozen times in the course of my photography career. But here goes version 3.947371. 

I've thought for a long time about what I want this space to be about. I launched this blog recently with the intention of this being a space for photography tips and know-how. I still intend on creating a space like that, but I wasn't feeling very inspired by the posts I had planned. 

5 things to look for in editing

3 tips to shoot an organic flatlay

5 ways to add more dimension to your photos

In the commercial world of buzzwords, SEO optimization, and quickly digestible content, I'm still trying to find a middle ground for creativity. I want to create content that isn't just based off of keywords. Don't worry, I will still do those types of posts. I just want to infuse it with meaning too. Maybe that lies in the type of content I output, I haven't decided yet. But I do know that I want to tell a story. I want to tell you guys my story, the story of a girl with a camera. 

I've been a photographer for almost 6 years. I've created a lot of content for many different types of companies. I'm at a point in my career now where I really have to ask myself, what kind of content do I want to produce? & to be perfectly honest with you guys, I have no idea. I have a lot of ongoing projects that I'm very excited about, but the question of creating work that is definitively me, I'm not sure if I've tapped into it yet. That's why I'm opening up this space for me to be able to explore that. I want this space to be a documentation of my journey as I learn more about what the photograph means to me. If you guys look at these photos, both the subject matter + editing style is rather different from the usual high contrast desaturation look that I do. That's intentional. I went up to the bay for a few weeks to recharge my soul and spend time with family. During this period of rest, I've realized that there's still so much about photography that I don't know.

I want this to be a space where I find out. And I want to share this journey with you guys. 

Following your passion is not easy. I've been doing it for about 6 years and I'm still not at a place where I feel like this is my stopping point. I thought that moment might've been standing in the Miu Miu show in Paris Couture week photographing Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner, but here I am sitting at a coffee shop typing this to you guys and wondering what's next. 

I don't really know what's next. But I'm excited to learn more and share with you guys every step of the way. Here are a few steps this week that I'm taking to follow my passion, to build my business and learn more about my craft: 

1. Reach out (to people in the industry)- The first habit in 7 Habits of Highly Successful People is to be proactive. Rather than waiting for things to come to you, go out and get them for yourself. Reach out and plant as many seeds as you can, because the more seeds you plant, the more fruit you'll bear. This week I'm reaching out to people I want to learn from and companies that I want to work for. And when you guys reach out, it's important to not do it with the expectation that it will always go anywhere. I don't like the model of "hit and misses," I prefer to think of everything as ongoing conversations and timing--that takes the pressure off.

2. Read more (about your craft and more) - I believe in constant learning. Every day is an opportunity to better yourself and learn something new. I'm currently reading Steven King's On Writing and How to Read a Book. Learn about your craft, yes, but I also believe in learning things outside of your craft to broaden your horizons. The more you grow personally, the more your body of work will grow as well. 

3. Rest (and relax) - Rome wasn't built in a day. I like using this to think about in terms of my career. Some days are going to be a bit more productive than others. It's important to remember pacing and today I might have built an entire atrium, but some days will feel like I've only stacked a brick. But it's okay, because rome wasn't built in a day. 

Thank you all for being patient, and I'm so excited to share this next part of my journey with you! Share with me in the comments below your thoughts or what tips you abide by in following your passion-- I'd love to hear from you all! 

- Karen