Hi, I’m Kara!
If you know me at all or have gone through my website, you will know I am all about being true to yourself and breaking out of the traditional boundaries. Therefore, my ‘about me’ when all is said and done isn't just about me at all, it's about the journey I think most of us seek out at one time or another.
In the Beginning
So of course, I need to start with the normal "when I was a kid growing up in the burbs of Detroit, I loved taking pictures." I did, but my story is a little more than that, it's more about the way that finding photography filled a purpose in my life at a time when I was searching for something. At the time, I wasn't even sure what that something was.
Growing Pains
As far as my childhood goes, my family moved a lot when I was younger. It seemed like as soon as a place felt like home, we moved again. We had moved from Detroit to Kentucky, (which I loved), and then when I was in junior high we moved to Westlake, Ohio. Let's face it, junior high is not the easiest time to be moving to a new place. Heading into high school I felt the need to reinvent myself and it was then that I let my rebellious side out. I never took anything in life too seriously (and may or may not have had way too much fun)! I went against the grain and didn't want to look and be like everyone else. As you can see, I was obviously on the cutting edge of style and thought I was pretty cool...
If I had to sum it up, I guess I was a punk girl with a hippie soul. My first year after high school I attended Virginia Marti College of Fashion & Art, but for some reason, much to my parent’s dismay, decided I would make a great dog trainer and left art school. I went on to train dogs for a couple of years, until I realized I couldn’t survive forever on Wonder Bread & Kraft Mac & Cheese charged to my gas station credit card. So I decided to head back to college to become a Veterinarian Technician.
Rediscovering Myself
Soon after becoming a vet tech, I got married and we started our family (2 girls & 2 boys). I knew from the start that I couldn't be away from them, so I took on the new role of stay-at-home mom. This was by far the best and most meaningful thing that I have ever done. As my kids started to grow older and needed me less, I realized that I needed to fill this newfound time with something, but it had to be meaningful. As mothers, we tend to tuck away little pieces of ourselves over time. We often do this without even realizing it. When our children are young they become our #1 priority and we keep them in the forefront of all that we do. Then one day, when they become more independent, we say, "Wait a minute, who was I before I was a mom?" I felt a little sadness creeping in and struggled within myself to try to figure out exactly what was missing. After much soul-searching, I finally found some clarity.
Discovering my Calling
I realized that I had lost the artistic part of myself, and it was then that I decided to explore the possibility of getting back into photography. I took a digital photography class with the Cleveland Photographic Society with just the thought of it being a hobby. I joined their club and decided to get more involved by entering competitions and having photos exhibited in various exhibits. I started to feel the connection I had with it years ago. I ended up meeting a few professional photographers and it become clear that this was the path I was looking for.
Studio Z is Born
Finding the solution was tricky. Having the confidence to walk away from the safety of a reliable day job and believing I had what it took to start up and successfully run a business, felt a bit like jumping off a cliff. Luckily, I had a good feeling and knew in my heart that it was worth jumping for, so with the support of my family behind me that's exactly what I did. As Studio Z started to evolve I quickly discovered my love was in working with high school seniors and teens. Why did this age group resonate so much with me? First of all, I think my "inner-self" is still at this age, so it's perfect. But it also involves going back to my own experiences of feeling insecure, worrying about fitting in, and finding my confidence in high school by shedding the doubts and fears I had about being myself and allowing the real me to stand out.
The Here & Now
To me, Studio Z is more than just taking pictures. The true meaning of this is being able to at least contribute to helping seniors and teens learn to find their confidence and embrace their differences along with all of the amazing things that make them unique. I want to help them see that they are all beautiful, and strong and that it's empowering to be themselves.
These days I’ve also found an additional love in photographing women to lift them, feel empowered, and feel truly beautiful, as well as shooting entrepreneurs, creatives, and professionals and helping them take their brands to a new level!