Today we’d like to introduce you to Kara Nicholson.
Hi Kara, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
By chance, I attended a career fair in the 8th grade in which students chose a career path. I, of course selected photography. That was the beginning to what would be a life long journey. In high school I was fortunate to have a teacher who was an active wedding photographer. Through this I was able to shadow him(and work along with) at weddings and thus got direct experience into the nuance of photography as a living. In addition, I was in charge of the year book and in turn spent many hours in the dark room. Back then, processing images was not digital obviously, so the experience of developing film in a dark room was special and rewarding. That is where I truly fell in love with the magic of photography. In addition, I had an amazing professor during my college years who took me under her wing. Through this, I received an even deeper and individualized education in this art. In fact, my first showcase occurred at her studio in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Years later this would be the same building where I attained my own studio, one which I resided in for nearly two decades. During that time, my work truly took on a shape of it’s own. My focus became portrait photography(with a focus on children and family), in which capturing beautiful light and authentic emotion became central to my craft. Years later, this journey led me to Mackinac Island. There I met my husband. Not only did I fall in love with him, but I fell in love with Northern Michigan and all of its beauty. In turn, this became the backdrop to a new focus on couples and their love story. Today, I am a mother of two amazing kiddos, and work every day to find the balance between my continued passion for photography and deep love for my family.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As with any career, certainly there have been struggles along the way. One early struggle included pushing myself to edges of my career without “burning out”. As with any passion, you put everything you have into it. Finding a balance between art and the business side of things is a skill in itself. These early experiences truly helped me master this years later.
Another struggle early in my career was finding my “niche”. In the beginning, my ability for photography alone made it difficult to say no. Identifying that my true passion was portrait photography became a bit of a journey in itself. Establishing that ultimately helped me become not only an artist, but also a successful businesswoman.
In addition to these, photography can be somewhat isolationist in its nature. Whereas many of my friends worked in careers surrounded by colleagues, photography(outside of amazing interaction with clients) is a bit of a one woman show. at times. Perhaps another reason I fell in love with Mackinac Island is because of the community aspect of the work. Each day, I interact with fellow photographers and others in the industry. This has truly been a cure to the isolationist aspect of the job.
Lastly, motherhood! Two babies in two years. Drop the mic. Ha.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in portrait photography. I focus on elegant, timeless fine art portraits, photographing couples and their love stories.
I’m most proud of being a mother. In addition to that, I’m proud that I’m a successful Northern Michigan photographer.
From an artistic standpoint, what sets me apart is my ability to capture light in its relation to the subject. From a business standpoint, what sets me apart is my true dedication to the client. I do not take for granted the trust a client puts in my hands, and thus give it everything I have to provide them with a gallery that meets all of their expectations and more.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Dedication- I give every client the best of my talent and creativity.
Thoroughness- I consistently put my clients first in their experience from the initial email to the final product
Luxury Mindset- I treat every client like it’s my only client. They are royalty to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://karabethphotography.com/
- Instagram: Kara_bethphotography
