THE SUMMER OF IMPROVISING

With the economic climate many shooters are scurrying to make ends meet. I am in a community that loves photography yet getting jobs here that can sustain you are difficult. Most of my work aside of a few very loyal clients come from out of state, NYC, Midwest and LA regions. I travel to work, usually four hours by truck one way or flying to a destination.

This summer I expanded what local photographers call the "Bake Sale" where we manage to sell artist proof prints and editions on the weekend to workshop students and other locals out of Santa Fe New Mexico. I have this posted on Facebook as the Bake Sale. This was an excellent way to create community and was very up beat for many of those who chose to be part of this event.

Feeling driven to make art, I decided to head west to shoot at Burning Man. I was on my way with a buddy who backed out and than I felt squeezed for cash flow so I fundraised my trip to make art. Many friends and strangers supported this raising about 10gs for a 25g project in one month. I am still forging forward with my work which is in the works right now!

Now it is fall and the photography work is trickling in....ad clients are beginning to call my agent in California and we're getting booked. The year as been all about re-inventing and positioning my future to make art and at a moments notice, do the editorial and ad jobs that so support making creative work such as the Burning Man project.

It's said that if you feed the fire of your mind with negative thoughts then you will do just that...and I am feeding my mind with doing and making and creating art...and my life is moving forward and the work is being manifested. I am so up about this next chapter of my life that I have no room for pondering but rather just DOING IT.

If there is a lull in this economic storm then I go out and make art images.... I shoot just about every day and it is really apart of my skin. I look at my inspirations in black and white photography and that propels me into the abyss of shooting. Sometimes I just have piles of film to process. When it gets huge, I get to it. The dark room isn't my favorite place to be...I love being outside in nature. But this winter, I will wrap my head on printing and producing a show of my work hopefully for the Annenberg Space for Photography, ICP and/or Aperture along side the book in production, be it self published or produced by a publisher...it's all good.

I am like a shark, I can't stop swimming or I will die.

Einstein said something to the nature ..."nothing happens till something moves"

STUDENT SHOW SANTA FE WORKSHOPS 2009

Summer season started with a very intimate class of photographers from all around the world.
Class starts Sunday night and I decided to break the barriers with a NUDE SELF PORTRAIT.
I love this project with a group it lets everyone open up and leave there lives back home a little bit more and be present with the week that they so gifted themselves.
The week was filled with many emotions and also lessons on pulling emotional feelings out of subjects. We explored with wonderful models using local spots for backdrops. We did a blindfolded project to heighten all our other senses. To stop doing what we always do in patterns and to get the mind thinking rather than reaction, to dig deeper into their creative beings to produce more vital images. I love teaching for the Santa Fe Workshops and this class is my favorite one to teach to date. Normally I do one on one workshops and work with individuals to expand what they have and manifest more of what seems to be an untouchable dream for some. This years class was sweet and peaceful, a bit more on the calm side than most.
I enjoyed the experience and I want to share with the world the wonderful work everyone did in our class. Thank you everyone I hope your summer is great.

STUDENT SHOW OF WORK 2008 CLASS SFW

I am very proud of the work that is created in the workshop setting with a variety of students, photographers, artists whom dare to take a workshop. I think it takes a ton of courage to jump into a group situation and share and expose yourself and the thing that is really a given is that learning will be an on going process. I don't think I have the back bone to do it. I can come out of my world of shooting assignments to do workshops here and there and one on one workshops however I am a very private person even thou those whom truly know me can say I'm a social creature...that's right I am peeking my head out...teach a bit and back to my reality of which is peace filled and creative on a solo level often supporting the needs of others. I am always amazed by the fabulous connections and work shared in the workshop setting. this particular class is still almost a year later very much on my mind. All my past classes were equally as special however the world of media and internet are just now allowing me the gift of sharing classes images and work to the world at large. Here's to all of you in all classes. Big hugs keep snappin with a caring eye and kind heart.

MY FIRST REJECTION LETTER

I was going to school and working summers as a National Park Ranger. I did all the normal things to be good at my job. Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Training, CPR instructor, Park Medic, Avalanche school, Bob Bondurant School of Driving the lists go on....and in the mean time me and my friend "Bronica" my little 2 1/4 camera were having a love afair. Most of the ranger gals had boy friends and I was off shooting pics and riding horses....hiking climbing biking....these were the things that fed my soul. I heard the Queen was coming to Yosemite so I wrote her a letter to the UK asking permission to shoot her portrait here's the reply. Its nice when people have manner right? What style. Didn't get my shot but I still have this letter. By the way...if you haven't seen the post about Annie Liebovitz shooting the Queen check it out.

Behind the scenes: The Queen Elizabeth 11 (ACO)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LAY3qWFC8Y

R E P U T A T I O N always nurture

Put your money where your mouth is.....hearsay is not always true in life....but repeat business, great clients and hard work with results seems fitting. I have been shooting professionally since 1986. I arrived via Rich Clarkson Director of Photography National Geographic Intern program.
I was coming from my former seasonal career of being a National Park Ranger LEO. I did this for five long seasons prior to stepping into New York Cities magazine industry. I arrived with a backpack filled with gear and clothing. 1000.00 dollars to my name and a pretty serious if not hungry attitude. Never living in a major city it was intense and difficult for me to actually enjoy living there for the first few years, however I made fast friends with several great people, Mark Jacobson, Frannie Ruch, Laura Broadus, Susan Vermazon, Marc Balet all gave me breaks my first year than Peter Howe of the NYT, Bill Black at Travel & Liesure and Sat Night Live really put me on the map I was off and running and excited and happy to be part of what was a wonderous time in my young career. Now years later I'm still and assignment shooter and probably more than ever IN LOVE with my job...in love with taking photographs and solving assignments and being part of the bigger picture. Why I am still working...well because I keep it simple and care. Thank god for great producers, stylist, H&M and yes....always thanks to great assistants...I've had some great crews of which I should blog next. Here's some quotes from some folks about working with me.

Here's todays quotes.

BILL BLACK
Director of Photography Readers Digest

"I have worked with Karen on magazine assignments for over 20 years . I've always been able to count on Karen for coming up with ideas that bring in the element of surprise and originality no matter what the project . Karen takes great pride in her creativity and approaches every assignment as if it will be the only image in her portfolio. Karen's people skills are frightening . You can't quite believe what she is able to get out of her subjects . I know it has something to do with the intense empathy she conveys , the mutual respect she secures and a bond of trust that allows for more opportunities than imaginable . Karen manages to make everyone involved feel like they've been instrumental in making the final outcome the best it can be . Plus .....very , very important ....it's lots of fun every step of the way ! "

DEL ESPARZA
http://www.esparzaadvertising.com
The Boss - Esparza Advertising NM

“Karen is consistently an absolute joy to work with. Her personality is pleasant and reassuring for our agency and our clients. Her professionalism is only outdone by her incredible eye for images that captivate.”

SONIA ZOBEL
Art Buyer - McCann Erickson NYC

"It was always a pleasure working with Karen and her dedicated crew on the MasterCard campaign.
I found her to be a true professional with a wonderful artistic eye.
At that time we seemed to be shooting back to back ads, all different themes and locations, timing was always a concern (at least to me)
but not to Karen, she always made it work and never once dropped the ball.
All involved on these projects both client and creative were thrilled with the end results.
Ahhh..those were the days!"

DANA WOTRUBA
Art Director - Rick Johnson Agency NM

"Working with Karen is so easy. I never worry about getting the right shot. Not only does she get the shot I want, she always provides great options that I hadn’t considered. Karen has a real gift for working with people. She always makes them feel at ease, which enables her to capture their true and natural side. Karen is an amazing photographer, and I always have a blast with her."

SUZANNE DONALDSON
Photography Director - Glamour Magazine Conde Nast NY

"I have hired Karen over the years for various assignments and the one word I have to say about Karen is FUN!!!
It’s fun to be on a shoot with that girl. She inspires, makes people feel beautiful, and brings a little farm and fun to the pictures."

FABIAN WEST
Director of Photography - New Mexico Magazine

"Karen is an awesome photographer, with huge passion for her work. I haven't seen her "in action" but her photos say it all. She has an ability to bring out the playfulness and personality of her portrait subjects with her imaginative setups. You can see the rapport she builds by their response to the camera lens. She brings them out and she brings them to you. She has an eye for rich and telling details. Her color and composition bring life to even her inanimate subjects. She's wildly enthusiastic--I always get ten times more than I ask for and I know she does the same for all her clients. For instance, she did an assignment on Truth or Consequences, NM for Vanity Fair. They ran two photos. She sent me the whole batch of 700-plus photos. I was able to use a dozen others for our story. She works hard for the money! More to the point, she works hard for the love of it."

GABRIELLE ROSENBERG
Stylist NYC http://www.changeinc.com

"Working with Karen is always fun! Besides being captivating and incredibly talented, she is very charismatic, charming, creative, funny and fun loving. She is very passionate about her photography, and working with her is always very memorable and a total creative experience. I highly recommend Karen as a person, and as a unique and special talent."

JAMES MACKSOOD
UNIVERSITY MICHIGAN HEALTH SYSTEM
Associate Director, Brand Strategy and Communication

"Working with Karen is amazing. She's a brilliant artist, and at the same time, a creative director and producer. When we set out to capture the iconic images of our brand campaign, it was Karen's abilty to connect with the subjects that drove the output. Her instinct, and her relentless energy to find the essence of an idea is an incredibly powerful combination."

MOLLY ROBERTS
Photography Editor
Smithsonian Magazine

"Working with Karen is a treat. The images she conjures up are often a surprise, her creativity and energy, boundless and inspiring."


MATT SEMINARA
Artist Representive Friend & Johnson NYC

"Karen Kuehn is an Assassin with the camera.

She just kills it every time and gets the perfect shot without fail. I
love her incredible professionalism and dedication to getting the shot
and also, sometimes more importantly, knowing that she has taken the
definitive image and then moving on to the next great one.

She balances herself between two worlds - pure artistry and love of the
image from her vast editorial experience as well as the commercial, with
her advertising work.

But they aren't mutually exclusive. Yes, she has an incredible eye and
can create beautiful, timeless images. But she can also handle
large-scale productions that have her advertising clients using her
again and again.

Most importantly she is a humanist. A pure soul interested in the
people and world around her. I am proud to have been her agent and to
call her my friend."

THANK YOU EVERYONE I SO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND KIND WORDS.

Photography is personal for me...can't say I can change my stripes.
If a client wants the way I see and my intellectual way of problem solving they get me raw and creative.
I appreciate all the generous work from my clients, magazines, editors, art buyers, art directors YOU ALL ROCK.

THINKIN GREEN - FILM & FILES

Almost everyday someone asks me what I prefer; film or digital files?
I love both. I feel those of us who started with film and spent long hours lighting and processing film have a fuller respect and ability to communicate with all the tools. Those who have only used digital don't know the differences in the quality and importance of getting the lighting and technical aspects right before exposing to film or cards as we say! Photographers rely on fixing things in post on the computer which at the end of the day it really doesn't matter as long as the end results are achieved I believe.
Keeping it brief I want to say I love digital for jobs and for fun.
no chemicals to pollute the earth and the turn around is amazing.
however,,,,
If I have to collect a print for art sake.
I want to collect silver edition fiber archival prints , NOT epson prints even thou very beautiful I am a dinosaur and die hard black and white photographer.
I shoot it all and enjoy it all.
Digital is better for the planet and is getting perfected more each day.
Think Green.

NORAH LEVINE Inspiring My Passion.

"I was fortunate enough to participate in a portrait workshop with Karen Kuehn. I cannot say enough about how life changing the experience was for me. Photographically speaking, I discovered a great deal about the skills and talent I had and how to expand myself creatively. She provided tools for discovering my true passion and inspiration When I left the workshop with Karen I felt I had grown as a photographer and as a person. I felt more directed and positive about where my journey was headed. Working with Karen is about so much more than photography. I learned more about myself in that week than I could have ever imagined. She is talented in many ways - as a true artist, mentor and as an experienced person who is generous in her sharing of those life experiences. My workshop with Karen pushed my career to the next level. Doors opened and I felt I had the skills and mental preparation to handle walking through them...ready to open the next door on the other side. Thank you, Karen."

http://www.norahlevinephotography.com