PLEDGE HERE:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/199636585/karen-kuehn-maverick-camera-the-photographs-and-st
28
years ago I took a leap of faith. I was in school about to launch my
photography career with very little knowledge of how to actually do it. I thought about where I would like to
work and the kind of images I would like to take and two magazines came to
mind. Rolling Stone and the
National Geographic. I did my
homework and found out that NGS did an internship. Immediately I prepared myself for this position and felt it
would be the next step for my life.
Many apply for this and I was one of three that were accepted that
summer to be a part of the intern program. I was on cloud nine going to Washington DC two days after
graduating from the Art Center College of Design. Top of my class by the
way! After arriving I was assigned
to go to the Yukon. Being a former
US Park Ranger this was heaven for me.
I met Brad Washburn and Barry Bishop, both key players in mapping and
climbing Mt Everest. A dream trip
for a young photographer. The
internship is usually about 3 months in length and I was extended to 6
thankfully. That winter while
working in and out of the NGS offices I made the most of my time and reached
out to editors in NYC as the directors Rich Clarkson and Tom Kennedy were
encouraging me to head east. I was
reluctant but I did and after contacting over 40 editors and art directors I
was well on my way to the Big Apple.
Via train I arrived with my backpack and gear. I taxed to a friend’s
apartment to crash for several weeks while I tried to get my feet on the
ground. Thank you to Linda
Draper a terrific friend and illustrator I had a safe place to be while showing
my portfolio. In three weeks I met
so many creative’s and shot three jobs as well and so it began this journey of
being a NYC based photographer. I
wasn’t a city girl. Country was
written all over my face and my clothing; cowboy boots, jeans and outdoorsy
apparel not like the sheik New Yorkers at all.
New York Magazine’s top photo editor Susan Vermazon along with Laura Broadus gave me my first assignment on the Bowery photographing a photographer named Nan Golden. We were so opposite but we made some great images together. Frannie Ruch of Elle was a main stay for jobs early on and so was Mark Jamison for New Look Magazine giving me several interesting projects. I met so many greats in our industry and I suppose my portfolio was very different as I am a conceptual thinking person as well as a journalist at heart. I like solving problems be it light or ideas or a location that tells a better story I tend to think out of the box, around the box and in the box. No limits really.
New York Magazine’s top photo editor Susan Vermazon along with Laura Broadus gave me my first assignment on the Bowery photographing a photographer named Nan Golden. We were so opposite but we made some great images together. Frannie Ruch of Elle was a main stay for jobs early on and so was Mark Jamison for New Look Magazine giving me several interesting projects. I met so many greats in our industry and I suppose my portfolio was very different as I am a conceptual thinking person as well as a journalist at heart. I like solving problems be it light or ideas or a location that tells a better story I tend to think out of the box, around the box and in the box. No limits really.
I
have been told that my career is fascinating and the life I have had to date is
packed with stories I should share.
So several years ago I started sorting those images to pull some gems
into one book. Well so many that
one book can’t handle a lifetime of my content. I paired it down to some of my favorites. I’ve had a long respected career of
creating a story within a frame. I
tend to be modest and that probably hasn’t helped my overall story but since
working on so many other book projects I have come to a clear place that I
don’t have to be the best in the world but I have to be the best I can be for
each subject work with for that is the most important aspect for me daily. I’m dedicated to truth and beauty
and honest image making. It’s a
fine line. The business of
photography is ever changing and the budgets are disincarnating to spend more
time on projects unless you’re backed by just a few of the major
magazines. You have to be
part of an editor’s top choice to get consistent work. While in NYC I was riding that wave and
it was fantastic. I will be
forever grateful and with that idea I would like to share some of the
adventures with you.
Photography
has given me so much inspiration as a platform for meeting people and exploring
all kinds of topics. It’s a career
of education that you can’t buy but rather you live. I’m rich with adventure and skill sets that have been
brought to me via the camera. A
tool I can only love with my heart and eyes. I hope you like this project. It is meant to inspire a kinder creative limitless
self. The journey shared is so
much better. Photographers go into
situations and if open they come out co creating.
I
love my life and photography has given me so much more than I could of
reckoned.
Enjoy
the journey.
Once
the kickstarter has presold 350 books in 60 days I will have one month to make
all finishing touches with the designer.
I have a book rep ready to send to press overseas. The same pressman did my CARGO
CULT book featured on Amazon now.
That book is a success pre-selling 1300 copies in 60 days. I am hopeful that we can sell far less
and manifest a full pressing. Your
pledge will help this happen. Once
the book press checks we do the final and I feel at the very latest it will be
delivered by August pending
import. I feel it will be
sooner but I want to not underestimate
any details needed to make this project stellar. I hope it inspires young photographers,
and old. My journey has been
amazing and its relatable full of humor and heart. Thank you for your time and I can only hope you’ll share and
be apart of this book project as it comes to life.
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