Today we’d like to introduce you to Karissa Peterson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I can’t recall exactly when photography sparked my interest but I can recall loving on my Kodak star 110. The photos taken were not of great value but the excitement of taking photos dropping the roll off and waiting for them to come in the mail was sure a highlight. Over the years my hobby evolved. I entered photos through 4H at the fair, I upgraded to digital with a nikon d3000 and tried to capture people and animals I loved.
When I was young a favorite thing to do when I got to my grandparents was go to the spare room get the photo albums and spend hours paging through them. I guess I just loved getting to witness a glimpse of a memory.
In 2016 I began working for a wonderful photographer out of Rochester (Cheeky Monkey Studios) second shooting.
I worked alongside her at weddings for nearly 3 years. A wealth of knowledge and experience gained doing so (forever grateful). After working alongside Cara I had confidence to take on a wedding. And things began to grow and evolve from there! I have been so blessed that some of my very first clients are STILL my clients.
I think one of my favorited things about this journey is that I have gotten to grow along with families and capture many seasons of their life!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Owning your own business definitely comes with obstacles.
I would say my biggest challenge throughout the years has come from myself. The internal dialog of not being good enough, comparison and worrying what clients might think. I think everyone can relate to such struggles and perhaps us “left brainers” even more.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I would say my work has really evolved along with the seasons of life that I live.
When I started my journey I really tried to get those perfectly posed shots. Now I have found that really sparks my heart is the lifestyle moments. Candids. Imperfectly perfect moments. And the small details.
I have always had an enormous spot in my heart for the elderly/grandparents. I have been blessed to know almost all of my grandparents and they have played great roles! To me they have paved the road before us, They tell a great story.
One of my very favorite sessions to date included my grandparents along with my grandpas old truck, a quilt my grandmas’s mother had made and a bible from their wedding day. Watching them giggle and listen to remarks after I asked them to “smooch” will live with me forever and I have glimpse of that memory in a photo to keep as well.
Other major events that have helped mold my work are marrying my hard working farmer. When the guys are working the long hours you can find me in the field with my camera in hand. I love capturing the dirt, the seeds as they are planted, the little kids begging to ride alongside dad or grandpa just a little bit longer, The meal train as it’s the only time the guys all stop/break and congregate at the tailgate to eat and chat of the days events. Farm families have a very special spot in my heart.
And the greatest blessing of this life is becoming a momma! Before becoming a mom I didn’t understand the importance of photographing the snot bubbles, the dimples in their fat little hands or squish to their cheeks.
Now I know how fleeting time is, I know that looking a photos of my boys bring back those little moments.
My experience allows me to show up to family sessions to capture all the rawness and authenticity of life.
I don’t know what truly sets me a apart but I really try to capture moments from the heart. And make images timeless. Will these still be treasured in 50 years?
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Authenticity.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: karissalenorephotography
- Facebook: Karissa Lenore Photography
