Today we’d like to introduce you to Karissa Barney Reckling.
Karissa, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
About six years ago, after years of wanting to get into photography but not really knowing where to begin, my husband bought me my first DSLR camera for our third dating anniversary. I took it with me everywhere we went. Whether it was a weekend around town or on vacation, I pretty much always had my camera by my side. I loved being able to freeze a moment in time through an image, to pay attention to the little details in life that I may have not noticed if I didn’t stop to take a photo and to help others document the stories in their lives. Little did I know the incredible journey it was going to take me on and the amazing people I was going to meet along the way.
Today, I live in Los Angeles but am often in the San Diego area shooting weddings. I live with my husband in a quaint and artsy neighborhood. Travel is a huge part of who I am and what I do. Photography has taken me across the globe from teaching photography to children who are breaking the cycle of poverty in India to documenting the native Sami people and their reindeer culture in the Arctic Circle. Along with documentary photography, I run an adventure wedding and elopement company called Wildflower Photo Co. (named after one of my favorite songs, Wildflowers by Tom Petty). I am curious by nature, adventurous at heart and most days you will see me with my camera. Over the course of my photography journey, I have had the great pleasure of learning from incredible photographers and filmmakers while second shooting, as well as growing my own business as I document stories for non-profits and adventurous couples. After these six years, there is nothing else I can imagine myself doing. I absolutely love it!
Great, 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?
I think that every dream and pursuit has struggles. I often feel that it’s assumed that a photographer’s job is to show up on the day, shoot the photos and then deliver them, but it’s actually so much more work than that. As an independent business owner, I am the photographer, the editor, the accountant, the graphic designer, the digital marketer, the customer service associate, the location scouter, the permit applicant, my own boss, my own employee and everything in-between. With the good comes challenges, but honestly, all of the hard work is 1000% worth it for me. Six years ago, the idea of making a living off of something I loved felt so far out of my reach. In the beginning, I worked countless odd jobs and hours to make ends meet. Most months, I struggled to pay the bills and now that my business has grown, I don’t for a moment take for granted that I get to do this for a living. It’s challenging but I feel incredibly grateful and lucky.
For any women looking to pursue something they love, my greatest advice is to pursue it with your whole heart. I truly believe if you put your energy into the pursuit, you will find growth towards your goal. I have also found the importance of patience and learning. Take time to study, work or learn from someone already working in the field and then allow yourself the time to marinate on that knowledge and come up with your unique perspective, values, and ideas behind how you want to pursue your passion. Success doesn’t happen overnight and the stronger the foundation you build, the more sustainable your work will be over time.
What should we know about Wildflower Photo Co.? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I work as a documentary and travel photographer working with non-profits and organizations to help capture their mission and story. Along with my documentary work, my husband and I are also an adventure elopement and destination wedding photography team. We fell in love with documenting people’s wedding stories a little over two years ago. The idea behind Wildflower grew slowly and organically. We knew if we were going to build this little company of ours, we wanted it to be deeply rooted with our values, passion to connect with people and to tell our couples’ stories. We started this journey wanting to document our couples’ stories as though they were our own family. We don’t want to just show up for one day of their lives, we want to build a friendship with them, to be there for them in any way they need, to know what makes them laugh, their favorite songs to dance to and how to capture the details that thread their story together. We want them to be a part of our family and it means the world to us when they invite us to be apart of theirs. We often describe ourselves as the mom-and-pop shop of wedding photography and we take great pride in running our business that way.
For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
I remember years ago, it was a common idea that women were always trying to tear each other down. But in my adulthood and especially in recent years, I see women building each other up, encouraging each other and celebrating their peers’ achievements. I feel that today, more than ever, women have the room to use their voice to better their communities. I’ve seen it here in the wedding industry, in my local community, in schools and in my overseas work. Women face challenges all over the globe but the more we connect with each other, help one another and encourage each other, the more opportunity we can create for other women.
I remember when the idea of running my own business felt like a dream and I hope that by highlighting the work I’ve done, it can encourage other women to pursue what they love and assure them that with hard work, creativity, and perseverance, it is possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wildflowerphotoco.com
- Email: wildflowerphotoco@gmail.com
- Instagram: @wildflowerphotoco
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildflowerphotoco/
Image Credit:
Wildflower Photo Co.
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