Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen DeMamiel.
Karen, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
When I was a teenager, I can remember waiting rather impatiently while my photos were being processed at a one-hour development center. I thoroughly enjoyed having printed pictures all over my walls, all over my school binders. Pictures just made me happy. I remember my mom allowed me to “wallpaper” my walk-in closet with all the photographs I had taken of all my friends and pets. It just made me smile every day.
Fast forward to when I was newly married and applied for a job at the local photography studio in my local mall. It was there that I realized, taking photographs was what I wanted to do. I used my savings and bought my first “big girl “digital camera. I photographed my friends, their weddings, their kids. Then a few years later, I became a mom and realized how much I loved capturing kiddos.
The lens of my camera has been so many places, allowed me to meet amazing people and learn so many things. Today I am capturing entrepreneurs in their workplaces, small business owners and their handmade products, businesses that need photos for their social media accounts, lifestyle portraits of families in their homes and the beautiful outdoors. I am honored to capture so much beauty and feel incredibly blessed to do what I do. I truly believe every photograph tells a story.
Has it been a smooth road?
It was hard in the beginning for sure. If I could turn back time, I would have applied to be an intern. I wish I would have offered to work for a wedding photographer for free or another portrait photographer. I bought my camera and just jumped in and figured it out as I went. I spent many all-nighters editing photos, frustrated with what I did wrong. I was so eager to make it a business to support us while my husband was in school, I did not take the time to really learn the trade fully before I made it a business. I had to apologize a few times in the beginning for missing or messing up the right shot and that was so very embarrassing. My advice would be enroll in an online class, there are so many great ones now. And also to find a local photographer and offer to work for free. Spend the extra money to have someone teach you your camera about post-processing and editing.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
It puts a smile on my face to say that I am a lifestyle photographer. Portraits are needed everywhere now, websites, social media accounts, and blogs. I love learning about what people make or do. It makes me so happy when I get to be creative and help someone make their website beautiful.
For years I have captured families. I love the kids, truly. Clients always laugh when they hear I was the mascot for my high school., The thing that makes me the proudest is when I hear how it been so long since they have had a portrait done and they can’t believe I was able to capture their small children.
Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
Honestly, my biggest barrier is my own self-doubt. Being a lifestyle photographer, I really don’t feel there are barriers being a female. Almost all the successful photographers I know are female.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.karendemamiel.com
- Phone: 951-532-0525
- Email: kcdemamiel@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karendemamiel/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.demamiel
Image Credit:
Karen DeMaimel Creative
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