Today we’d like to introduce you to Katherine Schwingel.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
As a child, I found life in the details, and I loved the story. I devoured books and wanted to know everyone’s “why” before that became a buzz phrase. It’s no wonder that my favorite class was always English! My eighth grade English teacher introduced me to a journaling project called our “Book of Days,” and that opened my entire world to weaving written story with a visual story.
Yearbook staff and high school scrapbooks followed, and somehow, I decided on architecture for my college major. I jumped at the chance to study abroad in Switzerland for one summer to document all of the history and cultural differences of Europe. I began to really focus on this photography “hobby” after this trip, and for graduation, my parents gifted me with a starter DSLR camera from Costco (who doesn’t love Costco?!)
During my studies, I knew early on that the intimacy and details of interiors appealed to me more than creating the structure for the “bones” of a space. I then worked for both retail design programs and for a boutique interior design firm, where I found myself being asked to document product, process, and finished projects on a regular basis. As much as I love design, I knew that storytelling was my first true love, so here I am pursuing photography!
Please tell us about your art.
I am a lifestyle and branding photographer striving to tell stories truthfully, beautifully, and simply. I work with brands, entrepreneurs and side hustlers who are willing to share their full lives through photography. Their business is just one piece of them – who are they as parents, friends, children, travelers, rule breakers?
I find so much joy in capturing people’s in-between moments – the impromptu dance move to get the nerves out, or the steps from one wall to another. I will always have a fondness for architecture and interiors, so locations for shoots are very important to me as well. I want the entire experience to speak to that brand’s vision and the photos that come forward to appeal to their ideal clients.
Once clients see their gallery, my hope is that they see the beauty of their story, no matter how long and hard it has been. Capturing the genuine love for what these people do, full time or part time is what I love most. I know that feeling because I’m doing it, at that moment, with them.
We often hear from artists that being an artist can be lonely. Any advice for those looking to connect with other artists?
I have found so many like-minded entrepreneurs through Instagram, and I love that every single user is truly on the same playing field. I suggest sending direct messages to someone that appeals to you, comment on posts that you find intriguing, and start conversations. More often than not, those seemingly small interactions turn into coffee meetings, out of state meetups to exchange services and true friendships.
Investing in yourself through conferences and networking events is also another way to fend off the loneliness. I am definitely more of a 75% introvert/25% extrovert, so the first few times were so hard, but I have never regretted attending any of them. As with anything, practice will make mingling easier. Trust me; there’s only one of you, so being yourself is interesting to most people!
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My day to day life and photography work can be found on my Instagram account and my website!
Contact Info:
- Website: katherineschwingel.squarespace.com
- Email: kath@katherineschwingel.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/kathlady
Image Credit:
Headshot: Sara Schwingel Photography
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