Photography has been my lifelong passion. In 1981, I cashed in my eighth grade graduation money to buy my first camera. It was a Pentax K100 and I still have it on the shelf in my office. That purchase helped jump-start my journey into photography, it's been a wonderful journey of learning ever since.
In 1987, I graduated from Antonelli School of Art and Photography and worked for a yearbook photography company, Davor Photo, until my second son was born. It was at that point that I started working part-time for Showstopper Photography, while also growing my personal photography company, Kara Raudenbush Photograph (KRP). Today, I own and operate Kara Raudenbush Photography working in the Metro Philadelphia area capturing significant life moments and small business social media content. I also work for Showstopper Photography as an area sales representative and part of the professional photography team.
At the risk of sounding ridiculously cliché: I love my job!
During my KRP sessions, I get to spend time with amazing people and am able to focus on and learn about their personalities. This allows me to connect with them. I find great pleasure in helping them gain confidence in front of the camera. I strive to find the emotion in each and every session, and uncovering that emotion is one of my favorite parts of my job.
Throughout the year, you'll find me on my bike, training for the MS 150 City to Shore. I ride in this event every year with my team, Raudies Riders. The team consists of my friends and family. They ride for me and others diagnosed with MS. You see, in 2008 my entire body went numb from my neck straight through the tips of my toes and I knew something was wrong. Luckily, I was diagnosed with MS four months later. I say "luckily" because it's not always an easy disease to diagnos. Through fundraising efforts like Bike MS, research has given us hope for the future. This diagnosis has not stopped me from living my life, in fact, it's motivated me to conquer more in life and in my career.
In 2010 I partnered with a collegue and opened a studio called Lens Friends. Not knowing what MS is capable of doing to me, the idea for a Do It Yourself Photography Studio occurred to me. If I were to become disabled by the disease, how could I continue working and making a living? After 20+ years in the business and digital cameras creating a less expensive way for people to learn photography - what was the missing piece? The studio! The lights, backgrounds and props. What I learned was that people really love photography! After closing the studio on Janurary 1, 2014, I hope to continue with so many of the ideas that made the Lens Friends experience rewarding to both the customers and myself.
Fast forward to 2015 - The DIY Photo Club is up and running!
Check out the page here on the website.
I have been married to my husband, Karl, for 24 years. We live in Hatboro, PA and have three wonderful children: Karl John, Luke, and Emma. Our children have been raised with family and friends who surround them with endless amounts of love and laughter. During the summer months, I am able to combine work and play. We vacation at the Jersey Shore and I schedule family portraits on the beach. In the winter months, when given the opportunity, we can be found enjoying the cold, snowy mountains. Well, my kids and husband can....I prefer the warm, blanketed couch.
Through the years, my clients have taught me many lessons. The most interesting is that emotions can flow freely once you get beyond feeling strange in front of a camera. It's not an easy thing to overcome, but I'm proud to say I get it, and I love to help my clients find their way. This goes beyond asking them to say cheese. It goes beyond telling them to smile. It's about loving what I do, getting to know the people I'm working with and finding the sweet, pure emotion behind the lens. I believe a great photograph tells a story. Let me help you tell yours.
All the best ~ Kara
