Who I am.

If you had asked me when I was a high schooler, “Matt, what do you want to be when you grow up?”, my answer would not have been, “Wedding photographer". I would have said something like; coffee shop owner, white water raft instructor, K-5 Teacher, a youth pastor. My point in sharing this is that I had no idea then what my life would look like now, and that is okay! I had older siblings who helped pave a way, who did the college route, who worked hard in school and are now very successful. Personally, I didn’t identify with the college path (or if I did, not for very long.) So what did I do? I took a hobby and made it a career.

One of the most common questions I hear from folks is, “When and how did you start?”

Well, it all began sophomore year of High School. For context, I had just phased out of the Justin Bieber hair cut, drove the family minivan, and had very little money in the bank. It was around that time I downloaded an app called Instagram.

The Instagram community exposed me to the use of photography as a creative outlet, and an art form. I was exposed to jaw dropping travel photos, breathtaking wedding moments, and creative portraits. I forayed into photography as a hobby at first. A skill I wanted to get good at. I like to call myself a “jack of all trades, master of none.” Photography was tool I could add to my tool chest.

I wish I could tell you it was history from there. That my business was an instant success and I became a millionaire overnight. HA I wish. Actually, it was a lot of hard work, stress, and self teaching moments. If you have ever owned or run a business, you will quickly learn that it’s all about trial and error. Man did I mess up a lot. There was a lot of fear, but equal amounts of excitement with this new thing. 

Looking back at my “good” early photos makes me laugh, and a gentle reminder of how much I’ve grown. My style, my consistency, my work flow, my balance, have ebbed and flowed over the past four years as I’ve grown into myself as a human. Photography has opened doors I would have never imagined to happen in my life. I’m blessed by the hobby that sprouted into a business, and for those who trusted, and believed in me.

Do I see myself doing photography for the rest of my life? Of course! It’s a skill that can be used forever. Do I see myself running a photography business for the rest of me life? Actually, no. I am an entrepreneur at heart; I love to see visions brought to life. Hearing people’s stories, and connecting ideas, thoughts, and emotions are things I’m heavily drawn to. Right now, photography is the vessel through which I experience those things. 

Photography has taught me many lessons. One I will always remember, is that we are always moving to greater. That might not look like a bigger paycheck, or a nicer car, but we should consistently strive to learn, grow, and share our joy with others. Life moves fast, and that is why I like photographs. They give us a moment for lifetime.

If you see me around, at the grocery story or the coffee shop, don’t hesitate to say hey. If you have questions about how I started, and how I got to where I am now, let’s meet up!

I appreciate you. You are one of a kind.

-Matt Kark