We recently connected with Karen Halbert and have shared our conversation below.

Karen, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I’ve been a part of, by far, is the Super Kids program I offer through my photography business. As photographers, we love sharing the beauty of the world around us with others. Giving back can be another way to share beauty.

Long before I was a photographer, I was a parent to a boy with autism. When he was little, it was hard to take him to a photographer, as he didn’t understand the process, would become overwhelmed, and it wasn’t always a success. My heart has always been with the special needs community, and when my business took off I knew I wanted to give back to families that might find it difficult to have photos taken either due to their financial circumstances supporting a child with a disability or because photographers don’t often know how to approach their child.

I launched Super Kids in 2017 and am so proud of the work I’m doing for kids and their families who are facing temporary and lifelong challenges. Each month, I offer a free studio mini session to one Super kids family. Each family receives a set of digital images at no charge. Those families share my name, speak highly of me, and are so appreciative of the gift of photos and the compassion of a photographer that truly understands their child.

Super Kids has been a blessing to my community but also to me. I love these 2 quotes:

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. – Winston Churchill

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, one for helping others. – Audrey Hepburn

Karen, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Photography is a second career for me. After a career in insurance sales up until the birth of my first child, I became a stay at home mom with the occasional side hustle. After the birth of my 2nd son, I picked up a DSLR and was hooked learning everything I could online to take great photos of my kids. In 2009, I jumped in and created a website and Facebook page and my friends became my first clients. Many of them are STILL clients today!

My business has grown since those first days, and I am now entering my 15th [YEAR] as a family and headshot photographer. I’ve shared a studio for 13 years, which has been fantastic for my business. My sales have reached six-figures for the past 5 years, and I have recently branched out into education for photographers as well, teaching them everything I’ve learned over the last decade so they can have the same success through a live online coaching program several times per year.

In 2021, my photography friend Erin Smagala and I launched The Helpful Photographers and have published our first book: The Essential Guide to Sharing A Studio and have been educating other photographers as podcast guests and through social media.

I am known for my connection to kids and for being able to capture genuine smiles and emotion with families. I pride myself on an amazing customer experience, and my loyal clients seem to agree. My growth has been mainly from word of mouth, and I have become friends with many of my clients. After 15 years, I still love what I do and am so grateful I took the leap into photography all those years ago.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I have always loved photos with people in them. My dad was a landscape photographer, and that just wasn’t for me. But people? Capturing moments? Freezing time? THAT’s what lights me up.

As a mom of two nearly grown boys (21 and 16) I could never have imagined years ago how quickly it would all go. They were toddlers and then I blinked and they were off to middle school. They change each day, little by little, and lasts catch you off guard (the last tooth to fall out, the last time they sit on your lap, the last time they go Trick-or-Treating.) When you are in whatever phase you are in, time they go Trick-or-Treating. When you are in whatever phase you are in, time seems to stand still. But that’s a trick, it really doesn’t. You blink and it’s on to the next phase.

At the end of it all, the photos and memories are all that we have to remember those beautiful, messy, chaotic times with our kids. The vacations, the first days of school, the family photos, the holiday and birthday gatherings: we tell stories through our photos for our kids and their kids to enjoy.

Nothing is more important to me than freezing time for families with quality images that they will cherish forever. It is definitely my why. My editing is classic, and my focus is on the people, so their memories will be crystal clear forever.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

When you become a photographer, you don’t realize you’ll also become a marketing guru, accountant, photoshop whiz, client manager, tech support person and more! Running your own business includes many hats for areas that you might not have prior experience, yet you have to do it all.

In the last decade, I’ve learned from mentors in areas that I wasn’t an expert. I’ve enlisted Lightroom experts for education to help my editing process, photographers for skill sets I didn’t currently have (like jumping into Senior photography,) and recently mindset coaches and others who have successfully expanded their business to areas I’m also interested in, such as education. Learning from others who have already paved the way saves you time and energy and are an amazingly valuable resource!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.karenhalbertphotography.com
• Instagram: karenhalbertphoto
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karenhalbertphotography?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/karenqhalbert
• Other: khpheadshots.com thehelpfulphotographers.com

Image Credits
All Images ©karenhalbertphotography except the image of Karen submitted as profile photo ©ameliamoorephotography