We recently connected with Kendra Pascoe Morrison and have shared our conversation below.

Kendra, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

Growing up in the UK, I was always inspired by the arts. I loved to draw and was always making things as gifts, as I considered it more meaningful than something you could just pick up at a store (though I’m not sure my creations were always perceived as such!).

I was also lucky enough that my parents valued the arts considerably and exposed me to art exhibitions and theater productions from an early age. My Dad is a wonderful illustrator and after pursuing a career in art education, decided to embark on his next adventure by joining British Airways, where he met my Mum working onboard a long-haul trip to New York.

When I came into the picture, my Mum was actually forced out of the airline as stewardesses in those days were not allowed to be married, let alone have kids. Crazy, I know. She managed to overcome that adversity by starting her own very successful catering business soon afterwards. Meanwhile, the three of us continued to take full advantage of the travel perks, flying stand-by all over the world for years.

This was the beginning of my passion for all things travel-related, and to date, I have visited around sixty countries. When you are offered such a lens on the world from an early age, you learn to truly appreciate both the similarities and the differences that bind us all together.

This adventurous and creative background has fueled me and, in essence, shaped my entire life in striving to continue to seek out new experiences and document them creatively along the way, camera in hand.

I was also essentially left to my own devices to choose my path, which is something I am extremely grateful for. I just always followed what I loved at the time. From playing competitive tennis to studying my favorite subjects – arts and languages, every experience has led to owning my own fine art photography business in Washington D.C. and I feel like I’m just getting started.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My small business, kpm photo art, is truly a reflection of my diverse background in the photography industry with over ten years of experience working in various roles in photo production including stock photography agencies, both national and international, as well as with clients such as J Jill, ESPN, Simon & Schuster (Secretary Clinton’s book cover), Macy’s, Nascar, and NHL.

It’s a culmination of all this experience, along with a love for black and white photography, that has been the catalyst behind the creation of my small business selling my photos from around the world.

I was born in West Sussex, England and moved to the U.S. to play tennis at university in Florida. I studied graphic design there, and after graduating, started on my photographic journey.

I moved from D.C. to Paris, France and lived there for five and a half years, working for a marketing NGO at the time. The beauty of Paris served as a constant source of inspiration for my photography. I absolutely loved that city and still miss it every day.

After most recently living between Amsterdam and The Hague in The Netherlands for five years while capturing Dutch canal houses, unending horizons, and the amazing reflections in the land of water, I now live back in Washington D.C. with my husband and son, who is also an aspiring artist.

A couple of years ago, I made the decision to put myself and my art out there and have a go at creative world domination (or at least test the validity of my vision). I started the process while based in The Netherlands, selling my prints at markets and in a retail store. Now based in Washington D.C., I’m rather proud to have managed to establish the business and all of the hurdles that go with it.

My photography is unique in style, and I’ve found that customers love having a beautifully artistic print of locations both near and far that evoke personal meaning.

I also have a whimsical and popular series of Stormtrooper prints set in various locations around the world. These prints showcase an original 1977 Stormtrooper figure that has accompanied me on my travels for years, and has even gained a bit of a following. If you appreciate pop culture, travel, and fine art – take a look. I think you’ll love them.

Additionally, my travel blog has grown organically over the past few years. It all began when friends and family would constantly ask for recommendations about Paris while we lived there. Instead of repeatedly writing emails, I decided to put all my insights online. Now my blog features tons of travel posts, with hundreds of pictures from all my trips.

The renowned documentary photographer Dorothea Lange once said, “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.” This really resonates with me, as photography is essentially the art of allowing others a window to your own unique perspective. I am constantly looking for the beauty in the everyday details that surround us, and attempting to show my appreciation simply through a visual image.

Simplicity is key; complicating things only leads to distraction. Less is, in fact, more.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Great question. It was in my late-twenties when I was running a photo studio in Miami, Florida. I had single-handedly set up the studio as an international base for a company out of Ireland and was in charge of all aspects of production, from compiling daily shoot lists to hiring models and securing all kinds of locations and staff.

It was probably the most intense job I’ve ever had, made excruciating by maybe the worst boss I’ve ever had the joy to work with. Even on the other end of the phone all the way from Ireland, he managed to instill fear and panic into my entire team with every call. My counterpart, who was based in London, and I became mutual therapists navigating his global wrath.

That being said, I’ve never worked so hard in my life (maybe apart from now, running a small business solo), and while it was somewhat insane, I benefited from learning that I could manage pretty much anything, from arranging light aircraft for a Bahamas photo shoot to securing last-minute props at midnight.

Then, unexpectedly, my formerly mentioned boss decided to shut down the Miami studio, and with it, my U.S. work visa would not be up for renewal. My life was in the U.S. at that point, so it was frankly a bit of a nightmare to say the least. The U.S. government was not handing out foreign work visas at that time in light of post 9/11 events, so I had no choice but to make my way back to the homeland.

Amidst this uncertainty, I heard that my good friend in the U.K. was planning a backpacking trip around the world. I picked up the phone and asked her if she wanted company. You see, while working in Miami for the crazy man, I had no time to spend any of the money I earned, so I was all set to jump on a six-month trip and embrace the adventure.

So that’s exactly what I did, and to this day, it has been one of the most influential decisions of my life. From skydiving in New Zealand, to sleeping under a million stars in the Australian outback, island hopping in Fiji and Thailand, and getting stuck for hours at the border in Tijuana – it was a time of self-discovery and success in literally navigating the globe, all during a time before Google Maps!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think loving what you do is a privilege, perhaps only realized if you have the courage to follow your instincts and strive for inner contentment. Success is subjective, and I personally feel successful in that I have managed to see and do so much in my life so far, finding creative outlets along the way, while constantly learning and growing.

While creatives continually battle imposter syndrome and doubt, as society tends to regard our pursuits as mere hobbies or side hustles while holding more traditional ways of making a living to much higher regard, I think it’s important to take a deep breath and go for it anyway.

Figuring out how to run all aspects of a business while maintaining creativity definitely has its own challenges, but the thrill of having a customer or friend choose to feature my artwork on their wall is just so incredibly fulfilling.

My journey so far has been phenomenal, starting with my parents who encouraged me to choose my own path and exposed me to a world of travel and artistic inspiration. Moving forward, I intend to pay it forward and encourage my son to create his own unique future. That’ll probably be the greatest reward of all time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kpmphotoart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kpmphotoart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kpmphotoart
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendra-pascoe-morrison-110086257
• Other: Etsy:
  www.kpmphotoart.etsy.com

Image Credits

Headshot: RA Sullivan
All other images © Kendra Pascoe Morrison