Monday, February 10, 2014

Let me introduce myself...

Katie Campbell
Photographer
Active-Duty military
Fiancé
Step-Mother
Sister
Daughter
Mommy of two doggies

I am all of these things and more. I balance the chaos of life with its many pleasures. It isn't always easy, but I make it happen. It is the key to my survival. I am outnumbered in my home by men, sticky fingers, cold doggie noses, dirty floors, and a candy cane stuck to my just cleaned coffee table. At the end of the day, those things don't matter. But they do matter because without the chaos, my life would be incomplete.

As a teenager and woman in my early 20's, photography was my passion. I went everywhere with my camera and just about drove everyone crazy with the constant noise of my shutter. I shot mostly landscapes and nature with a Nikon D75 (who uses film anymore?!). I refused to accept the fact that the world was becoming almost completely digital.

I grew up and went to high school in Georgia and then attended Athens Technical College where majored in Criminal Justice. I graduated with my associates degree in 2008 and worked as a waitress at a pizza restaurant. At that time, I tried my hand at becoming a local photographer but the only ones willing to pose for my camera were my dogs. It became obvious very quickly that nobody wanted to pay or even humor a young woman with a camera and a dream with nothing to show for it. During the recession in GA, jobs were hard to find and serving pizza slices wasn't something I wanted to do much longer, so I decided to take a huge leap of faith. It changed my life for the better.

I joined the United States Coast Guard in 2009 where I attended eight weeks of boot camp in Cape May, New Jersey. I was assigned to a ship in San Diego, CA, two deployments -- including relief efforts in Haiti. Several Central American countries and lots of rum later, I was sent to school in Petaluma, California. I was there four months and then reassigned to Miami.

I moved to the Sunshine State in 2011. This is where I have found the loves of my life, and where I now call home with my fiancĂ©, soon-to-be step-son and two dogs. It is through their support, love and encouragement that I have decided to follow my dream of becoming a photographer.

We thrive on chaos, being late for everything, messy floors and a candy cane stuck to my just cleaned coffee table. This is where my dreams have started to come true and I wouldn't have it any other way.