i'm kara and i teach
Photographers to Build
Businesses They love
Let’s face it—working with Tografy means working with we me. So you should probably know a little bit about me.
In a sentence, I’m an entrepreneur, mother, and adventurer with a passion for helping photographers tackle challenges head-on and realize their dreams. Boiled down, I’m a business coach for photographers.
But no one can really be understood in one sentence. So scroll on down a bit to learn some details.
In a Nutshell
silly tidbits to get you rollin’
Some fun facts and a little humor.
currently sustained by
protein shakes & peanut m&m’s
on my nighstand
the lost girls of paris
on repeat
sounds of the ocean
educational chops
masters degree in education
dream vacation
maldives + good book = ONE HAPPY GIRL
never say no to
my husband cooking dinner
number one fan
our 4 kiddos
something new i learned as an adult
bass guitar at age 36
Personal Reading List
If you don’t like historial fiction, keep scrolling
How it All Started
To be quite honest, it can be hard to talk about my dad, who sadly passed away before his influence in my life fully revealed itself. But so much of my journey into photography and business coaching is owed to him, that to leave Dad out would be a woefully incomplete story. So here we go Dad.
By day, Dad was a financial investor, and he really enjoyed that analytical world. But it was his creative hobbies that truly made his eyes sparkle. On the weekends, long before I arrived, he would be found clouded in the exhaust of the roaring nitro dragsters of the speedways sprinkled around Southern California. While his brother raced, he captured the sights, the action, and the feelings of the races with his camera. Unbeknownst to him, the images he brought home would help inspire a little girl to fall in love with photography (not to mention, the scorching blacktop).
The Rock that Held it Together
Fast forward 10-years and I entered the world. A precocious, giggly, little, fiery spark (or so I’m told). But I entered this world with two big surprises. You have to understand back in the early ’80’s prenatal care was much different. Ultrasounds were much more limited, gender reveals weren’t a thing, and there were very few, if any, useful genetic tests. The obstetrician took a wild guess at the one ultrasound my mother did have and declared me a boy. So when I came on the scene 5 months later my parents weren’t only floored that I was a GIRL, but also that I was missing the lower-half of my left arm. My mother, understandably, was overwhelmed by the challenges that lay ahead for her baby. And my dad, well…he turned out to be the rock that held it all together.
Unshaken, he simply turned to my mother and stated, “We’ll raise her just like any other child and she won’t know anything different.”
And that’s exactly what they did.
"we'll raise her just like any other child and she won't know anything different" he said.
Whew...Those Were Some Good Years
As I look back on my childhood I can honestly say that my parents held true to Dad’s words. Over the years I was taught to do cartwheels, high-dive, pull weeds, play the piano, and drive a stick shift—all with minimal adaptations. In many ways, I was just another kid surviving a whole lot of awkward mid-90’s middle school years, filled with poufy bangs, hip-packs, slap-bracelets, and Saved by the Bell (those were some good years…).
But I also faced obstacles the “normal” kids didn’t. Even tying my shoes was a meaningful challenge. Yet I was never allowed to shy away from those obstacles and, in time, my parents ingrained in me perseverance, work ethic, and a love of creative solutions. Turns out, those skills help a fair bit as an entrepreneur and business coach too.
And That's When I Knew...
But I wouldn’t be doing this if my dad had not also sewn the thread of photography into my life. Around the house, there were always my dad’s fascinating photos on the walls. And when we traveled, which we were fortunate enough to do fairly regularly, photography was always a part of the experience. Little cameras, big cameras, medium format, point and shoot, there was always some piece of equipment being shlepped along on our journey.
On one memorable adventure, I recall marching into the California redwoods with my dad and his heavy large format camera. I remember sitting there, watching him set up the tripod, screw on the camera, adjust and readjust and adjust again until everything was right. Then he slipped his head under the hood and…click. One click. That’s all it was. No rapid fire, no speed shooting, just a click. But that one small little click was what sealed the deal. That’s when I knew photography was for me.
Thanks Dad, I Couldn't Have Done it Without You.
Since that click, I grew a bit. I got a hand-me-down camera and took pictures of everything, including my cat. I grew more, got more cameras, took cheesy pictures of boyfriends (one of which became my husband), and got better behind the lens. After grad school, I started a successful photography business and, when approached by other photographers, helped them launch, manage, and grow their own photography businesses.
And that’s when it all came together. I had, somewhat unintentionally, aligned my entrepreneurial character traits, my educational skillset, and my passion for photography. Tografy was born. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Thanks Dad, couldn’t have done it without you.
Her courses were the kickstart I needed to take my business to the next level and FINALLY quit my corporate job.
amelia a.
Free Business Course for Photographers COMING SOON
Tografy’s a la carte business courses for photographers will be launching in 2023, get on the waitlist to have access to Tografy’s first ever free business course for photographers, PLUS over ten additional courses!
