Dedicated Blogger

Ok Soooooo I haven't been blogging as much as I would like of late,, between working my day job, looking after the girls and running a business things have been manic to say the very least.

But it is my new year resolution (yes OK its April and I am a tad late) to make sure I blog more.. I just wish I could write beautifully, but I can't so you will have to just persevere or quit reading now!

So just a quick recap about little old me... I reside in Sunny Wrexham in North Wales with my husband Mat, and our delightful brood. Chloe, Amy & Florence.  By day I am a community development worker, a manager and an engagement officer, by weekend I change the hat and become a photographer... but not just any photographer..

I am also Disabled, I don't know why I feel the need to mention this, maybe its because I am proud of my achievements over the years or maybe because I want to forewarn my clients so its not a massive shock to them  I suffered a spinal injury when I was 19 which meant that I was in a wheelchair for just over a year, I learnt to walk again following intensive physio.  I still suffer from paralysis, this is something that will never get better, I have a limp which is my badge of pride (even though I hate it), I have zero balance, zilch, nothing, this means I have to get a little creative with composition,.  I have extreme pain, my kids have to help me put my shoes on, my husband regularly is running to get me pain killers, I drive a car specially adapted with hand controls and have full permission to park in disabled parking bays thanks to the power of the blue badge!  There are so many things that I can't do, (I cant run, I cant wear heels, I cant stand in a Que without looking like I have been on the old vodka, I cant walk very far without falling over) but there are a million and other one things that I CAN do, and these are what I need to focus on, and more importantly what you, the reader needs to focus on.

I have been a hobbyist for many years, after having my third and final daughter and my employers at the time not offering me part time hours, I decided to make one of my all time dreams a reality.  yes it was scary, I mean who would want someone with a limp and a blue badge to photograph them?? (luckily quite a few of you did) :-) so I did it, i bought a better DSLR from a friend, I shot with a kit lens, I read, I practiced on anyone willing to be in front of my camera, I watched hours upon hours of tutorials, I pestered the arse end off my good pal Richard Blain (who thankfully didn't mind, and was super patient )check him out here Richard David Blain Photography, I cried, I hated everything I produced, I absolute compared myself to every bloody photographer out there, I gave up on many occasions but more importantly I realized that I was not that other photographer, I was ME, Karen bloody Long!.

So I did it, I turned my hobby into a small business in 2013.... am I glad I did? HELL YES!! It really has been the most amazing experience, I have met so so many lovely people on my journey, i just wish I would have had the confidence to do it years ago.

I have met some amazing people along the way, many of my clients have become good friends of mine, friends for life, I love that I get to capture memories, I love the fact that my images adorn their walls and is something that they get to look at everyday and smile about, this makes my heart swell with immense pride, I have been part of their life, if only for a short time, I was there.   I love people, I love hearing their stories..

Looking back at my earlier images, I used to cringe and think how shockingly shite they were, not any more, I look back at them with pride! after all everyone has to start somewhere don't they??  they made me thrive to be better, to learn more, to engage with other photographers and more importantly take on board any criticism and learn from it.  so that is just what I set out to be, for the first time in a long time I am happy, happy with the work I am producing, and more importantly my clients are happy (or so they tell me)

I have since had many images featured in top ten submissions - (here are a few) this has been a huge achievement and given me the boost I need when I am full of self doubt.
thedarkroomuk
p-artistry
thedarkroomuk
life Unscripted

So there you have it, by god, I really have babbled on about myself, I hope you don't read it back and think I am full of self pity? quite the opposite, I see my life as an adventure filled with lots of beautiful families and happiness.  If you have got this far then I appreciate you being with me thus far.

I guess the point I am trying to make is don's ever give up on your dream, don't ever let anyone tell you that wont ever achieve,  you have the ability to do whatever you want to do... but only YOU can learn to realise that :-)

Thank you :-)

Karen xxxxx

All about ME

Here goes.... I am new to blogging so you will have to bear with me until I get the hang of this.

First things first, let me introduce myself to you all...

My name is Karen, I am married to my best friend Mat, we will celebrate our second anniversary in July, I have three children, Chloe 14, Amy 11 and Florence who is just 6 months!  We live together in harmony (sometimes) in Wrexham.



Photography has always been a passion of mine, going right back to the day when DSLR cameras did not exist... Yes young people, we had to take a film in to be developed and wait with bated breath in the hope that they had turned out OK and not all come back blank!  Fast forward a few years and we now have the magical DSLR cameras which in effect is fine, we have to move with the times, but I miss that wait for the photographs to come back from the developers, the walk through town with your mates checking the images out whilst eating away at a cone of chips.

My Husband encouraged me to take my passion to the next level and see how far I could take it, if it took off then all good and well, if it failed then I would still have the best hobby to enjoy.  I started this page and am astonished that so many of you have took the time to like it and also to comment on the images, I am thankful to you all (and Mat of course for the encouragement and belief he has in me)

My Sony DSLR has become my best friend, my faithful companion and my worst enemy all rolled into one. you see many people think its just a case of point and shoot, if only it was that simple!!  My camera has taught me that I need to have patience,(my Husband will tell you this is something I lack) yes there were times in the early days when I felt like hurling it across the room because I couldn't get the shot I wanted or because I couldn't get the lighting to look right then I realized it wasn't the cameras fault it was ME, the person at the back of the camera!! so I read, read and read I watched tutorials on line and more importantly played with my camera until I knew it inside out... I should point out at this point that I am not a qualified photographer, I have no formal photography qualifications what so ever! this may be frowned upon by the more professional bunch but I have a passion, a love and a desire to take beautiful images, capture precious moments and be the best that I can be.

I am also lucky that I have the chance to fire lots and lots of questions to a fellow Photographer and old Friend, Richard David Blain, I am pretty sure I have exhausted the "I need some help" conversations... Cheers Dicky!! check out his facebook photography page over at Richard David Blain Photography.

With each photoshoot, I learn... I learn from you, I learn from my camera, I learn from nature, lighting and more importantly I take what I learn and incorporate it into the next photoshoot, each shoot is a learning curve with you right at the center allowing me and trusting me to capture your moments.

I don't claim to be the best, far from it, I often doubt if what I do is worthy of making a career out of it. but I do promise that I will give you my best from the initial enquiry right through to delivering the images to your door!

So that's me and how I came to be where I am today.

Karen xxx