Barbara Kaas Photography

I recently found a t-shirt for sale that had a camera on it and the phrase, “I can’t draw.” I guess you could say that’s how I discovered my love of photography. I signed up for Photography 101 as an art elective in high school so I didn’t embarrass myself in a regular art class. The very first time I saw that grainy image appear in a developing tray, I was hooked. I started saving my birthday money to buy film and photo paper, carried my camera with me everywhere, and rearranged my school schedule so that I could take every photography class available.

After high school, I suffered from “I Don’t Know What I Want to Be When I Grow Up” syndrome and decided to major in photography in college. I quickly discovered that I was going to grow to hate photography if I continued to study it so I changed directions and, instead, took those accounting classes that I had dropped back in high school. Feeling jaded, I didn’t touch my camera for about ten years. It wasn’t until 2008 when my best friend had her daughter, and I was expecting my own, that she encouraged me to rediscover my passion after having her daughter’s newborn photos taken. We were both impressed with the personalization and special touch that comes with having someone photograph your child, rather than going to a commercial location. So, I started taking a few classes to understand the digital world and quickly fell back in love with photography.

It is a great feeling to look at photos of my daughter and be proud that they are more than snapshots; they tell her story. It’s my hope to be able to do the same for your family. If you’ve just had a new baby, want to document your children’s lives, have a special event you wish to capture, or a senior ready to embark on a new phase in his or her life, I’d love to help preserve your memories.