In July 2006, I did something I never, ever thought I would. I moved from my hometown of Victoria, British Columbia to Calgary, Alberta. I have been fortunate enough to travel many places in this world, but I have always loved calling Victoria my home.

I couldn't have imagined any reason to leave the West Coast, but then (as the story goes) I met "him". I fell in love, and a new adventure was presenting itself. So I packed my bags and drove through the Rocky Mountains to Calgary.

Starting over in a new city was an opportunity to re-invent my business and introduce myself to a new market. It's a labor of love that continues to be both a joy and a challenge. I launched Pure Photo Group in January 2007, and it has been a fantastic first year. I've worked with great couples and families, documenting big events and changing seasons in their lives. I've also met excellent photographers in Calgary and elsewhere whose friendships have encouraged and inspired me. As this journey continues, I'm so excited for the things I will learn, the people I will meet, and the meaningful art I will have the privilege of creating for my clients.

My interest in photography started very early on in my life. When I was 11 years old, I can still remember being inconsolable after discovering that I had double-exposed a roll of film from a school field trip to Vancouver. I spent hours pouring over those muddy prints, trying to catch a glimpse of the moments I had lost. Even then, I was fiercely drawn to documenting moments, friends, family and beautiful places. I have the shoeboxes of photos and countless albums to prove it!

Fast-forward a few years to my highschool photography classes. I learned my way around the darkroom, made my first pinhole camera, and shot as much black & white film as I could afford on my parents' Pentax Spotmatic II SLR camera.

I love travel and photography, so I managed to combine both of those interests by studying photography in Kona, Hawaii at the University of the Nations. I took the School of Photography in 2001, and we were shooting slides and film. I returned in 2006 to be on staff for the School of Photography, which by then was fully digital.

One of my final stops before moving to Calgary was Atlanta, Georgia. I did an internship with LaCour Photography, shooting weddings every weekend, editing all week. I was mentored by four of Atlanta's finest! Andrew Niesen, Rachel LaCour Niesen, Mark Adams and Erin Reed Adams. Working alongside these phenomenal visual storytellers was enviable, to say the least. All of these experiences, and more, have shaped the person I am today in life and business.

So, I am a photographer, and I am passionate about the work I do. I am also a sister, a daughter, an aunt, a friend, a girlfriend. In this blog, you will see several, if not all of these sides of me. In my work as a photographer, my intention is to build relationships that enable me to capture photos that will do justice to all the different sides of you.

Thank you for your interest in Pure Photo Group! To see what we've been up to lately, check out the BLOG.

Sincerely,

Karen Doherty