carla b. long

Owner, Photographer, Educator

Life has taught me it is anything but neat and tidy with a shiny bow.

It is full of curveballs, obstacles, mountains to climb.

In the middle of all that mess is people.

Connections.

Authentic, real, and raw relationships.

Sure, sometimes those connections and relationships are the difficulties of our lives; marriage and parenting have shown me that.

Life didn’t come with a pause button, allowing me to navigate or fix the mess, then hit play and go back to the picture-perfect. Navigating the mess is my journey. It is through the lens of imperfections I see beauty. My story is beautiful, not in spite of its imperfections, but because of them.

My journey is the Life.

Capturing that life through a lens, helps me process the mess.

A kitchen table is where so many journeys begin. It is the birthplace of my story as a teaching artist. I began teaching amateur photographers in 2015 at kitchen tables. My love for teaching has grown since becoming a teaching artist. As a teaching artist, I am passionate about the connections of interdisciplinary education. Using a creative medium to teach a concept that students might otherwise struggle with or find boring is the motivation to write the curriculum and think outside the box when it comes to educating our children and adults.

As a documentary photojournalist,  I pick personality over perfection. My desire in every session is to make pictures that tell a portion of the client’s story.  In my portrait work, I spend time with the clients to capture that kitchen table smile, those smiles, and expressions that one would have the privilege of seeing after grabbing a cup of coffee and plopping down in a chair around the kitchen table. A  relaxing session puts clients at ease, allowing me to work carefully to make photos that reflect one’s story and to enjoy for generations to come. In my documentary and event work, I spend time making observations about relationships and connections.

Documenting the moments that others may not see or notice, I don’t take them for granted. I am a late bloomer in the artistic world, however, I have had a camera in my hands since I was six. I never believed I was creative because I can’t draw and didn’t do well in art classes in school; it wasn’t until my third decade of life that I stumbled into photography as an avenue to make a living. For me, photography is about the connection, the journey, ultimately capturing raw, authentic, organic moments.

Some of my many titles: Volunteer, Board of Directors, Treasurer, Accountant, Voter, Runner or maybe just fast walker,  Dyslexia Advocate, Neighbor, Small Business Owner, Teacher, Photographer, Sister-in-law, Friend, Cousin, Sister, Aunt, Granddaughter, Daughter, Mother and Wife, Child of God.