Karen Mikols of Heartland Photography

Name: Karen Mikols
website: www.heartlandphotography.org
blog: heartlandphoto.blogspot.com/

How long been in biz: I've been photographing since I was 13 years old. Through college, I worked as a photojournalist for K-State's student newspaper and yearbook. I also spent some time interning around Kansas, as well as on the photo staff at the Independence Daily Reporter for more than 2 years. In 2006, Heartland took shape when I partnered with Mike Shepherd and we've been photographing weddings and portraits ever since.

Your story of how you got into wedding photography: Through college, my friends who were getting married asked me to photograph their weddings, and I always declined. I was afraid I'd mess up their photos and damage a friendship. Besides, I thought, wedding photos are cheezey and lame.

Fast-forward several years. I was engaged and shopping around for wedding photographers... and a friend of mine had just transitioned from being a photojournalist to a wedding photographer. She kept encouraging me to make the switch, and after loads of research, I did.

The engagement didn't last, but the encouragement of my friend stuck with me. I realized that if I could photograph the Pope or political elections and not mess up the photos, then I could photograph a wedding.

Your favorite part of being a wedding photojournalist: I love hearing people's stories – their love stories. Then, after I get to know a couple, to tell the love story of the first day of their married life... it's beautiful and an honor.

One area you would like to improve as a wedding photojournalist:
Bookkeeping!!!! I'd love to outsource this, but until then, I need to get ORGANIZED!!!!!!!