Posts by Karen Bartos
New Year, New ___________ (fill in the blank)
I LOVE a New Year. By nature, I’m a pretty reflective person so I enjoy looking over all that happened in the previous year – yes even amidst the craziness of COVID. I keep a journal and this is a great time to look back at what I was thinking and feeling the previous year.…
Read MoreSo. Much. Fun.
SO. MUCH. FUN. – Those are the words she used to describe her shoot with me. Do you hear that? It was FUN and not just a little fun, SO MUCH FUN. I hear from so many women that they love the work I do but they don’t think they could ever do it. I…
Read MoreGasoline to the Flame
I’m honored to photograph real women with real life struggles. There are no models here. Felicia is the owner of my NC studio. I was in town visiting family and wanted to check out her space. She was more than accommodating allowing me to stop in while she was there working. From the moment I…
Read MoreWhat Defines You?
Each and every woman who schedules with me has a different why for seeking this experience. They are all unique reasons. I always honor my clients wishes to have their story remain silent or anonymous. I’m honored that Erin is allowing me to share her story. Her story is at the very core of how…
Read MoreDon’t be Common
Are you the one who hides in group photos? Are you too busy and never taken time for yourself? Do you rarely dress up or put makeup on? Those were her comments to me. She hides. She doesn’t take time for herself. She went against things that were common for her and did the uncommon…
Read MoreTreasured Gift X2
“I decided to do this shoot as a gift for my husband for our 10 year wedding anniversary. I had some serious body-image issues after having children and was concerned that the photographs would show every imperfection of my body. From the time I contacted Karen, she reassured me that not only will my husband…
Read MoreLet’s Talk About That Word
Can we talk about the V word? No, not that word. Validation. Women seek validation from so many sources. Our likes on social media. Comments from friends. What our busy schedule looks like. How our kids are thriving. Validation only comes from one place. Within yourself. As a boudoir photographer I come alongside you in…
Read MoreDear Future Self
See that look? That’s the look of one determined chick! I’ve photographed Abby a couple of times and I’ve watched her transform and evolve into an amazing woman. During COVID she did some intentional looking inward, figuring out what her best life looked like and what she really wanted at her core. She kept putting…
Read MoreDo You Communicate or Connect
Do you communicate or connect? There’s a difference. I live for connection. When I have all my peeps under one roof and we’re sitting around the table talking and laughing, I’m in my happy place. 💓 We live in a world that is full of distractions. There’s a lot of noise around us which is…
Read MoreWhat are you going to chase today?
You can have your excuses or you can have your success. You can’t have them both. <GULP> I have a pretty notebook obsession. I have half a dozen that have notes scribbled in them, ideas, motivational quotes, mind dumps, lists, doodling, you name it. I love to pull out these notebooks and reflect on where…
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