Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Klose.
Samantha, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I grew up in Bakersfield, Ca. As long as I can remember I had a camera closely nearby, ready to capture my life through the lens! I LOVED pictures!! I would get so excited to go get my film developed at the nearest Longs Drug Store and frame all my favorite photos from that week. It made me so happy, but for some reason I never thought of it as a career. I’m assuming because I became a mother very young at the age of 19. A passion career didn’t make sense at the time, I needed stability to support myself and my little girl, Victoria. So I worked numerous jobs to make ends meet, the last of them being a bartender at the most popular bar in Bakersfield. While working there, I confided in a girl who would soon become one of my dearest friends, about how I longed to live in Los Angeles, the city of DREAMS. I wanted more opportunity for myself and my then 6 year old daughter. I had the biggest dreams for Victoria, and I didn’t feel like those dreams would happen in a smaller town. So about 11 years ago my friend, my daughter and I packed up and moved!! Probably one of the scariest things I have ever done!! A single mom moving to a big city with her little girl and only knowing one soul there, that’s just crazy! Well after making sure my daughter went to the best schools in Santa Monica and years of bartending at night to maintain that lifestyle for us, I finally realized I wanted to learn more about my first passion in life, photography. Today I am very proud to say I am a full time photographer, married to the most amazing and talented man ever, and the proudest mom of a 17 year old baby girl!! It is both an emotional and wonderful time in my life 🙂 Soon my little girl, best friend, side kick, reason for every decision I have ever made, is going to move out of our home and start her own life in College. How did that happen so fast? It seems like yesterday I was this scared 19 year old, holding my beautiful baby in my arms for the first time! The road may not have been easy, but it was our road, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything! My biggest wish for my daughter is to follow her dreams no matter how hard it may get, and not to ever give up!
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I am a photographer and I take photos of all different categories and I love them all!! You can find me capturing families, newborns, bloggers, weddings, events and my all-time favorite, Country bands!! Growing up in Bakersfield you hear a lot of Country music, and I fell in love with it!! I currently shoot with a band named Honey County which allows me to shoot every country festival and venue all over! Shooting with these talented ladies also gives me the opportunity to meet some of my Country idols in the process, a true dream come true. If you catch me with a camera in my hand and there is live Country music playing, then that’s a happy photographer!!!
How can artists connect with other artists?
It can get lonely from time to time when you are an artist. My advice is to find Facebook groups to join that are in the field you are in. They usually have meet ups and networking is always so helpful! Meeting new people in your field helps inspire you, especially when you are in a slump, it helps you re focus.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
To find me you can go to my website kloseupphoto.com (thank you dad for the last name!!)
If you like lifestyle photos check out @kloseupphotography on Instagram, if you want to see my photos of my country babes check out @samanthaklose on Instagram.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kloseupphoto.com
- Phone: 3109442198
- Email: samantha@kloseupphoto.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kloseupphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kloseup/?ref=settings
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Samantha_Klose
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
Roger Herrick
April 17, 2018 at 12:22
Wow, that’s a very inspirational story, so glad that you have achieved your dream. In my life I have learned and want to share with everyone that God has a reason for us all to be here. Take time to thank Him and most importantly we all need to accept His precious gift of eternal life through the price paid at the cross. I ask Jesus into my heart at a young age but tried to live the party life, He never left me and I came back, to Jesus, praise God for allowing me to make a UTurn. God bless you and your family, hold your daughter close, they grow up so fast.