Conversations with Katherine Seibert

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katherine Seibert

Hi Katherine, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I guess it’s a combination of a lot of things, really. My parents and my grandparents were all into photography, and I can’t recall a time when there weren’t cameras around growing up. As a teen, I was always at shows and raves with my friends, and I looked forward to seeing the photos that were taken by the hired photographers there. I loved that they were able to capture the night so I could just be in the moment with my friends and not worry about taking pictures. When I got to college, a sorority sister of mine was supposed to cover a show I was going to be at, but she couldn’t make it, and knowing I was into photography, asked if I wanted to try my hand at shooting the show, no pressure, in her place. My pics weren’t exactly great, but that was the moment I felt the adrenaline rush of being on the other side of the barricade and knew I wanted to keep doing this. From there, it was meeting a lot of other photographers in the scene, and a few industry vets really took me under their wing and helped me grow to where I’m at now. Shoutout to Jack Lue and Steve Brazill for guiding me and showing me the ropes. As I was covering shows, I started meeting more and more photographers and local artists and promoters, and finding community with people that have been working to uplift each other in the industry. You hear a lot about how it’s cutthroat, but I guess I’m really fortunate in that I’ve only ever encountered people that have been supportive and actively working to build others up.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Honestly, I would say it has been. That’s not to say it’s been easy, but I’ve been surrounded by so much support both in my personal and my professional life that nothing external has felt like a struggle. There are always challenges, but that’s life, and my friends and family allow me to see the positive in almost all of those situations and set-backs. My biggest struggles have been those that I’ve imposed on myself, whether that’s the notion that my work isn’t good enough, that I’m not contributing and giving back in a way that’s meaningful, or just the general burn-out and creative blocks that come from constantly being on the go. I’m starting to find a balance, and I’ve connected with some folks more recently that have allowed me to use my work to give back to the community, and that’s been fulfilling. Truly, I’ve been very fortunate in life and that hasn’t been lost on me, and I haven’t had the setbacks that a lot of people deal with.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In terms of my photography, I mostly photograph live performances. My favorite thing is capturing people fully in their element, whether that’s the artist on stage or people in the crowd – just seeing the moment where you can tell the world around them disappeared for a bit, and they’re fully immersed. I think that’s probably what sets my work apart. It’s finding those moments of quiet in the chaos. Concerts and clubs are so loud and full of flashing lights and can be a bit overwhelming, but it’s also where people can find those moments of peace and joy away from their everyday lives. I truly enjoy finding and capturing those moments. And I guess stylistically, that makes sense too – my work tends to be colorful, but also soft.

Any big plans?
I’d eventually like to make this a full-time career. I’ve been working in the animation industry for almost a decade now, and while I enjoy it, it can be challenging to balance my full-time career and my photo work. This is where my passion is, and I’m hoping that the foundations I’m laying now will allow me to make that shift. I’m also trying to find more ways to use photo to help others. I’ve been provided with so much, I’d like to find more ways to give back to the community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.curiouskatphoto.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/curiouskatphoto

Image Credits
image credit for photo of me: Aaron Alva