Hey there. I am the photographer Sasha K and this is the world of my pictures… I love portraiture, especially media photography. I love taking pictures of people that make you look again. And again. I hope to be known as the “go to girl” for media photography. I also love taking pictures of anything that catches my eye. Found art, if you will. It can be anything from an object, to a landscape, to architecture.
I was born and raised in a suburb of Philadelphia where I lived until I was eighteen. My parents are from Russia and South Africa. They met in Canada. Random, I know. I went to the University of Pittsburgh where I earned a bachelor of the arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
From there I moved to New York City under the premise of getting a masters in speech-language pathology at NYU, but I couldn’t get away from my first love, photography.
I have been taking pictures for as long as I can remember. When I was five, I was given a small, pink, plastic camera. For anyone who remembers the format, it actually took 110 film, that tiny, drop-in load film, even smaller than 35mm. I used to take pictures of anything and everything that caught my eye and when my parents got it developed for me, they couldn’t understand why I had taken pictures of my play vanity table or my toys. I then proceeded to take pictures of friends any time I had a play date. I would pose them with said vanity table. I’m pretty sure I still have all those pictures somewhere.
In junior high, I got a camera with a zoom. It was like a whole new world of pictures. It took Advantix film (which was new at the time) and I was thrilled by the idea of picture-size options.
In high school, I finally got a 35mm, fully manual SLR camera. It was a Minolta X-270 and, along with my Carebear, still one of my favorite things. At that time I enrolled in Intro to Black & White photography as an elective.
That class changed my life.
I learned the basics of photography as a medium of art and expression, how to efficiently capture a moment in time and how to create one for artistic purposes, as well. I ate it all up, how to take pictures, process film, and develop prints in black and white.
In college I was shocked to learn that the University of Pittsburgh neither had a darkroom nor offered photo classes. They did, however, have a program with Pittsburgh Filmmakers in which students could enroll through Pitt and take classes at Filmmakers. So, of course, I did just that. I filled as many of my electives with photography classes as I could.
That brings me to present day. After swearing to NEVER go digital, I have broken down and bought a digital SLR. I am shocked and embarrassed to admit that I love it.
I still have all of the aforementioned cameras and a couple others… somewhere. I have baskets and boxes of pictures. Digital certainly seems like it will be a space-saver.
Ever since I was introduced to her work, I have been a huge fan of Annie Leibowitz. I think I am strongly influenced by her approach to portraits.
Now I’m opening my own shop and look to make my mark in the world of pictures I love so much.
In addition to my passion for photography, here is a list of Random Things About Me:
~ I always sneeze after I cough. Yes, always. Yes, even if I make myself cough.
~ I am the first American-born person in my family.
~ I am half-Russian, but I do not speak the language.
~ I know, but am not fluent in, American Sign Language.
~ After having my wisdom teeth out, I started using said ASL when I was coming out of the anesthesia and told not to talk despite the fact that no one I was signing to knew what I was trying to say. The more they told me this, the faster I signed.
~ I have worked numerous odd jobs, including but not limited to: babysitter, water ice scooper, 1 hour photo lab tech, substitute pre-school teacher, Sears photographer, hostess, school paper staff photographer, waitress, beauty consultant, and bartender.
~ The “K” is for Kari, my middle name.
~ I am interested in all sports involving boards (surf, skate, snow) and would love to go to Hawaii and learn to surf.
~ I have been known to quote movies or song lyrics entirely out of context to strange looks from friends.
~ I get lots of strange looks from my friends.
~ I love pink (not so surprising).
~ When bartending, I tend to invent my own drinks and give them fun names like the Bad Kitty. They’re usually great. Sometimes – not so much.
~ Friends have given me the nickname “queen of useless information.”
I hope you are able to enjoy my work even half as much as I enjoyed taking these shots. Maybe I’ll catch you on film one day… or digital, as the case may be.
