A Little About Me : Hazel Kuehn

( pronounced "keen" )

Hello, my name is Hazel

and I like to think I am just like my name: quirky, yet classic. ; )

I have a BFA in studio art, which means that I spent most of college doing art projects on the floor of my apartment, ensuring the landlord would need to replace the carpet after I left. The only pets allowed were the birds and squirrels at my balcony bird feeders. That's where I started photography. I started learning each species and spent hours trying to get the perfect shot of each new friend. I enrolled in photography courses and ended up interning as a photographer at Furnitureland South. That turned into my first full-time job and I worked there for four formative years. I learned a lot about lighting from endless chairs and sofas, but my love for people and my desire to capture meaningful portraits and memories led me to finally leave to focus all my time on my own adventure. In my photography, I strive for my three favorite things: color, joy, and light. I will always be improving my technique and honing my style, but I hope that those will always be the stars of my work.

I long to capture those epic, caught-off-guard belly laughs and other such expressions unique to individuals, so that my photos bring their loved ones joy and comfort, even years after they're gone. It's so meaningful to me, to photograph the sweet moments of a parent's loving gaze, knowing how special that photo will be to the baby in few decades. I'm blessed with such a special job!

So, while my furniture and interior design background prepared me to capture the fancy moments and details of weddings, my wildlife photography expertise comes in handy at e v e r y family session. Between growing up with three younger brothers and now raising two girls of my own, I must brag: kids think I'm funny AND I'm fluent in Daniel Tiger AND my duck noise will definitely mentioned at my funeral.