Katja Jensen, born in 1998, Denmark
Even though I had three elder siblings, I was the only one that held onto the love for the horses as I grew up. I remember when I was no more than four years old, I would often grab an old bucket, and wander out to the paddock. We had the gentlest standardbred mare there, and I would scramble onto her back, with the help of the bucket, and then just sit there for hours. That’s when I started to wonder how incredible would it be, if I could do this for the rest of my life?
I didn’t have an easy childhood. I was bullied up through middle school, and so the horses became my sanctuary. I have always been one to feel strongly, and so I would react resolutely on those feelings. My fellow schoolmates couldn’t quite understand it. But the horses didn’t ask questions or judge me. They would just welcome me right in, with their big, brown eyes and soft muzzles. That’s what I believe horses do best.
They connect to you, right where you are, and acknowledges you. Without trying to change you or the situation, but doing so with their acceptance.
When I was around 11 years old, I loaned my mom´s DSLR camera. With no rules to follow, I threw myself at photography, with such eagerness and anticipation that only a child can hold.
I photographed absolutely everything.
Horses, cats, leaves, flowers, insects, sunsets. The list is long, but in general all that was to be found on the farm.
High school would prove to put an end to my creativity for a while. When I was a teenager, my interests were many, and I couldn’t seem to settle on one for more than a few days at a time. I was into photography, drawing and writing. But to really be good at something, you need to dedicate yourself to that subject. Therefore during my education, my photography was neglected.
After high school I decided to release myself from the students applying to college. Instead I got a job, and started working and saving. This is probably the best decision I ever made. It started out as a gap year, but has later just turned into my way of living. Someday - perhaps - I will find my way back the school bench.
With the stress and pressure from high school gone, I could really begin focusing on what I wanted to do with my life. I had more or less lost the motivation for photography, until I decided to give it another shot. During my school time, I would do small commissioned photo shoots, and some of these shoots woke the smoldering fire inside from my childhood. I knew my passion was still there, I just didn’t know how to find it.
During 2017 I have carried out a project of mine, called “Horses in Motion”.
Most of the photos you have seen during this week, have been from this project. I decided to photograph the horses only, without a human's influence. I collected horse models, that I would use for my own photo shoot, in which I decided what I wanted to photograph.
This also led me to more experience with light and different time settings, resulting in photos I haven’t been able to make before. I was often afraid to step out of my comfort zone, during the commissioned photo shoots. I stuck to the things I knew.
Even though this is not my profession yet, I have no doubt that the following years will change that. In February I’m travelling Norway, doing commissioned photo shoots and photographing more models to finish the last of my project.
Remember: dreams come in a size too big, so we can grow into them.
Katja.
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