Local photographer named 'Master' of craft

Pictures are worth a thousand words. Other times, they're worth one prestigious designation.

McKinney photographer Kate Parker knows about both. Her repertoire garners lasting smiles and memories for her child, family and high school clients.

It also recently vaulted her to international recognition. The Professional Photographers of America named Parker a "Master of Photography" at this year's Imaging USA international photography conference in New Orleans.

"It is truly an honor to be among those photographers officially designated as Masters of the art and craft of photography," she said. "PPA has a long and meaningful history, and I am so proud to be a part of the line of photographers who constantly seek to elevate this work."

Parker, who four years ago opened her Kate Parker Artisan Photography Studio in McKinney's historic district, is one of only seven Texas photographers to receive the designation this year. Of more than 22,000 PPA members, just 80 photographers were selected as Masters of Photography.

Reaching photography's upper echelon has been a long time coming for Parker, who didn't pursue the industry full-time until opening her in-home studio. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of North Texas in 1996, then taught art in Plano and McKinney for several years.

But her snapshot dream was always there. She got her first manual camera in high school and began "taking pictures of everything, all the time."

"I've always been a very visual, creative person, so this is something I always had a dream of doing," she said. "I thought it would be too hard to make a living doing it, but I've been pleasantly surprised that from the very beginning, that hasn't been the case."

Her subjects range from newborns to families to students. Though she does snap posed portraits, Parker maintains her artsy slant through unique scenes, lighting and emotional representations.

Her "straightforward and honest" style has attracted clients from all over the D-FW Metroplex. Annual print competitions helped Parker gain accomplished admiration from well beyond the area.

Before Parker's recent Master designation, the PPA had already named her 2010 Photographer of the Year. All four prints she entered into PPA competition that year received merits, in itself a step up the prestige ladder, she said.

"It's really difficult to get a merit because they're looking for images that are both technically perfect and have something else amazing about them," she said. "For me, it's most about the work and loving it. I think all artists are seeking to make some kind of mark on the world."

The PPA displayed her images in its International Loan Collection, a traveling exhibition that highlights some of the finest work from professional photographers worldwide. Offered to PPA members since 1937, the Master designation symbolizes photographers' advanced education in the industry, their expertise and their commitment to high-quality photography.

And as photography shifts to the digital realm, forcing photos onto computer files lumped on hard drives, Parker is determined to keep a physical touch on her life's work. Editing programs like Adobe Photoshop has supplanted the traditional dark rooms, but inside her studio, Parker controls every aspect of production, from shooting to processing to mounting prints in frames.

"I feel like the end, physical piece is really important," she said. "A lot of photographers are just doing digital now, handing discs to their clients. I want to always be able to give my clients something that is going to have a real home."

Her push to maintain photographic tradition stems from its authenticity, she said. As artists, photographers can capture emotion and form connections with their subjects that no software ever could.

"It all starts with that initial connection," Parker said. "I'm not the right photographer for every family or child, but the ones I am right for, it's because we connect with each other through the images."

From that connection comes Parker's always changing vision, one that's materialized through silhouetted celebrations, sleeping babies and twins giggling in theater chairs. Clients who don't mind Parker using their pictures for competition must sign a model release form, and in the case of some, their faces travel around the world and represent Parker's most esteemed work.

Her own kids, Charlotte and William, have provided extra motivation for Parker, though she's always viewed little ones as her most interesting subjects.

"Children are magical and amazing because they change so fast," she said. "It feels like photography involving children is more meaningful because it's capturing a fast-moving, changing creature."

But creating such time snippets can be important at any age, she said. Her father died a few years ago, and aside from memories, his pictures are all the family has left. One of Parker's earliest and most consistent clients was recently diagnosed with brain cancer.

Their way to cope: take as many pictures as possible.

"It's made me realize why photography is so special," Parker said of life's sometimes tragic turns. "It's life-changing the first time you lose someone who's really close to you. You never know how long you have, so being able to capture every moment when you enjoy it is really important."

While aspiring photographers lean on Parker to more easily chase similar dreams, she often depends on her family. Her husband, Mitch, built her garage studio, and last year, they released "Camera Obscura Journal," a collection of literature and photography from submitters all over the world.

Parker edits photos for the publication, which comes out twice a year at bookstores and libraries around the country. It was named on the Library Journal's "Top Ten New Magazines" list in 2010.

Even as photography morphs, Parker remains tied to creativity and an artistic approach, both of which she said her mother, Margaret, has supported and encouraged throughout her life.

Few other art forms can portray a person's revelation through other people, frozen in time. Pictures can be worth a thousand words, thoughts and feelings. Or they can mean living out a mastered mission.

"What makes any photographer special is they are them; it's still their finger and mind and vision," Parker said. "Entering print competition has really helped me grow as a photographer. It's taken my work to an entirely new level."

For examples of Kate's work, or to book a photo session, visit www.kateparkerphotography.com.

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