Wednesday, September 3, 2008

From National Geographic to 'Saturday Night Live,' BF photographer has captured engaging images

Duane Barbati News-Bulletin Staff Writer; dbarbati@news-bulletin.com

Bosque Farms Traveling down the many curves in Sunshine Lane and following Karen Kuehn in her white 1967 Cutlass, you get a sense the Bosque Farms resident not only lives her art but also wears it like a comfortable old coat.

The 48-year-old divorced mother lives and runs her photographic business, Farm Girl Productions, from her six-acre farm.

Kuehn moved to the area with her son, Emmett McConnell, in 1998. Her ex-husband, Shane McConnell, a music producer, also lives on the Bosque Farms property.

"We wanted to raise our son in a wanted and loved environment," Kuehn said. "I travel a lot out of state for photo shoots. It helps to have Shane nearby to watch Emmett when I travel. We're co-raising Emmett."

Kuehn has also three tortoises, three goats, eight dogs and three cats living on the property.

"Originally, I came to this area to visit my friends, Cindy and Chip Simmons," Kuehn said. "This lifestyle here in Bosque Farms is amazing."

She said she moved from New York City to Bosque Farms for a less stressful and hectic lifestyle.

"I love my life here," Kuehn said. "For me living here, it's cinematic. I go from working in a darkroom to working in a chicken coop."

Kuehn said she believes teachers are really important and inspire young person's creative abilities. Kuehn was inspired not only by her teachers at Cypress College in California but her stepfather Bud Loehnert.

Loehnert loved to take photographs and showed Kuehn how use a camera. Her grandfather gave her a little Instamatic camera as a young girl. Kuehn never stopped giving up on her dream of being a photographer.

After graduating from Cypress, Kuehn was accepted into Art Center College of Design in California.

"I never wanted to be a photographer," Kuehn said. "I wanted to be a veterinarian. I was 19 years old when I went to Cypress."

She said her professors John Wycoff and David Drake inspired her.

"Wycoff and Drake really saw my potential and pushed me into photography," Kuehn said. "It showed me that a teacher can inspire young minds. One teacher can make a difference in a kid's life. Wycoff and Drake were the ones for me."

She said she owes a lot to her mother Barbara Loehnert and her stepfather for supporting her to become a photographer.

"My mother was like a lot of moms who worked two jobs to get their kids to move forward," Kuehn said. "They both worked hard to pay for my arts school."

After arriving in New York, she secured a three-month internship with National Geographic that turned into a six-month internship.

With the encouragement of her teachers, parents and bosses at National Geographic, she headed to New York City with a portfolio in hand and her dream.

Kuehn hit the pavement knocking on the doors of editors and art directors to secure work.

"I showed my work to about 38 art directors and editors," Kuehn said. "I shot about four jobs in three weeks and never looked back. I never wanted to go to New York. It was the last place, I thought I'd be living and working."

Kuehn continued to work in the city for the next 16 years, shooting for New York Magazine, Newsweek, L Magazine, Interview and the New York Times.

"Anyone who would call me, I'd shoot for them," She said. "I had a really had a great career in New York City. I also shot bumpers for a season for 'Saturday Night Live.' It's the still shots of the celebrity guests, host and musical acts between the commercial spots on the show."

Kuehn shot nine to 10 photos per SNL show of celebrities. She has photographed Cher, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Sean Penn, Yoko Ono and Branford Marsalis.

"It was really fun working on SNL," Kuehn said. "It was pretty exciting. I was 27 years old at the time. I was also shooting pictures of child prostitutes on the streets of NYC for Psychology Today. It was an amazing time for me."

She said she has loved photography since picking up a camera as a young woman.

"Cypress had an amazing photo program," Kuehn said.

"It was fun and addictive. When I throw myself into something, I throw all of me into it. I am a very passionate person. I go into a shot and do the best possible shot that I can do. I give it my all."

For more information on Kuehn's photographic services visit her Web site online at http://karenkuehn.com.

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