Meet Karen Knuth | Creative, Photographer & Anti-Human Trafficking Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Karen Knuth and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karen, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born in El Salvador during their civil war and came to the US when I was 6. I still recall a lot of my experiences from that time; experiences that have deepened my gratitude and humility at the opportunity I’ve had to grow up in the US. Arriving in the US was a complete culture shock on so many levels. My mom had married the man I have come to know as my dad. He took my brother and I in as his own and went above and beyond to help us assimilate in pursuit of the “American Dream”. We were raised on old fashioned values and hard work but never forgetting where we came from.
I do not take the sacrifices and risks my mom and grandparents made in fortifying a better opportunity for my future lightly and I feel a sense of responsibility in making sure it isn’t wasted.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My work is a form of self-expression! While photography is a passion that developed early on, I can’t say it was my dream or something I even saw myself doing professionally. I was raised to believe that working a 9 -5 was the only way to make a sustainable living and I settled into my corporate job for the stability. While I am grateful for all my corporate career has helped me provide, I realized it took far more than it was worth. After a decade, I felt something was missing & realized I had lost parts of myself. I had conformed to the expectations and suppressed the things that had made me who I was.
I was craving a creative outlet, an opportunity to express myself, to reconnect with what was important to me and the opportunity to allow others, predominantly women, the chance to reconnect and express themselves as well. So, in loosing myself, photography has helped bring me back to life! It has allowed me the opportunity to empower others, connect with some amazing people, pursue the things that make me happy and the tools to fulfill my greater purpose in advocating against human trafficking.
Self-expression is how we interact with the world, but most importantly how we connect with ourselves. My work focuses on self-expression because an image should convey feelings and interests. I work to encourage and provide a fun safe atmosphere for all to express their most authentic self, live in their moments and showcase their passions!

This year I have focused on expanding my business to work more closely with small business brands, and I couldn’t be more thrilled! Capturing the passion and people behind a brand is an amazing and exciting responsibility I don’t take lightly. As a result, I’ve had the privilege of being a co-founder of a local business networking group in the Inland Empire, The Connect. We believe we’re better as a community when its businesses are connected and thriving. While I love and continue to capture intimate moments of a couple’s wedding day, lifestyle and small business brands is where my passion lies. I’m looking forward in connecting with more business owners to help bring their visions to life!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Let’s Go! Long drives, culture, nature, food and polaroid in tow is where it’s at for me! A night or two under the stars in Joshua Tree or pool side in Palm Springs is a must and so is stopping at Hadley’s in Cabazon for a banana date shake! Idyllwild is one of my favorite little mountain towns to visit. Hiking, antique shops & a great pizza spot are always a part of my visit. Wineries in Temecula always make for a great day! I Recommend booking a ride, like Woody Wagon Wine tours to make it easy, fun and safe getting around to experience a couple different wineries. While in Temecula, I enjoy getting a coffee from Rival Coffee, dinner and cocktails from 1909 or Chef’s Grille and listening to some live music and dancing from any of the amazing spots in Old Town. Night markets are never in short supply in the area and are a great way to connect with cool people and support local.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It truly does take a village! Whether we realize it or not, our story, who we are and where we are today, is all a culmination of our experiences and people around us. First, I’d like to dedicate this to ALL who I have crossed paths within some capacity, good or otherwise. Every connection has the power to add value…cheesy, I know, but it’s true and I genuinely believe it! So, thank you all for your lessons. Second, I’d like to dedicate this to my dad. When I couldn’t find the words, he placed a camera in my hands and told me to show him what I saw. He taught me about unconditional love, hard work, importance of communication, random riddles, how to pour the perfect drink and the value of simple things. I owe him more than I could ever repay.

Website: http://karenknuthphotography.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenknuthphotography/

Other: https://www.instagram.com/k.k.creatives/ https://www.instagram.com/the.connect.ca/