For as long as she could remember, Charter alumna Katherine “Kat” De Barros only spoke in “swim” language. With the constant wet hair from practices and coaches signaling to transition from one stroke to another, 17-year-old De Barros was more than set that she was going to make a career out of swimming. It was not until she got invited to a Paramore concert that everything changed. The performances were unique, but what caught her eye was the magic behind the scenes. It was the flashes and camera crew running from one side of the stage to the next that she became fond of. Since then, photography was not only an enjoyment for Katherine, but something she branched out to be herself in and made a career out of.
After graduating from Charter in 2018, young Katherine was unsure as to what she wanted to do at Broward College. “I remember making a list of everything that I enjoyed or that I am interested in, and two things popped up consistently which were music and journalism,” she reminisces. After going through the many options and finally stumbling upon photography, she quickly realized how “I got there, and I realized that for what I wanted to do, none of it required school.”
After only one semester of college, De Barros started thinking that the only way she would become successful was if she put herself out there. She found it helpful that “the more people I met, the more I realized they were telling me they valued experience over education…”
Once she bought equipment and received small tutorials, Katherine could not wait to capture photos. Although she started at local events and bars, the fresh experience for her was something she took pride in as she was trying to develop her career. Looking back at it now, she realized, “It was the corner of some bars or venues at those local shows that have so many memories because everyone is just trying to work together and network and it’s always a good time….”
Currently, Katherine has her own freelance photography business, and her next goal is to try and get a Limited Liability Company (LLC) to help with her business.
With her business “Photos by Kat De Barros,” Katherine has gained recognition and new perspectives on art from the different people that she has worked with. Concerts became her favorite memories to make, and what makes the whole process interesting for her is the challenge of getting one good shot. De Barros explains, “Even when concerts are brightly lit, the lighting you see is constantly changing, so I like the challenge of shooting a photo….” Although any form of art can be hard, over time Katherine has understood the different scenes that each band or event puts on, including lighting, action, and more.
However, just like any other business, Katherine’s own goes through its ups and downs. Some businesses do better during winter than summer and vice versa. For De Barros, her business is booked throughout fall and winter as that is when the most famous holidays happen. As she gets through those dicey times, Katherine reminds herself, “It will pick back up, and I keep working on sending emails anyway and trying to work with more people to see because you will never know who will say yes.” For her, it is important she keeps a healthy mindset as that can help with producing her business in the future and not give up.
Although Katherine’s younger life looked different compared to where she is now, she found that Charter was able to guide her to what her prized possession is now. The current art teacher, Ms. Vazquez, was able to help expand De Barros’ knowledge of composition. During her junior and senior years, Katherine was at ease in her class and “liked to be myself. It was a very good experience having her as a teacher,” she explains.
Recently, more students over this past school year have been expressing their work through the use of social media. Many students have been creating accounts dedicated to their photography or other forms of art, as they want to show the public what they are capable of. From creative ideas and love, students can learn new ways of photography from others and help themselves become better. Even as a professional photographer, Katherine found the talent of another photographer, Bryan Chorski, through social media posts and research. “Every time he posts a photo, his photography just blows my mind. It just makes me feel like my heart is full; I feel very inspired,” she mentions.
Many teens have found that going out and taking photographs with a camera—or even just using an iPhone—and constantly getting practice will yield better results.
Even though it took some convincing, younger Katherine would agree that photography will forever be the most nerve-racking, yet best decision of her whole life. Photography allows her to learn and express herself in new ways that she has never done before. As De Barros is still capturing every moment of her journey, she can confidently say, “I will never say no to anything because I will figure it out and have a great time.”
