Kathy samsel
About her background Kathy Samsel says “When I was young, my mother would let me look through her Brownie box camera and then she would tell stories of how she snuck her camera into Germany just before WWII started and how the SS followed her around thinking a single lady with a camera must be a spy. She captured life in Germany.” In the late sixties Kathy captured pictures of East Germany, following in her mother’s footsteps.
Learning from National Geographic, Time and Life magazines, and taking a few general art classes on design, Samsel is mostly self-taught. She still spends hours looking at the angles, shape, action, and design for the story she wants to tell. I spent three years shooting in black and white and developing my own photos due to cost. What a great way to learn to look and to be careful with tones, hues, and shading. "When taking a picture I am looking for a unique way to tell the story for one to see, whether it be one of landscape, nature or sports. I want to show the wrinkles in Uncle Max's face, the quiet look in Sally's eyes and the look of pain in the families smiles now that Papa is gone. It will take more than one shot but we will be able to talk for hours when we pull out the pictures at the next family gathering and remark on each person". She feels in our fast changing world that it is important to record today's society and our environment so other generations can appreciate, learn and see life's improvement and challenges that have been conquered. She added, "With pictures we are able to store and record our families’ daily life and the positive and negative events of each society".
At this summer’s Trail’s End Annual Judged Show, Samsel took a first place in the Photography division and Best in Show for her photo of Haleakala. "I feel the art of photography takes patience, kindness, humor, and with specific goals in mind. .I have enjoyed learning other forms of art but I always go back to the world of photography.”
Learning from National Geographic, Time and Life magazines, and taking a few general art classes on design, Samsel is mostly self-taught. She still spends hours looking at the angles, shape, action, and design for the story she wants to tell. I spent three years shooting in black and white and developing my own photos due to cost. What a great way to learn to look and to be careful with tones, hues, and shading. "When taking a picture I am looking for a unique way to tell the story for one to see, whether it be one of landscape, nature or sports. I want to show the wrinkles in Uncle Max's face, the quiet look in Sally's eyes and the look of pain in the families smiles now that Papa is gone. It will take more than one shot but we will be able to talk for hours when we pull out the pictures at the next family gathering and remark on each person". She feels in our fast changing world that it is important to record today's society and our environment so other generations can appreciate, learn and see life's improvement and challenges that have been conquered. She added, "With pictures we are able to store and record our families’ daily life and the positive and negative events of each society".
At this summer’s Trail’s End Annual Judged Show, Samsel took a first place in the Photography division and Best in Show for her photo of Haleakala. "I feel the art of photography takes patience, kindness, humor, and with specific goals in mind. .I have enjoyed learning other forms of art but I always go back to the world of photography.”