Exploring Life & Business with Karolina Pora of Ka’Oli Photography

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karolina Pora.

Hi Karolina, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My photography story started five years ago when my husband bought me my first DSLR camera. I moved to the United States from Poland 7 years ago which was a pretty hard adjustment for me, and then a year later my husband had to relocate to Hawaii for work. I had a difficult time getting comfortable with all the changes and at the same time I found out I was pregnant. I remember I was mad at him because we were in the process of buying a house and I thought we didn’t need additional expenses… But after playing around with my camera for a couple months, I decided to take a class at the University of Hawaii to learn how to use it manually and create better pictures. I started taking a lot of photos, mostly of landscapes because Hawaii is simply beautiful.

When my first son was born, I didn’t know how to photograph people, so I was trying to take photos of him and my husband but I didn’t feel it at that time. I joined an Oahu photography group; we used to get together at 5 am to shoot at sunrise. After another photography class, my creativity increased and that’s when I found my interest in taking photos of buildings. After that, a friend gave me the idea to get into real estate photography and so I did. In 2017 I registered my LLC and I was a real estate photographer but that wasn’t enough. I asked a few friends to take photos of their families to start building my portfolio as a family photographer and I really enjoyed it. In the meantime, I started my social media and that’s how people were able to find me and book a session with me. I also took a few online classes that were very helpful. In 2019, my family and I relocated to North Carolina and I was lucky to be able to continue my photography business from the very beginning.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would say it’s been a pretty smooth road. I haven’t felt the pressure from the beginning because I wanted it to be a flexible mom job, so I could be with my kids and at the same time doing something for myself that makes me happy. I was lucky enough to have great people around to work with. I remember having a newborn and a two-year-old at home, editing photos while breastfeeding, but that was beautiful.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Ka’Oli Photography specializes in lifestyle family, maternity, Fresh48 and couples photography. I call myself a moody photographer because I love darker and warmer tones. I also love movement, and I think that comes through in my work. Laughter, love, and movement, and that’s what I feel I am known for. I love creating memories for my clients and I’m proud that they trust me and let me capture their families, their special moments in their lives, their babies… Ka’Oli Photography is not only a lifestyle photography but also I keep taking photos of interiors, which I really enjoy doing. Photographing spaces has a special place in my heart because I started as a real estate photographer and I wish I could do it more often. I’m always very excited to see all those beautiful interior designs that I can help to showcase by capturing them with my eye.

The longer I do photography the more I want to create. I’m always very excited about my next session and I always can’t wait to start editing the photos. I also want to make my clients to feel comfortable and happy during our sessions.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I feel like the most important lesson I’ve learned is keep going no matter what and that sometimes a bad experience can result in a positive change.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.kaoliphoto.com
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/kaoliphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaoliphotography/