Katurah McNichols

I recently learned that I am most comfortable behind my camera, and that is when I feel most confident. I am doing something with that knowledge that I’ve never done before in my life. I am jumping right in.

My name is Katurah McNichols and I am from Milwaukee, WI. I started calling myself a “freelance” photographer in July, 2000, while living in Minnesota.  I was put in touch with a journalist who was looking for people to tell him more about an upcoming protest taking place in downtown Minneapolis. I saw talking with him as an opportunity to work with and learn from someone already established in the journalism field, and perhaps have some photos published in the process.  I went to the demonstration, took 8 rolls of pictures on my Minolta 35mm dinosaur and ended up getting arrested for not having a press-badge and being too close to the action.

My camera and film were seized, and when I finally got everything back, it became obvious that some of the pictures were not only utilitarian, but also told a genuine story.  Photos I had taken were used in court to prove that three individuals had not done what they were accused of doing.  It was small victory in comparison to seeing my photos on CNN or in TIME, but it was an inspiring start. It made me realize that I didn’t have to leave where I was to get photos of what I would be interested in if I were on the other side of my camera.

For me, photography is mostly luck.  Many of my most successful photographs have been of subjects that did not know they were having their picture taken. I am confident that creating “art” is more of a personal adventure than a commercial one for me.  The fact that people like my pictures or my paintings makes me thankful, and also, in a way, a little bit embarrassed. I took all of these pictures because I saw how beautiful the subject matter was. It makes me happy to think that anyone else could see what I saw when they look at my photos. I hope that when people look at my pictures they are able to think about the human interest, who that person is, what they were thinking, what they believe, where they come from.

I wish people to look at my photos and see a place they remember, an emotion or thought that they've had, or something that is familiar to them. I want people to get angry, or agree with the statement they think is being made. I don’t care how you react, I just want you to react. All I want out of this is the chance to show you what I see.