Today we’d like to introduce you to Kent Barker.
Hi Kent, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I discovered photography in college and on the advice of a mentor, moved to Dallas in the late 70’s. My area of interest has always been portraiture and I have pursued that primarily in the commercial realm…i.e; people in advertising and portraits for magazines. I am old enough to have spent half of my career in the Film Era and am so grateful for that! Learning to shoot before Photoshop required a deep understanding of the craft… and that knowledge is one of the key factors that sets me apart from the pack today.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My greatest obstacle was making the shift from film to digital. When digital took hold, I had already spent half of my career as a film shooter. I loved the medium and was very proficient in using it. I told my reps at the time that I planned on being a film shooter for the remainder of my career…and I very clearly remember their response. “Do you want to keep working?”, they asked…and I said, yes. “Well if you do, then you need to get off your high horse and get on the digital train NOW…because it’s leaving the station and will not be coming back!” They were (as we can now clearly see) absolutely right. Thankfully, I listened to them and the rest (as they say), is history.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As I said at the beginning of this article, I have always been drawn to portraiture. For most of my career, I made a living as an advertising photographer…and fed my soul shooting portraits for magazines. In both arenas, I was lucky enough to work at a national level, photographing for agencies and magazines across the country. I am now in my 70’s and have entered a new period in my life as a photographer. For me, that has manifested in a shift away from traditional ad work and toward more project based activities. My current project is a series of portraits focused on women over the age of fifty. I love it because: a.) it uses all of my skill sets as a photographer, b.) I get to work with my own essential age group and c.) the work is hugely meaningful to the subjects. Women of this age group often say that they feel “invisible”. One of my goals in this series is to reveal their inherent beauty. I will work on this through 2027 and then wrap it up with an exhibition and hardbound book.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
The work I am currently doing is absolutely a team effort. Jeanna Doyle is a well-known Hair & Make-up artist in the Dallas Fort Worth area. As a lifelong commercial shooter. I know what an artist like this brings to the table. Jeanna works on every portrait that I do in the Women Over 50 series. We are creating incredibly beautiful images of everyone and her artistry is a large part of the reason why.
It is also very important for me to have an accomplished Assistant by my side. Luke McDonald has been that person for me for the past number of years. I couldn’t do what I do without him.
Pricing:
- It costs $850.00 to become a part of the Women Over Fifty Series. The fee includes: 1.) a pre-session conference with the photographer 2.) a one half day (4 hour) editorial style photo shoot that includes a professional hair & make-up artist 3.) a free 8×10 print of your choice 4.) inclusion is the exhibition and coffee table book.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kentbarker.com
- Instagram: kent.barker
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kentbarkerstudio
