We had the good fortune of connecting with Kimberly Butler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kimberly, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Deciding to become an artist for a living, is a very risky move. It is not deemed “practical” by almost everyone from family to society.

I never gave it a second thought when I decided to get educated in the arts, and follow the one thing I truly loved and never lost interest in.

The the most IMPORTANT reason was fear of being locked in an office, dealing with politics, and being a slave to corporate whims.

THAT FEAR gave me the energy to push through any obstacle in pursuit of my dreams.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I began by assisting photographers that specialized in celebrity work. Simultaneously, I worked on my own portfolio, photographing my friends, family, and working for charity organizations. This exposed me to many people who I began to network with widening my reputation and improving my skills. I have always acquitted my career in arts like building a house, one brick and one photoshoot at a time. I spent more than a decade of my life at People magazine. In addition, I had many other freelance clients from all walks of life. This ran from ABC to United Jewish Appeal, American Library Association, Celebrity Read campaign, which I have been shooting and producing for 20 years.

Was it hard? I don’t believe that anything you are passionately absorbed by can be defined as hard work. I have done 10 hour shoots for major networks that were incredibly draining, but at the same time the reward always outweighs the amount of energy I put into it.

How did I get where I am? Not taking no for an answer. If someone did not like my portfolio, I brushed it off and went to the next person. The great photo editors who put their trust in me enabled me to build a fantastic career by bringing them back everything they asked for and more. My respect and understanding that they had bosses to report to made me work harder.

After photographing world leaders, movie stars, various other celebrities among us, I have learned that the greatest work is charitable and social causes. I spent 5 years going in and out to Russia after the fall of the Berlin wall to document people that were leaving and relocating to other countries. This work along with my Read campaign and my current fight against banning the books in America using visual interpretations of each book, this cause is dear to my heart. I’m a deeply patriotic American, a daughter of the American revolution and banning freedom of speech is unacceptable in any democratic society. Using my artistic gift to visually put out to the world what’s currently happening in our country is the greatest joy in my life and career.

Of course, in order to do all this humanitarian work I’m doing a great deal of commercial photography specializing in start ups and rebranding.

At the end of the day, I’ve come to realize that the most important of success is respect and kindness.

My final word to anyone who is beginning their career is to control your ego, learn to gracefully take criticism so you can grow into the photographer you dream of being.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Go everywhere where the elite doesn’t. If it’s cool to be seen, avoid it at all cause.

Kimbo’s itinerary for NYC:

The museum of Natural history;
Metropolitan Museum of Art;
Lunch in Harlem. Avoid cliche places and go to family owned restaurants where grandmas cooking up great southern food.
The Circle Line it’s a boat that goes around Manhattan Island ang gives you a great perspective of how small we actually are.

Great architecture:
Rockefeller center;
Radio City music hall;
Empire State Building;
Chrysler Building.

Note: all along the way try little restaurants. In NYC we have any food from anywhere in the world available.

Central Park.
Downtown Manhattan:

Take a boat to the Statue of Liberty, you would see the Brooklyn Bridge.
South Street Seaport is filled with history of early New York and absolutely fascinating with great places to eat.
Take a helicopter tour around Manhattan. Remember that Captain Sully landed that plane right on this strip on the Hudson River.

Finally, go to the Fraunces Tavern that was established in 1762 by the British. It gives you a great idea what New York was during colonial days.
And, most importantly, go up to the second floor and see the dining room where George Washington and his generals had their farewell dinner after winning The Revolutionary war.

And don’t forget to leave 3 hours before your flight.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are many people I owe my success to:

My mom & dad. “Follow your bliss”
My first photo boss and mentor, Stan Fellerman.
The dozens of photo editors who took a chance on a very young, enthusiastic baby photographer.

My 5th-grade teacher, Adele Goldfarb, who told me I was special.

Finally, all the horrible people who surrounded me during my years in an Orphanage, and after, telling me I would be nothing because I was a loser.
These people lit the fire that propelled me to great success.
I’d like to thank each and every one of them.

Website: https://www.kimberlybutler.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlybutlerphoto/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlybutlernyc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dakimbo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimberly.butler.39?mibextid=LQQJ4d

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