Artist Series 017 | Katelyn Berberich

A Conversation with Katelyn Berberich

 

MS: Tell us a bit about where you’re from, where you’ve been, and how you began working in photography?

KB: I’m from Washington State, and moved to San Diego five years ago to study business at San Diego State University. I began in portrait work around 7 years ago, moving into the concerts and events space during my sophomore year of college after photographing a show for Marlon Funaki. My family has always been big on traveling, so I started traveling internationally at a young age. It’s always been something I’ve wanted to merge with my photography business, and it wasn’t until recently that I was able to make that happen. 

MS: How would you explain your style / approach to photography?  What inspires you? 

KB: My style in photography is definitely geared towards portraits. If you look through my website or social media portfolio, you can see trends of vibrant colors and up-close portraits, but I also love leaning into black and white work. I use a slow shutter for a ton of my work, such as in the biking photo that’s on our specialty boxes.

My work is heavily inspired by music, by colors, and by the creative community around me. I think a lot of people assume SoCal photographers are in competition because the field is so saturated. However, I have genuinely never felt more inspired and supported. The people I’ve met at festivals and events are truly some of the most talented photographers I know.

MS: Could you talk about your upcoming installation? 

KB: My upcoming installation consists of 35mm film photos taken in the Netherlands and Germany on a Pentax K1000. I visited these countries with my older sister, Taylor, during Christmas and New Years in 2025. We stayed in Hostels throughout Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, and Amsterdam. Each frame is hand painted with acrylic to match the color scheme of the print. 

MS: How do you balance being present while capturing a moment? 

KB: Balancing presence while capturing a moment can be really challenging, but I’ve found that shooting on film helps maintain that balance. Using a digital camera, I tend to overshoot in pursuit of the perfect photo. On film, since I only have 36 photos per roll and can’t review the photo I’ve just taken, I only take one photo per moment— and I’m more selective with which moments to photograph.

MS: What changes in your approach when shooting film vs. shooting digital?

KB: My approach definitely changes when shooting film vs. digital. I use film to document life, and there’s a lot more forgiveness in the process of film. I use digital to produce very specific deliverables for clients, and I expect a higher level of precision with those.

Sometimes, shooting digital can feel like overconsumption (or over production). With film, mistakes often become part of the photograph. For example, a blurry digital photo means my auto-focus failed. A blurry film photo is because my eyesight is genuinely terrible, and my film camera doesn’t auto focus, therefore that blurriness feels more like a characteristic of me rather than a mistake. Of course, I try not to take blurry film photos.

MS: Do you feel any connection between how you consume coffee and how you consume / experience art? 

KB: I’ve never thought about it before, but if I were to create a connection between consuming/experiencing coffee and consuming/experiencing art, I’d say it’s in the way I prioritize joy and set aside time for each. I used to be a barista, so beyond my caffeine addiction, I truly find joy in setting time aside each day to buy a cup of coffee.

In a similar way, I have to intentionally set aside time to create or consume art, simply for the sake of joy. Being a full time freelancer means some of the art I create is strictly business, in which my focus is meeting client deliverables. Therefore, it’s important to prioritize the time spent on just enjoying a cup of coffee, or just enjoying art, without the compensation element. 

MS: What do you hope people take away from the installation? 

KB: Prints! No but truly, I hope people feel inspired to travel somewhere they’ve always wanted to go, or to pick up a film camera and start documenting their life. I have film photos of people and places I may never see again, and I’m so grateful for that. I would hope that everyone gets to capture their life and create art out of it. I also know there are a ton of people in creative industries within San Diego, and I’d love it if they felt inspired to reach out to local coffee shops and display their art.

 

 "Life Through Lenses" opening reception Friday May 8th 5pm-8pm at 2911 El Cajon Blvd