Over thirty years ago, Carolyn moved to Vermont in the throes of the hippies looking for an alternative way to live. While she began her work as a freelance photographer, Carolyn spent her nights in an unheated attic under an electric blanket while her dog wore her down vest at night. Though now her hair is shorter and she has an inside bathroom fully equipped with running water, Carolyn still has the same passion for what she does that she had when she first started taking photos.

With all the cutting edge technology that is available to Carolyn, she still remembers her first camera.

“My first camera was a Kodak Brownie...the one that used 120 B/W negative film, and you had to hold your breath and stand still while you clicked the shutter in order to have the photograph stay in focus!!! Our darkroom lacked a timer so my father taught me very accurate counting methods for developing and enlarging... "one one-thousand, two one-thousand," etc. The "strobe" had flash bulbs you scratched on rough surfaces before use to guarantee a success in one out of four shots.”

As for many of us, her interests go beyond her professional life. Carolyn spends her time within her community in Burlington, Vermont. She embraces the scenery around her as well as the people in her neighborhood. Her personal interests also extend to the environment. She has a special passion for keeping our waters clean. After all, she is only three blocks away from Lake Champlain.

In addition, Carolyn commends the discovery of new things. Recently, she has been following the growing trends of becoming green in architecture and interior design. She loves the idea of an eco-friendly no-carbon footprint home where recycled items are re-purposed. 

With each day that she is able to do what she loves, she thanks all of those who have made her journey possible.

Photo by Karen Pike

Photo by Pam Kellogg

© 2010 Peter Larsen