Meet Hannah Kutner | Photographer

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

Hi Hannah, looking back, what do you think was the most difficult decision you’ve had to make?
The most difficult decision I have ever had to make it getting up and leaving. At 20 years old, I made the decision to move 2,000 miles across the country alone. I left my friends, family, and business behind, to move to a new state where I knew nobody. Although it was the most difficult decision I’ve ever made, it turned out to be the best I’ve ever made.

“You cannot heal in the same environment where you got sick.” This quote brings a lot of meaning to my decision to uproot my life. I lived in New Jersey for 20 years of my life, a place filled with beautiful memories, but also painfully sad ones. My life began to feel mundane, and I knew in my heart that I not only wanted, but needed more.

The idea of living in Colorado seemed more like a mere, floating thought- something I knew would be extraordinary, but not something that would be MY reality. I told myself excuse after excuse, allowing a mind which such beautiful dreams to be controlled so deeply by fear.

My home environment was filled with constant chaos, it was not somewhere that my soul felt loved, safe, or supported. Despite this, I chose to stay in it, because I was comfortable, and the fear of being uncomfortable weighed heavier than the pain that my comfort brought me.

I believe I was addicted to sadness- I found comfort in the girl who identified as ‘hurt’. I didn’t know who I was outside my depression, as it became apart of my identity, struggling with it since the age of 12. Letting go of this version of myself meant I’d have to learn who I truly was, and let go of being the girl that made others happy, but hated herself. It meant that I’d have to learn to love the parts of myself I convinced myself I hated, and become a new version of me.

In August of 2020, I woke up and decided it was time to change. In a moment of freedom (although some may say impulsivity), I made the choice to leave. Without much planning, I googled “good towns to live in Colorado”, chose a spot, and found a roommate on Facebook Marketplace that same day. I signed a lease, and had a move in date for 2 1/2 weeks later.

I didn’t know what any of this would look like, but I knew that I had to go. I packed my things, said my goodbyes to my friends and family over the next two weeks, and drove 2,000 miles to Colorado.

When I got to Colorado, I was faced with the most uncomfortbility I have experienced in my entire life. I was nervous, scared, vulnerable, sad, and excited. The unfamiliarity was unlike anything I’d prior experienced. I had to make friends, re-grow my business from the bottom up, and use navigation to get just about anywhere.

Nobody knew me, and I knew nothing. All I knew was that this would change my life,

Moving to Colorado wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies and frolicking in the mountains; it was a lot of sadness. It was a lot of shedding old skin. Here I learned how to be my own best friend. I had to learn who I was, without the environment that I grew up with, without the identity my friends and family gave me. I had to learn how to care for myself, and provide myself with what I needed, since there was no longer anyone to do it for me. I had to put myself out there and make new friends, and explore new places, alone.

I learned the art of solitude. The feeling of being alone once brought me nothing but pain; now it brings me immense peace.

I learned what it felt like to be alive, rather than just surviving. I learned how capable I was. Flash forward two years- I did it- all the things I never thought I could do. I made new friends, I re-built my business, and I made myself a home, in my own body, 2,000 miles away from the location I had called home.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I picked up my first camera when I was 13 years old. It felt kinda like a soulmate- the first time I took a photograph, I fell in love. I was using my Aunt’s camera at a family event, and after that begged my grandma *relentlessly* for my own camera for my birthday. I thank my grandma every day for getting my that camera. Little did I know it would bring me here today.

I started taking photographs of everything around me- family, friends, and nature. It felt like my safe place, and it showed me how much beauty was around me. I struggled with chronic depression since the age of 12, and photography felt like an escape for me. There was so much peace in the simplicity of a photograph, and it was the one think I truly ever took pride in.

I joined my school’s yearbook club and took images around the school hallways, in classrooms, and at sporting events. As people started seeing my work, they started asking me for more. They liked it. This feeling in itself created all the momentum for me to keep going,

Friends started asking me to take their portraits, and I fell deeper and deeper in love with the art. I decided on the name “Hannah Kutner Photography” (I know, very creative of me), after someone offered to pay me $40 to take their pictures. The idea of getting paid to do what I loved seemed unbelievable to me!

As I got older, my work continued to grow. I shot my first wedding, for my Freshman year math teacher, and from there was able to build some sort of portfolio . I kept learning and learning, and my work began to get better.

By the age of 18, I was running a full- swing photography business, shooting weddings, families, and portraits.

When I was 20, I had to make the decision to up-root my well established business from New Jersey, all the way to Colorado. This was the biggest obstacle in my career. I went from being known, to knowing nobody.

When I moved out to Colorado, I started fro square one. I posted an ad for “Pay What You Can” Photoshoots on Facebook, so I could re-build my portfolio out here. Slowly but surely, my business got back on its feet. After 2 years of slow growth, I’m officially the busiest I’ve ever been.

There were many times I’ve wanted to give up. Having to start from the bottom after moving was incredibly discouraging, but the love for photography inside of me told me to keep going, so I did,

The beautiful thing about photography is the way you can capture a moment- forever. It’s capturing laughter, love, and pure joy, in a still moment- something tangible. It is the way that a photograph can bring you back to that exact moment, and re-live all the memories.

I choose photography for its ability to capture beauty, the beauty that was always there. Words cannot explain the feeling that an image can make someone feel so beautiful, even someone who didn’t feel beautiful in that moment. It has a way of showing how much beauty is all around us, something we sometimes fail to see.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There’s almost too much to do in a week in Fort Collins, but with a few packed days, you can *almost* see it all.

The first must would be a trip to the famous Rocky Mountain National Park, because.. how could you not?! The mountains will leave a non- Coloradan in absolute disbelief, and nothing beats the awe the mountains will leave you in. On our way back, there are two necessary spots- the first being JAX Outdoor Gear, my favorite local- owned Outdoor Gear store. There, we would shop local vendors, and get all of necessities for our week in the outdoors.

The next stop would be coffee, of course, since it’s a must- have after flying all day. Lima is my favorite local coffee shop, located in Old Town. This coffee shop has one- of- a- kind drinks, and the most beautiful aesthetic. It’s filled with couches, neon lights, bight white walls, and even the cutest apparel!

Penrose, Ginger and Baker, and Elevated Sandwiches are all a must for places to eat. At Ginger and Baker, you can relax with your pup on the Dog Patio, taking in the summer air, and they even have food for your pup too, so you both can enjoy!

Penrose is a must, so you can sit outside the Exchange, eat the most delicious food, and walk right over to Old Town Churn afterwards.

Elevated Sandwiches is a local gem- the perfect stop on your way down the Powder River. They have fresh, homemade sandwiches there- like you’ve never tasted before. The Eggplant Parmesan sub is an absolute most if you want to know what a mind- blowing sandwich experience is like.

From there, I’d take my friend down the Poudre River. The drive down the Poudre speaks for itself- filled with canyons, mountains, and the most gorgeous river. Since we’re in Colorado, it’s a right of passage to go rock- climbing at Low Hanging Fruit, so that would be our first stop along the river.

Another necessity is the CSU Flower Gardens, filled with bright and beautiful flowers, all summer long.

And of course, you can’t forget the infamous Horsetooth Reservoir- what Fort Collins is known for. There’s enough to do there for multiple days, whether its paddle boarding, cliff jumping, or seeing the most incredible sunset of your life.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My dad deserves a thank you bigger than words can ever convey. My father has been my rock, my best friend, and biggest supporter. When I decided I didn’t want to go the traditional route of a Bachelor’s Degree, I faced a lot of backlash from the people around me. He was the one person that unconditionally believed in me. Regardless of what path I went, my father told me I’d be successful.

He has shown up for me in every single way. He has spent hours with me on the phone from 2,000 miles away, telling me it would be okay on my darkest days. He’s flown across the country to be with me when I felt like things were too hard to keep going. He’s shown me what unconditional love looks like, and never failed to make it known how proud he was of me.

My father has played the role of a mother, a father, a best friend, a mentor, and a safety net, all throughout my life. He has shown me what hard work looks like, and how far it will take you in life. He has been the number one supporter of my photography business, and without his words, I probably wouldn’t be here pursuing it today.

On my darkest days, my dad was the reason I kept going- which is why there’s not a single other person that deserves this shoutout more than him.

Website: kutnercreative.com

Instagram: @han.kutner