Meet Kassandra Vredenburg | Photographer and Visual Artist

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

Hi Kassandra, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
It’s simple. When you’re extremely passionate about something there is no giving up. Not just only because you actively choose not to give up, but rather because your art, your creation, has become just as much an integral apart of your being as breathing. You couldn’t imagine going through even one full day without it. You catch yourself thinking about it all the time. You cultivate an endearing proclivity and return time after time again diving into your creative process and it’s beautiful! For me personally I don’t dwell in a realm of should I keep going or should I give up, because giving up my art would be like giving up the ability to nourish my body. It nourishes every fiber of my being. Theres no metric for succeeding in my world because success isn’t what makes me happy and it’s not necessarily what I’m striving for. I’m striving for adventure, for a life well lived, for memories and gorgeous images of those memories, creating my vision and sharing that with others. Giving up just isn’t in the cards, to give up my art would require me to give up a huge part of my soul, of who I am, my essence that I’ve worked so hard to connect with and I could never imagine a life without it.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is deeply inspired by music, the personality of my subject, and above all Mother Nature. I love searching and hunting for new beautiful unique landscapes for my portrait subjects. The endless adventures through nature to find the perfect magical spot for my next shoot is invigorating. One thing I’m most proud of was that last year I was a Vendor for the Taste of Fort Collins! It was an honor to be apart of the festival and my booth consisted of an array of dreamcatchers, woodburnings, jewelry, and prints all handmade by myself, it was a ton of work but so very worth it! One of the things I get most excited about with my professional photography is that moment when I sit down with my clients and have my Gallery Reveals. I loooove to watch how their face lights up when they see their photographs!! It’s like an intimate little reminiscing session that I get to have with clients, we laugh at the funny blooper photos that I can’t help but throw in and their eyes twinkle and light up at their favorites, it’s a magical experience as an artist. I think something that sets me apart from others is my unique type of creativity, attention to detail, and when it comes to serving my clients I tailor every part of their experience with Bohemian Warrior Photography to them, I hear them, I see them, and I want to work closely with them to create their vision.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Day 1 – My best friend and I are obsessed with plants so first and foremost we would visit all the choice plant nurseries in Fort Collins: Fort Collins Plant Nursery, Gully’s, Bath, and The Plantorium and then probably have a Burger at The Charco Broiler! Day 2 – We love nature so I would take her for a nice scenic drive around Horsetooth Reservoir, starting out in Laporte, Co and wrapping up in Masonville, Co where we’ll explore the Masonville Mercantile, a beautiful antique themed historic store, and collect our fortune card from their fortune teller! Then wrap up the evening relaxing, watching the sunset and eating Krazy Karl’s pizza!
Day 3 – Thrifting and Garage Sailing is also on our list of favorite things to do so we would grab a coffee from Dutch Brothers and hit up some local thrift stores like, Brand Spanking Used, The Arc, Fort Collins Flea Market and Antiques, while keeping a lookout for Garage Sale signs! Then we would grab some lunch at Cheeba Hut and finish off the day playing a few rounds of pool at Matchups Pool Hall!
Day 4 – You can’t visit Fort Collins and not check out Old Town! We’ll grab a quick bite to eat at the delicious Back Porch Cafe and then head to downtown! People watching is grand and no shop is off limits. We’ll take our time weaving in and out of which ever shop catches our fancy. And I’ll make sure we don’t miss a few of the good ones like The Golden Poppy Herbal Apothecary, Rocket Fizz Candy Shop, Himalayan Gifts, Nepal Tibet Imports, One Love, and Happy Lucky’s Tea House. Then we’ll grab some lunch at the Pueblo Viejo Mexican Restaurant. After a relaxing morning we’ll mix it up a bit and over to the Shatter Rage Room and get in a nice emotional release via a fun smashing session! And wrap up the day with a sandwich from Schlotszkey’s.
Day 5 – We’d grab some breakfast at The Breakfast Club and then it’s time to hit the trails with our bikes! This could pretty much be an all day thing, exploring the maaaany bike trails that meander throughout Fort Collins. Spring Creek Trail is always a favorite and a good go-to! The trails are beautiful, scenic, and very peaceful and my best friend and I could explore them for hours. After a long day riding it’s time to get some yummy Asian for dinner at Hunan of Fort Collins. We both love Orange Chicken and their’s is great!
Day 6 – Again we love nature so today we’d take a drive up the Poudre Canyon. On our way out of town though we’d have to stop at Copoco’s Honey store and get loaded up on some amazing and delicious local honey!! Then up the Poudre Canyon we’d go! Stopping here and there to admire the beautiful landscape and take photos! Whilst in the mountains we’ll have to stop and make some peace offerings at the Shambala Mountain Center.
Day 7 – We’d rise early and grab a coffee and bagel from the Alley Cat Cafe and then make our way to a local natural area such as Kathy Fromme or Horsetooth and watch and photograph the sunrise together before wrapping up the trip and saying our good-byes!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My Dad for his constant gentle pushing me to never give up and enlightening perspective, my boyfriend for his support and encouragement and most of all my dear sister. My sister. 100%, she’s always full of encouraging words, she is oftentimes my photography assistant, my muse, my marketing team, my critic, my pack mule, but above all she’s my biggest fan. I sometimes hesitate to show her one of my creations because she’s always so quick to say, “I love it and I want it, name your price!”. But she’s stood by my side through the ups and downs and is always there when I need advice, feedback, or a temporary escape. She’s my best friend and I wouldn’t have the confidence or strength to put my art out there if it wasn’t for her constant words encouragement and her ‘don’t think about it, be about it!’ attitude!

Website: https://bohowarriorco.wordpress.com/

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bohowarriorphoto

Image Credits
Hunter and Cooper – Models