Meet Koko Arenas | Mother | Photographer | Unreasonably Passionate

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

Hi Koko, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
As an individual, a mother, a wife, a business owner, risk taking has played a major roll in the outcomes and ultimately the experiences I’ve had in my life and career. I had a rough upbringing as a child, resulting in having to grow up before my time and take on responsibilities that I wasn’t ready for. As I grew, I began to shy away from having to make the big ‘scary’ decisions, not wanting to create conflict or continue to ‘let people down’, and as a result I landed being stagnant in my life, feeling unhappy and unfulfilled. Truth be told I was exhausted and didn’t even know it. My true kryptonite has always been having a soft spot for people and being a people pleaser. It wasn’t until I started having kids that I truly realized that making those big decisions was necessary and they didn’t always mean bad things were going to happen. Over the last decade, I started and have continued to take the biggest risk I’ve ever taken; Myself. Thats taken a lot of growth. I’ve put myself in uncomfortable situations more than I ever have, from earning a black belt at 30 to starting a photography business, traveling alone for the first time & encouraging others to take a chance on themselves. I’ve never felt more fulfilled in life than I ever have.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am truly unreasonably passionate about things. About life. From the beginning its always been art that has allowed me to show that; painting, sketching, drawing, music, taking pictures; it’s always been a huge part of my life and expression. I enjoy color & vibrancy. The little details and the big ones. The in between moments. It’s not easy to build something from the ground up. To put yourself and your name out there for the world to see and criticize. That takes a special kind of what I like to call delusional confidence. Not everyone is going to like you, your work, what you offer. And that’d well within their right. There’s a lot of No’s, cancellations, tears, redirections etc. that come with the work.
In the beginning it wasn’t easy for all those things to happen. They still do. But that’s also a part of what I love. When one thing hasn’t worked out, something better has always come along. I wouldn’t be here today without all the things that I really wanted to work out, not working out. I can’t always control the outcome of everything in my business. My favorite part about what I do, is being able to build authentic relationships with the clients that choose me and the reactions i get to see with what I’ve been able to create for them. There are so many things to capture behind the camera and since I’ve picked it up again, I’ve found both a continued and new love for styled sessions and travel photography. Something I see myself building more of going forward.

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?
Im partial to peace and quiet. The best times I’ve had have always been the ones spent in the outdoors. The mountains, going for a hike, practicing my archery skills (not that i’m good) its just fun! A good cup of coffee from Ziggi’s. Walking through Elk Horn Ave in Estes Park, driving through Georgetown or just going for a ride and finding a rest stop and hang out by the creeks. Those are my favorite.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost, I believe I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my little family. I have to give major credit to my husband. I know a lot of people probably do, but if there ever was a person to believe in me more than I do, its him. Especially when I feel like I can’t. From all the hypothetical conversations, the jokes about what could or couldn’t go wrong, the things that DO go wrong, the tears, the happiness; He’s never once told me my ideas are to far fetched or that “No, you can’t do it” “It’s not possible”. From all the things that have and haven’t worked. It’s always been: ‘You want to quit your job, become a stay at home mom and build an online business, when do you start?’, ‘You want to take photos and make it into a career? Here’s a camera’, ‘You want to travel across the country without me to meet some strangers you met online to build your skills, when do you leave?’. Some a little crazy, others not so much. His unwavering support for my dreams is truly something I have never experienced from someone so close to me. No decision I have ever made has been made without him. A well deserved shoutout.
My Kids who I used to drag with me everywhere and practice on till their eyeballs rolled out of their heads. We’ve surely had some adventures.
I’d also like to give a shout out to one of my mentors from the beginning of my growth stage, Brittney Carmichael, founder of Shine School. I don’t even remember how I came across Shine School, but she’s definitely paved a way for women like myself to build healthy relationships with themselves, shift into the new and embrace their authentic self. I don’t know if I would have built up enough self confidence on my own without her guidance.

Website: https://kokotography.mypixieset.com/

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

Image Credits
Both Photos Of Horses Taken By Myself During A Workshop Hosted By The Talented Lane Equine Photography.