Meet Kyla Jenkinson | Owner and Photographer at Photo Divine

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

Hi Kyla, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Hats off to anyone who has perfected a work-life balance! I have not nailed this… yet!

I studied photography in college, traveled abroad to work in New Zealand, then returned to Durango, CO to start my own business focused on weddings and portraits in 2004.

During those first years developing my business I would spend hours perfecting my style. I did not tire from the time invested, because I was truly mastering what I loved, and my books reflected that.

A series of events led to a shift in how I was photographing. My mother was diagnosed with severe adult anorexia, followed by cancer. My mom survived long enough to witness the birth of my second son. She passed away just over a year later while in her sleep with me on one side and my sister, Wesley, on the other. It was a well-earned peaceful exit. As a mother, I don’t believe there to be a better way to transition from this life. As a daughter raising a young family without a mom to refer to was debilitating.

During this time Wesley teamed up with me. Photo Divine became our pro-peace approach to creating body positive imagery. The focus was on building a portfolio that celebrated each woman that we photographed to produce images that reflected their uniqueness. This work was rewarding and healing for us. However, adding motherhood to our skill set required another shift to make Photo Divine sustainable and bring some balance to our lives. There was a lot to hold together. Everything felt messy; the work, raising children, the grief, broken sleep, lack of self-care. A life that once functioned with some sort of ease felt compromised.

I began the process of redefining what is important to me, where I want to focus my energy and what brings me joy. In short, I am not convinced there is such a thing as a work-life balance. I will say this, to have sanity in work and life I believe one must become an excellent pivoter.

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 feel tuned in to what people need to make them feel comfortable in front of the camera. I would attribute my success as a photographer to having this gift and using it to create authentic portraits for my clients. People want to feel seen. Being able to “see” people and provide to them a tangible product that reflects their essence continues to bring me joy. Doing this for women, families and entrepreneurs is rewarding.

I have always wanted to make a difference with my photography. Promoting positive body image felt like one way to do that. Being photographed is an act of vulnerability. I want my clients to feel safe with me. Together we build an image or let images unfold as I document. Often, I am awed to be witness to this unfolding especially when a client steps into their power while in front of the camera. This is the “sweet spot” and when we tap this during a session magic happens.

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?
The Durango area is a fantastic place to visit. Because I am a foodie, I would take my guest on a bar and appetizer hop downtown. I would start at the Bookcase and Barber for a fancy drink and ambiance and then I would make my way to Ken and Sues, Chimayo, Eolus, Primi who all have fantastic food and appetizers. I would end at Cream Bean Berry for an ice-cream.

The Durango-Silverton train pulls in tourists from all over the world. The ride through the mountains is fantastic, but I only suggest taking it one way, as that alone will take 4 hours. I would pick up my guest in Silverton and take them on the Old Hundred Gold Mine tour and then eat at Handlebars restaurant.

One of my favorite Day hikes just north of Purgatory resort is to Spud Lake. The 30-40 minute 4 wheel drive road is worth the ride to access this pristine mountain lake. It is a short hike in that kids can do, which makes it a fun day for the whole family. We usually picnic and swim even though the water is frigid.

The Durango Hot Springs has recently been remodeled and it is fabulous! It is certainly worth taking a soak in these mineral springs with a view!

Other southwest adventures unique to the area are the Mesa Verde Ruins, river rafting on the Animas River, Purgatory Ski resort, and camping at Lemon, Vallecito and Navajo Lakes. Lake Night Horse, which is the closest to Durango, is open during the summer for boating and paddle boarding too. Plus a giant inflatable water park was added in 2021. There are so many fun things to do in this beautiful area that I get to call home!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I feel so grateful to always have had a tribe of people who have supported me and my life endeavors, especially my family.

My Grandpa Bill Wright comes to mind first. An avid photographer himself, a fantastic storyteller, and a world traveler, I would attribute the start of my passion for photography largely to him.

I am grateful to all the instructors I had at Colorado Mountain College and for the many hours I spent developing film in the darkroom. I feel fortunate to have learned photography using film.

My parents, Jim and Judi Jackson, never let me doubt myself or my abilities to create a life I desired.

I worked for several photographers before and after college and each of them helped me to develop my confidence as a photographer.

I have deep gratitude to my sister who left her job as a back packing guide to join me in creating Photo Divine.

The one who has been on the peaks and in the valleys of the building of a dream with me is my husband, Steve. He has let me be the driving force in making up this life recipe as we go. I am so grateful to have his love and support.

The people who I could truly not have created this business without are my clients. I cannot emphasize enough how honored I am to be trusted to make images of people. Without a doubt, this is the best compliment a portrait photographer can be gifted.

Thank you to everyone who has believed in the value of the work that I do!

Website: www.photodivine.com

Instagram: @photodivine

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

Image Credits
Portrait of me Wesley Sebern (my sister) The rest of the photos: Kyla Jenkinson