BIOGRAPHY

Karen Broach Register was born and raised in the Tidewater region of the Virginia coast, acquiring an intense love of nature, especially the ocean and seaside, at an early age. Having spent many idyllic summers on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, it seems only natural that much of her photography reflects those early, carefree times. Karen spent 13 years in Carolina Beach, North Carolina, just a few blocks from her beloved Atlantic Ocean.

Karen, and her husband Mike, now reside in Ronan, Montana on a 20-acre ranchette with six cats, a dog, a horse, and 50 resident cattle! Karen is now exploring and photographing the spectacular Northern Rocky Mountains!

Karen graduated from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia with a BS degree in Biology and a specialization in Microbiology. While studying the natural sciences, she also spent many hours studying biological illustration, art and art history. It wasn't until a few years after graduation that she picked up her first "real" camera, a Canon AE-1. That was when her first love affair with photography began. After several years of film photography, Karen became disillusioned due to the lack of control over the finished product. Her interest waned and the camera equipment was packed away for several years. In 1995, she discovered her second passion - computers. As computers became faster and hard drives got larger, digital photography grew, and the sparks of her first love were rekindled. She decided to experiment with an Olympus 3030Z. The marriage of two loves was complete! Digital photography and computers opened all of the doors that were closed to her with film cameras. She now utilizes an Olympus E20, an Epson 2200 printer and an Epson 1270 printer. (The Canon AE-1 has been retired forever.)

Karen's digital photos are processed by her from start to finish. Most of her photographs start out as 16-bit RAW files (pure, unprocessed pixels) in the Olympus E20. The RAW file is enhanced with Photoshop CS. Karen does little manipulation of the actual subject matter other than color balance, saturation and contrast using Photoshop tools. The exception is her "Faux Aquarelle" (digital watercolor). She does her own printing with the Epson 2200 using Epson Ultrachrome™ pigment inks on Epson Premium Luster, Hahnemuhle Photo Rag and Hawk Mountain Osprey Giclee papers.

DEDICATION

This Web site, and all of her life endeavors, are dedicated:

"To my husband, Mike Register, who has stood by me and supported me through all of my plans and schemes and is my biggest fan and my most ardent supporter!"

"To my late mother, Evelyn B. Broach, who gave me the Canon AE-1 because she wanted me to have a nice camera! She would be pleased!"

"To my late father, Walter T. Broach, Jr., who would have loved to have had 20 acres and 50 cattle in Montana."