Cara Brewer

About Me

I was born and raised in South Dakota, a land of vast space and lonely beauty. My Great Plains upbringing influences the way I look through the viewfinder. My hope is to connect with those who might like to experience the openness that welcomed me into the world, through images that moved me enough to point and shoot.

I have self published three books of my images and poetry. “Point and Shoot Poetry” and “Searching for Authenticity” and “Upon a Woman” can all be found on Amazon in soft cover and E-book versions.

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Photography

How it all started

My Story

It was my first time away from home, being yelled at by drill instructors and feeling very lonely and insecure. I didn’t even own a car yet, so I had no means of escape. On the day we were scheduled for military headshots, the photographer struck up a conversation with me. That photographer made me feel calm, at ease and normal again. Having associated the photographer’s camera with those positive feelings, I saved my military pay and put a camera on layaway at the commissary – my first major purchase in my life as an adult. My first time using the camera came as I was taking a military hop on a KC-135 (I think). The captain announced they would be refueling a couple F-4’s. When I saw the NCO crawl into the glass bubble to perform the refueling maneuver, I asked if I could photograph the fighters, and much to my surprise, he said Yes! As I laid next to the glass bubble on the floor of the tanker and looked down to see the flying boom, the F-4 and the ocean below, I was in awe.

Cara Brewer's First Photograph - F4 Airplane

If I hadn’t had my camera, I never would have asked to lay by the refueler to witness the event. From then on, my camera became my courage; courage to overcome my social anxiety and courage to have a voice.

Now I enjoy translating that moment of finding courage onto other young adults (seniors) who are about to leave home for the first time. Getting information about each individual then searching for the location that matches their uniqueness is part of the process I really enjoy. Sometimes they already know where they want their shoot to be, and that’s great! But if they don’t, rest assured that I’ll put in the effort to find one for them.

– Cara Brewer