Katie Jane Parker

I will never forget the moment I first stepped foot in New York City. It was late spring and the sun was bright, reflecting off the buildings. As I climbed the steps leading out of Penn Station, I shielded my eyes from the glare. When I reached the top of the stairs, I walked to the edge of the sidewalk and stared up at the great buildings around me, speechless. Taxis honked, music blared, people rushed by on their way to work, and I knew instantly that this was the place for me.

Almost exactly one year later, I moved up here from Wilmington, North Carolina. I lived in a tiny studio on Avenue C and hit the ground running, committed to my dream of becoming a professional photographer. Like they say, if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.

Four years later, I am so happy to say I am finally living my dream. I am still here and still going strong and loving every single second of it. I feel so lucky to wake up everyday and do what I love in the city I love.

I am now living on the Upper West Side with my amazing fiancé John, and our two cats: Boo Radley and Olive. When I am not taking pictures, I can usually be found in the kitchen baking up a storm or curled up with a good book. And though I know I will never leave this amazing city I call home, my blood is still Carolina blue.