Karen Ballard – a renowned American director and photographer whose life was anything but ordinary. Her subjects became a window into key moments of recent history, starting with the battlegrounds and political arenas, and concluding with the world of the cinema industry. Her works captured events that changed the world.
At an exhibition dedicated to the most famous photographs of Ballard, she shared moments from her vibrant career, which began in journalism and transitioned into film. Remembering the beginning, she recounted: "I studied fine arts and journalism at the University of Kentucky, went through five internships before starting to work full-time at The Washington Times in the winter of 1994." It wasn't long before she was tasked with covering the White House during President Bill Clinton's time there.
With the coming of George W. Bush’s administration, Ballard found herself at the site of events, capturing the meeting of Vice President Dick Cheney with the energy committee after September 11th. Later, she traveled to Afghanistan to cover the war and then followed the movements of the American army in Iraq. She recalls: "On July 1, 2002, I was the only photographer in the courtroom at the first hearing for the case of Saddam Hussein, and my photographs were the only window through which the world saw that moment."
Her reporting did not limit itself to military conflicts – she was also a witness to the inauguration of former U.S. President Barack Obama, describing this moment as "the happiest day of my life," and she confirmed Donald Trump's victory over Kamala Harris.
Transitioning from journalism to international cinema, Ballard filmed scenes for such well-known films as "Requiem," "Munich," "A Quantum of Solace," "Jack Reacher." About the art of cinema, she says: "Working on 'Munich' was delightful, and photographing 'Argo' and 'Fury' earned me a nomination for an 'Emmy' award."
After many years of journalistic and cinematic work, the passion for the profession still burns in Karen Ballard's soul. Recently, on January 7, a neighbor called and shared about unusual smoke in the Pacific-Palisades area, she recounts: "I climbed onto the roof of my house, took a few photographs and shared them on Instagram, I couldn't keep the journalist in me contained." At the conclusion of her long career, she stated: "The subject has accompanied me, and I think that I have lived a remarkable life."
