Foterra Featured Fotographer Cara Koch

April 26, 2022

Cara Koch does not shy away from adventure. Born and raised in Washington State, she moved to Costa Rica to work as a zipline photographer in Costa Rica. She “applied for the job mostly because I thought it would be really cool to go ziplining every day! I was hired primarily because I speak English - I didn't have any climbing or photography experience. Along the way, I fell in love with photography!”

Since picking up the camera, she’s loved experimenting, being creative with new angles, exploring all the possibilities she can think of. Unlike ziplining, which is all adrenaline, photography offers her a more quiet thrill.

Given the evergreens and blue summer skies of the Pacific Northwest and the tropical hues of Costa Rica, color draws her to her subjects. Sunset seascape or floral close-up, her work always pops. When she photographs people, she tries to capture true feeling: genuine smiles (not the fakey "smile-for-the-camera" ones) and other expressions of real emotion.

You can’t ask nature to pose, so the quick reflexes she developed while ziplining have served her well; “I was constantly told to always be ready. Sometimes I only had a split second to get the shot as people whizzed by. I've found that to be true in most of the photography I do.” Check out her entire photo jewelry collection here.