Troy photographer learned skills in 4-H

TROY, Mo. – Seniors at Troy Buchanan High School will smile big this summer and fall for their classmate Kirsten Shramek, owner of Kirsten Layne’s Photography. She is the daughter of Larry and Kari Shramek.

Shramek, 17, learned photography through a county 4-H program and opened her own business two years ago. She has been taking photos through her Lincoln County 4-H club since she was 8 years old.

Inspired by her mother’s love of photography, Shramek likes photographing people, but her true love is capturing images of animals and nature. “There is always a story behind any photo I take,” she says.

Shramek says 4-H helped her master the basic skills she needed in photography. “Four-H helped me gain more experience and taught me many things about photography, like how to get clear and sharp photos and how to operate a camera properly,” she says.

She plans to attend college after graduating high school, and is considering the University of Missouri. She has become familiar with the campus through numerous events, including the recent 4-H State Congress held on campus. She volunteered to take photos for the event and also served as a 2012-2013 regional representative on the state council. She also plans to apply for an internship with National Geographic magazine.

For more information about Missouri 4-H, go to 4h.missouri.edu.