Artist Spotlight – Chance Kafka
Tucson-based photographer and artist Chance Kafka is a native of Laramie, Wyoming, and grew up in the small community of Wheatland, before returning to Laramie for college. He took an interest into photography at a young age, photographing clouds, sunsets, and landscapes. At age 17, he won 1st Place in the Platte County Fair photography competition in 3 out of 5 categories as the only entrant to win more than one category. Following this local success, he worked as a feature writer and photographer for the Platte County Record Times while still in high school. His articles and feature photos garnered him acclaim across the region which inspired him to pursue journalism as a degree in college. Chance served as a teaching assistant for a rigorous photography class for two years as a part of his schooling. He graduated with honours from UW in 2015 and spent two years as a substitute teacher.
Chance relocated to Tucson, Arizona in 2017 where his marriage of 3 years ended unexpectedly. During a difficult period, he soon discovered a new source of inspiration for landscape photography in the solitude of the Sonoran Desert. He began photographing more than ever and was a finalist in the 2018 Arizona Highways photography competition for landscapes with this submission “Autumn Fog”