Mary Kay (Wilcox) Kirsner’s interest in photography began as a teenager when her parents gave her a camera. Both her father and grandfather were enthusiasts who inspired her early passion. During her teen years, she used her camera to make her home environment feel more novel. But as a young adult, she realized that the most compelling photographs were those of people. She was young, shy, and adventurous all at once, and felt both terrified and excited about pursuing her candid, people-focused photography. Her camera has been a constant companion for decades, but until 2019, her journey was solo and full of expected disappointments. Everything changed that year when she attended her first workshop and joined the street photography community. Since that time, she has been fortunate to learn from some of the world's best street photographers and has transitioned her prior years of intermittent photography work into a full-time vocation. Although she is most excited about photographing on the streets of global cities, she also spent three years following rodeos and many more years photographing the Iowa State Fair. A number of her photographs have been part of exhibits at local galleries, including the Des Moines Art Center, and have also been recognized as finalists in numerous international street photography festivals. She is a featured photographer in All About Photo Magazine #56, Shadows. She has produced a zine titled Backstage with the Royal Hanneford Circus and is currently working on a zine about rodeo life in Iowa.
