“Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second.”
~Marc Ribaud, French photographer

You may have noticed her photographs when you visit the Express Enrollment Center, scrolling through the monitors above the desk. She works in the Student Life Center and often has a perfect view of the sunset when she leaves after her shift. North Campus looks so ethereal through her lens. See?

A December sunset from North Campus

Joyce Kerns, Student Affairs support staff, at right, first got into photography when her grandchildren were born, and her oldest is now 18. She still takes photos of her family, but she’s always been a nature-lover. Once she turned her focus to the outdoors–the flowers, the sky, sunsets–she began to take even more photos.

“It’s kind of become a passion of mine,” she says. “I have to look at the sky and, if it’s interesting, I have to get the camera and take a picture. It’s a good passion to have.”

The north pier in Manistee County, Mich.

While the grounds of Ivy Tech Northeast and her home are common themes in Kerns’ photography, she loves to travel and finds inspiration in water and the beach.

Photos from Kerns’ visit to Ludington, Mich., in summer 2015. Click the images to zoom.

Family and friends have even encouraged Kerns to start a business, either putting together photo books or selling prints, and meteorologist Curtis Smith from 21Alive has featured a few of her photos on-air.

“I love to give them as gifts,” she says. “I have friends who say, ‘You don’t have to buy me anything anymore. Just give me photos.'”

Photos from Kerns’ visit to Ludington, Mich., in summer 2015. Click the images to zoom.

Her favorite season to photograph: Summer
Her favorite subject: Sunsets over the water
Her cameras include: Nikon Coolpix P900, a Canon, and her iPhone
Her favorite photo: Below, taken in fall 2015 on North Campus with Kerns’ iPhone