Filled to the ceiling with shelves of cameras and photo equipment, Karin Johansson’s office, nestled in the heart of Moorpark College’s Photography Lab, boasts vibrant green walls and endearing posters of otters, making it difficult for passerby’s to ignore. And very rarely does this office go ignored.

As the Instructional Lab Tech of the photography department, a slow day at the office is rare for Johansson. Consistently swarmed with complaints of jammed printers or a line of students itching to check-out camera equipment, she handles the work with charm and patience.

“Karin is everyone’s friend,” says Kaela Watso, a 23-year-old photography major. “She interacts with everyone. She’s extremely accessible and when you approach her there’s no pressure.”

Johansson began her position here in fall of 2012.

Her approachable personality makes any student within the program feel right at home.

Stephen Callis, head of the photography department, commends Karin for her sense of humor and kind heart.

“She has exceptional organizational skills and [has] the ability to create a welcoming, nurturing environment for student learning,” Callis said.

Johansson’s love for photography began when she was just 10 years old in her home country, Sweden. Her father was a hobby photographer and even had his own darkroom in their basement. She continued experimenting with other mediums during her time at art schools, until she eventually decided on a major.

“That’s when I realized that photography was really clicking with my way of thinking and the way I like to work with things,” said Johansson.

Once she knew this was her calling, she decided to pursue a degree in photography.

“In Sweden, it’s a very different way,” says Karin. “Schools are free which is really great, but at the same time it’s really hard to get in to the school.”

Johansson applied to Guthenburg University to pursue her Bachelor of Fine Art degree in photography and was one of the 25 students accepted among 500 applicants.

During her second year at university, she attended a three-month study abroad program at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara. She described Brooks as being much more technical than other art schools she’d attended, but loved the experience and was eager to return.

After going to school in Sweden for another year, Johansson knew it was time to move back to the golden state, where she applied to the masters program at California Institute of the Arts in Valencia. This was the beginning of her permanent relocation.

“One thing led to another…suddenly I had cats,” Karin recalls. “I had a little house I lived in and it seemed like I had more freelance work here.”

Once she graduated, Johansson spent her time freelancing, photographing weddings and working with the Los Angeles Times on lifestyle and restaurant stories, while still working on her own personal projects, despite frustrations.

“I kind of got cynical about the whole art world and the system,” she says.

After five years of freelance work, she began channeling her photography toward more beneficial organizations.

Johansson had previous experience working with feminist organizations during her time in Sweden. She and a colleague started their own group called 50/50, which aimed to help female artists with exhibiting their own work, and getting more recognition in the art community that was heavily male dominated in Sweden at the time.

“I’ve always been a feminist,” said Karin. “And I’ve always been trying to work on issues with women.”

Her time at 50/50 helped influence her decision to begin working with a Los Angeles organization called “Taking the Reins,” a program designed to help inner city girls have a safe space to express themselves through photography and horseback riding.

Eventually, in 2012, Johansson saw a job opening here at Moorpark and knew she had to apply.

“When this job came up, I thought ‘oh this is perfect’ because I can get to be teaching one-on-one with students… I felt like this was the perfect job for me,” said Johansson.

After some time as a provisional employee, she was officially hired in the fall. Since then, she has loved getting back into the teaching side of photography and working with such a wide variety of students.

“It’s so nice to be reminded about the time when I started photography and how excited I was about learning new things,” Johansson said. “I kind of get to experience that again through students.”

Spencer Irving, a 22-year-old multimedia major, is enrolled in beginning photography and says Johansson is incredibly helpful to the program.

“I feel like she runs this place,” Irving said. “She’s always here. I feel like I could ask her for help and she would get to it as quick as she can.”

Johansson says the hardest part about her job is commuting to it, as she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their five cats and three dogs.

Despite the long drive, she enjoys her time at Moorpark and still makes time for her own personal art as well. When asked what dream or aspiration she hopes to accomplish in her life, Johansson seems perfectly content with where she’s at.

“My life so far has been very focused on myself and my artwork,” she said. “But I still enjoy putting the focus on helping others… I think now I’m in this wonderful world of both, and I feel really happy where I’m at.”