June 20th, 2023
Like many professional photographers, I have just always had a camera in my hand. It started when I was five years old and my grandparents purchased a Polaroid camera. I became obsessed with the fact that you could capture moments that meant so much. Smiles....people you loved...places you visited and never wanted to forget. I frequently borrowed their camera and my grandmother helped me organize my captures into albums. The old-school kind that were somewhat sticky and you covered the images with a protective sleeve. Before I knew it, I had several albums of my own and I loved how they sat on the same shelf as theirs. Photos worthy of a place on the shelf.
Since I have grown up at the same time photography technology has advanced, I have grown up with all the many forms of photography too. It has changed so quickly! I've seen Polaroid take a back seat to disposable cameras. I've seen disposable cameras take a back seat to digital cameras. *Shout out to that Nikon CoolPix that got me through high school!* I've seen Walmart photography centers become incredibly popular and then disappear altogether. I've seen cellphones add camera capabilities and then continue to improve on them. Now, here we are in an age where the photographs I spend hours upon hours with being generated in the blink of an eye due to AI advancement.
Nonetheless, I've been here for it all. Learning, growing, and changing right alongside it all. Embracing the change because at the end of the day, moments are kept and preserved. Treasured forever and forever provoking thoughts of the viewer or transporting them to a place in time when life was different.
Photography in my personal life has changed too. For a really long time I focused on my family, our events, and the events of my life. I captured big milestones, big moments, and memories I never wanted to forget. That all still reigns true today but my focus has changed (as it should) drastically over the last two years. COVID affected me as it did with so many people. I experienced life events in that timeframe that made me realize photography was so much more than a hobby, it was my whole heart...my passion. My seven year old likes to call it "my heartbeat" and she's right. Photography is most definitely my heartbeat. It keeps me going in ways I never imagined. I've discovered my niche....my place in this storyteller world.
When I decided to make photography my career in 2020, I was photographing everything. I was capturing people, places, events, landscape, nature, commercial projects, artistic setups, weddings, and even tried my hand at microphotography. Day after day though, I kept coming back to animals, nature,...all things wild. I have a degree in biology and a teaching certification in biology so none of this really surprised me but I really have enjoyed capturing various genres and content areas. I have learned an extensive amount of and it has only made me a better photographer.
There is nothing like sitting among the trees. Quiet. Still. Patient. It may take hours to capture the moment you're after but there is nothing else like it in the entire world when you realize it was all worth it.
These days, I am growing my photography business. Besides capturing nature, I am pretty darn passionate about photographing students. Pre-school, high school, white coat ceremonies...I truly love getting to be part of it. I love working with my student clientele to turn their biggest moments into keepsake memories. The challenge of creating unique but true-to-them experiences is inspiring and keeps me on my toes. My favorite moment? When a client see their sneak peeks and say "WOAH! That's ME?" It is an AMAZING feeling. SO, I spend a lot of time in photography classes learning how to be the best at what I do. It is a pretty specific field of photography but a really great one.
As for my nature photography...I'm growing there too. I'm pushing myself outside of my comfort zone but loving the results. I'm planning adventures that hopefully keep me moving forward. After all, I won't ever reach Nat Geo level and meet my goals of being published alongside the likes of Beverly Joubert if I don't. Even I never reach that goal, I am loving the adventure. I'm loving who I have become and the opportunities I have had. I am incredibly enthusiastic about where this part of my career is taking me.
All this to say, thank you for being here with me. Your support means so much and I love that others enjoy my joy. Please follow along on my blog and social media pages. Always feel free to leave a comment or share my posts. It makes my day!
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