how my business began

mY LOVE FOR ART + BUSINESS

From a young age, I developed a strong appreciation and passion for artistic expression. I played the piano and guitar, loved to write, paint, draw, bead, sew, and of course, photograph. I remember getting my first very own point-and-shoot camera for Christmas from my cousin when I was 10, and have been taking pictures ever since. In addition to the love for photography, the spirit of entrepreneurship was also a thread that ran through me, starting in elementary school. I remember selling my homemade beaded jewelry and little crocheted items to my friends during recess so I could buy a new stereo. Through middle school and high school, I worked for the local music store and waited tables, all while running a small little business on the side.

THE SPARK OF MAGIC

I was never one of those kids who what they wanted to be when they grew up, but I always knew I wanted to work for myself. I just wasn’t sure what that would look like, and was just waiting for a sign, pointing to the direction I should take. And then one day, it hit me like a ton of bricks and I couldn’t believe I’d never thought of it before that moment. This was back before social media became what is today with smart phones, and before being a photographer was so popular, so the idea of having my own photography business hadn’t crossed my mind until one day when I was browsing through the rabbit hole of Facebook. I stumbled across a photo from someone’s wedding and was immediately enthralled with the image. I could hear the bride’s thrilling laugh, feel the groom’s overwhelming joy, and couldn’t stop staring at the photograph. It felt like absolute magic was snatched up in the most perfect split second, and I realized in that moment that I wanted to do everything I could to try and capture that kind of magic too.

EDUCATION + PRACTICE

At the time, I didn’t have enough money to put myself through a four-year college, so I started saving and searching for the best avenue to learn more about photography and business ownership. I’ll never forget this - I discovered a photography school that I could attend online and at my own pace so I could still work full time and complete my courses when I could. I wanted to sign up right away, but didn’t have the money just yet, so I began to save. About a week later, my tax return check that I’d completely forgotten about, arrived in the mail. I couldn’t believe it, but the check was for exactly the same amount, to the penny, that I needed to register for the school. I was beyond grateful with an overwhelming sense that this was the direction God was leading me in, so I started right away. And over the course of about two years, I had learned all about the business and real true art of manual photography, classic methods of exposure, composition, and lighting, and all of the groundwork I needed to manifest my dream.

TEN YEARS LATER…

I feel as though my business has really settled itself in with roots that run deep. It’s matured, secured itself, and blossomed after a decade of various nurturing stages, life changes, and growing pains. I’ve photographed for countless families, hundreds of couples, and multiple others in between. I’m so unbelievably grateful for all of the experiences I’ve had, lessons I’ve learned, the people I’ve met, and the many special relationships I’ve built along the way.