My Why!

There are many reasons why photographers move from taking photos as a hobby to running a photography business and I wanted to start my new photography blog by explaining the reasoning behind my business, my passion & motivation. I wanted to make sure you (my client, blog reader, friend) understand that when you book a session with me, you're doing more than paying me to provide you a service... you're helping me with my own self care- you're allowing me a creative outlet- which helps me be a better mom, you're helping me pay for dance lessons for my daughters, spend quality time on a vacation with my family & develop my photography skills by putting your session fees back into my own education. You're helping me scratch my extrovert itch, You're helping me connect with my community and give back by donating my services whenever I'm asked. Because of your support I can provide for more friends serving as missionaries locally & internationally. YOU have many options when it comes to choosing a photographer, but to those of you who have supported me, THANK YOU!

Mother.

I've been a mom for almost 9 years... and it's hard to believe how quickly it has passed. My story of motherhood includes one very normal healthy pregnancy, years of secondary infertility, foster care, adoption and finally, pregnancy after infertility... it's been a wild ride to grow this beautiful family I've been blessed with.. I understand how quickly they grow and change because I'm walking through it. One of our favorite pastimes as a family is looking back at old photos of the kids and sharing stories with them about things they did, said or loved during that moment in time. They LOVE it. Being able to assist you to capture moments that will otherwise pass undocumented brings me such joy. With the push of the shutter, I'm able to provide you with an image of a point in time that remains forever and I fully understand the value of that!!

LCSW.

That is my professional title. Those 4 letters required a bachelors degree, a masters degree, thousands of hours of supervised clinical work and two massive tests in order to be able to add them to the end of my name. I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. At this point in my career I work in healthcare with older adults, specifically Veterans at the end of life. I love my work. I coordinate a program within the Department of Veteran Affairs that is truly unique. I feel very lucky to be doing this work...but it's a job that take a lot out of me. I spend my days supporting families, anticipating loss, dealing with crisis, supervising unlicensed social workers & handling the administrative tasks associated with a federal government job. When I started to pick up my camera everyday, when I started paying attention to light, to sunrises, sunsets, the beauty around, it really helped to give me a new outlet and a different way to give back. Being an extreme extrovert, this type of work is socially energizing. I absolutely love meeting new families, couples or seniors and being able to connect and engage before, during & after our session.

Dancer.

I was a dancer, for 20 years of my life. The last time I danced on stage was in college at the church I attended in LA called Mosaic. The creative outlet of dance is something I let go of as I entered the "adult world" of marriage, work, graduate school and motherhood. Over the years I've struggled to "redefine" myself with the many titles I hold- wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, social worker... but when I dove head first into the role of photographer a few years ago I realized how much I needed a creative outlet. There is something about the process of capturing, editing and providing images to my clients that meets my creative needs.

Storyteller.

If there is one thing I've learned in my work as a social worker, it's that life is full of unknowns & we are not promised tomorrow. I'm thankful that as my client, you trust me to tell your story, capture you and yours connecting in a way that means something to you. My hope is that the images will tell your story for years to come, that they will become prized possessions and bring joy to your life. Being your storyteller is a honor & as you've just read, brings os much to my life. So, THANK YOU!