Hey there! I'm honored that you've made it this far. I know picking a photographer can be overwhelming. A lot of times we think our decisions are based on budget, availability and editing style. I've found the best clients are the ones who have felt connected to me as a person, not just their wedding photographer. Once there's a certain level of trust, you can't go wrong! With that trust comes trust in my abilities, trust in my reliability, in my work ethic, in me. That my friends, is the ultimate client relationship! Now, how does one grow to trust me if they have never meet me before? Sometimes all we get is a pre-booking phone call! Well that's where I felt this would come in handy. A little page about me to get you comfortable, familiar at the very least. So here we go!
To start, I'm a regular 20-something year old woman chasing a dream. Deep down inside I've always been very creative. I love working with my hands and coming up with something original. But I wasn't always on the path of photography. I guess we should rewind a bit to get the whole picture!
I grew up in a small town where almost everyone knew everyone else. I was raised with Catholic roots and now that I'm older I love the sense of community that came with it. I'm not so much religious now but growing up immersed in religion gave me a deep understanding and respect for people that do follow their chosen faith. I graduated Catholic school and went to teeny tiny Butler High, a public school. To say that was culture shock is an understatement. I went on through high school and found my over achieving self, thriving in nerdy subjects like science and literature. Most of all I found a passion for business. I dabbled in some art classes but I was really pushed to stay in the "smart classes." For some reason there's this notion that creatives can't make money off of their art. This notion followed me around for sometime. The phrase "starving artist" scared me enough to stick to science. Which wasn't a bad thing! To this day I have a fascination with the human body, how things works, mother nature and the interconnections of it all! So off I went to college to pursue a career as a Physicians Assistant.
I applied to a few places and went to this beautiful school centered around a castle in Pennsylvania, Arcadia University. I wanted really badly to love it there and the whole college vibe. But many things weren't going my way. Clearly now, signs from the universe to change directions. That's just what I did. After finding out how rigorous the education plan would be for becoming a PA I started having some doubts. Then I thought, I work hard - I can get through it. (All while in my free time I would break out a sketch book to doodle, but as you could imagine that free time was limited. I didn't know it then but parts of my frustration was stemming from the lack of creativity in my life.) Well, I was also on the university's field hockey team. This was a great experience and I met a lot of amazing people. However, balancing a hard work load, working part-time and being on the team felt suffocating. I had too much on my plate and the universe sent me another sign. I got a concussion in practice. I started to struggle in all of my classes, and couldn't play the sport. My brain was trying to heal but all I could think about was how I needed change. After weeks of thinking over and over again, I took the concussion as the final straw. I dropped my chemistry class after trying to take the exam concussed and not even being able to get through the first page! I finished a math class just good enough for my own standards but don't remember a thing. Called my parents as it was time to enroll for next year and said, this isn't for me I need to come home! Shocked and awed my parents supported the decision as long as I went back to school.
I went to the County College of Morris and took some business classes. I was good at those so I followed my gut. Even there, something didn't feel right. I went from a high school academic all-star nerd to a girl that didn't feel right in classes anymore. I had some credits to fill, because well you know- college, and took some art classes. It was the best semester of school I've ever done. I was thriving in an environment where I was both learning and being creative. I was pushed past my comfort zone and into a world I didn't know I needed. I remember taking a painting class that was so rewarding. Our assignment was to find a picture we liked and paint it in grey scale. The picture had to meet a few qualifications. I showed my professor a picture I took out in the woods with a friend. He said, "you took this picture?" I said yes, hesitantly wondering now if I had missed all the marks of the assignment. He looked at me and said, "This is really beautiful, you have quite the eye. I can't wait to see the painting." Then, I thought nothing of it other than a compliment and a green light to start the assignment. What I recognize now, is that moment of encouragement got my gears turning on how I can make a life of creativity into a career. I took that class so seriously after that, wanting to impress my professor even further.
I mentioned to my boyfriend at the time that maybe I wanted to continue school to be a graphic designer. He looked at me and said, "you kinda need to be good to do that kind of thing." Well, you can imagine that relationship didn't last long. I carried on my way through classes at CCM for two years but now needing to decide what to do next. I scrambled a few pieces together to make a portfolio and showed my professor. He very politely let me down to say he didn't think it would be enough to get into an art school. I applied anyway and he was right, I didn't get in. At this point I felt defeated and confused. I wasn't good enough for the world of art but wanted so badly to be in it. So I did what I know best and got a job where I could work hard and move up the ladder.
Lucky for me, the universe works in amazing ways! I found Doug, my husband, at that job. We had both worked for Lowe's and the universe did what it does best and brought us to each other at the perfect time. Deep down, I am a romantic. I find the love story in cynical plot lines or the passion and emotion in tales that will last a lifetime. I love the Phantom of the Opera, I mean - come on. What I see now, is it took me finding my own love story to fall into a passion and path of creativity that I was longing for. Doug is the most amazing husband. He has always been supportive of my decisions because he trusts me. He trusts my ability and intuition. He knows I'll work hard to get whatever I'm after. - so I become a photographer, the end. NOPE.
I was wrestling with the idea of not wanting to work in corporate America that rest of my life. I told Doug I wanted to take some classes and get my real estate license. I thought that was it for me! I was excited and passionate about this new path! I found out my grandmother on my dad's side was a realtor and that pulled my heart strings even further! This was it, I was going to be the most kick-ass real estate agent ever, at only 22 years old! I took the classes, passed the test and started my new career. I found an awesome young team already kicking ass and I felt unstoppable! New career, new relationship - I felt like I was on top of the world!
They say the worst news will blind-side you on some random Tuesday. Well, mine was a Thursday. I was visiting my best friend (that I met in Arcadia - it wasn't all bad!) and my mom called me. I missed the call and then my sister called me. Missed that one too, finally my brother called. Now I see my phone and I'm already panicked. I call my mom back and she tells me my dad has cancer. Things weren't looking good. I slept over at my friends just minutes away from our original stomping ground, Arcadia. I was so overwhelmed by emotion that I was absolutely numb. The next day I left for a longgg hour and a half drive to see my dad in the hospital. After a very long week we got a diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer, the rare kind. Everything I had once known as myself went into a complete tailspin. Life didn't provide me with an emergency brake and I could not for the life of me find the eject button. So I put on a brave face and took one day at a time while inside I was going through my own system failure. I got some really great time with my dad up until The Big C shutdown, if you know what I mean. After the shut down, things started to change.
Everything changed really. Not just in the world but with my dad's health. We had a list of things he wanted to accomplish in his time left. We ended up having to shrink that down - just pick one that felt like a priority. So we chose a family trip to Outer Banks to fill up on family fun, all together, for the last time. I was gifted a camera that Christmas from Doug. I hadn't done much with it except take pictures of flowers on my outdoor strolls during the shutdown. It wasn't until my parents renewed their vows in front of the ocean in the Outer Banks that I really put it to good use. Somehow I managed to take pictures even with fuzzy eyes welled with tears the whole time. I had so many other looming thoughts to concern myself with that I couldn't feel the pull of my true calling.
The world of real estate changed RAPIDLY and I was barely hanging on. It was time to put the pedal to the metal but it wasn't happening for me. How could I think of work at a time like this? My foundation was crumbling. Thanks again to a supportive significant other, Doug, I got through the most challenging part of my life. Loosing my dad and a part of me all at the same time. I was lost in a world, where before I was CERTAIN that everything happens for a reason ( I have it tattooed), with no direction. I was at a crossroads and no one could tell me the right direction but myself. It felt like I was walking through a room on fire everyday and I had to decide which door was the way out. Which way led to safety? security? home?
There were small moments among all the chaos that brought subtle nudges to where I belong. One being the camera Doug got me. To this day I'm still not sure what he saw in me then but I'm grateful for that everyday. From there, I took photos when I could - just for fun. Down the road my brother asked me to take pictures at his Elopement. I had no idea what I was doing other than trying to take pictures that I thought looked nice. I remember my sister who was recently married too, saying why don't you try posing them? Then I thought, oh yeah that would help, ha! The weather was amazing, COLD but amazing. I mean the golden hour we got after their "I do's" on the top of a mountain in Sedona, Arizona is one for the books. My brother, Mike and his now wife, Kassandra, loved the pictures. Which naturally felt really good. He repeatedly told me that I should consider taking photography more seriously. That people ask who did his photos all the time. Now let's be honest, I couldn't even think about a career change in the midst of what I was dealing with mentally.
There is no greater feeling than stepping into who you truly are. It took a long time before I could refer to myself as a photographer, before I could start the business, before I could advertise. One day I got up the nerve to tell my HAIR DRESSER, of all people! ( love her she always listens to my craziness) I told her I really like real estate but I feel like I'm missing my purpose. Something is missing, that maybe I'd give photography a shot. I told her I have no idea how to start without a "bride" to show a potential bride. All I had was a stunning album of my sister-in-law in black getting married on a mountain.... (Like for real, that sounds amazing on so many levels I am just so critical of myself lol) But, opening my mouth, even in self doubt, brought an opportunity. Her fellow hair dresser was going to get married and she threw me out there as an option. When the bride-to-be texted me I felt like something had to be wrong, haha! She's giving me a shot? I haven't even done a whole wedding ever before! She trusted me with her day and I am forever grateful!
I felt so in my element on her wedding day. I loved the romance, emotion, the photo opportunity at every turn. Even in her backyard! I finished for the night and sat in my car looking at all the photos that I just took. ME, a photographer.
And that my friends, is the tale of how I became a wedding photographer. A little luck, a lot of challenges, hardship and a ton of passion. I show up to every shoot with that same feeling. I'm a wedding photographer because I absolutely love it. I try to capture you life's moments so that you can hold onto them forever. I know first hand that one day those pictures of your passed loved ones might be what you cherish most of all. I know first hand what the power of true love can do. I know the power of trust! If you trust me with your wedding day, elopement, or any life event for that matter - know that I am invested. I will show up for you with 110% of my best effort. I will fall head over heels with your love story and put it all in the pictures for you to look at forever. I can't wait to capture your life's sweetest moments!
