Simply put, I love people. I love how complex each person is, and how through my photography I get to connect with them in ways I couldn't otherwise.
My openness and genuine interest allows them to let down their guard and feel comfortable enough to express themselves. Nothing gives me more joy than creating an image that shows a person's depth and beauty.
I've loved photography since I was a young girl. My mom was kind enough to supply me with film and pay for the development of countless images from family vacations.
I discovered the thrill of printing from negatives in dark room of my high school. I pursued a degree in photojournalism and got a job with a local professional portrait photographer, where I fell in love with portraiture. After working with him for five years, in 2005 I did what lots of stay-at-home moms here in Utah do...I started my own business.
Luckily I belonged to professional organizations that taught me the ins and outs of the industry and pushed me to learn, compete, and grow as a photographer.
A became a Certified Professional Photographer in 2015, and received my Master of Photography Degree in January of 2020. Unless you actually belong to the Professional Photographers of America, these accolades don't mean a whole lot, but basically it just means that I have achieved a level of skill and experience that proves that I know what I'm doing and should give you some confidence in hiring me.
I've also won a bunch of awards at local and international print competitions, which is kind of cool. My favorite award though was winning the Grand Prize at the Utah State Fair because I got a really sweet etched plate, some money, an impressive ribbon, and it was local so a bunch of my friends and family saw it and I got to feel like a celebrity for a moment.
I also served on the board of the Intermountain Professional Photographers Association for a couple of years and got to plan a bunch of events, meet a ton of amazing photographers, and reinforce my dislike of meetings.