A little about me...

When it comes to my art, emotions are my inspiration. And when I capture a wedding in pictures, I’m inspired by every single moment. The drama and power of photography has captivated me all my life. From the first moment I explored Portland’s monthly gallery exhibits to the first time I developed prints myself, I knew my future was carving its space: I would be a professional photographer.

In 2007, I began shooting weddings. The excitement and energy of each event is intoxicating—and when I know I’ve captured the emotion of the moment, there’s no better feeling in the world. To get to that point, I start my journey with the bride and groom before I even pick up the camera. I’m inquisitive by nature, and understanding the details, design and style of a couple’s wedding can transform the tone of my images from beautiful to breathtaking.

I shoot a full range of photos, but “portraits” hold a special place in my heart. Portraits are intensely personal and can be incredibly rewarding for a photographer. When a mother looks at a portrait of her daughter and says “oh, that’s so her” with the slightest smile on her face, I know I’ve given them something special. When I shoot portraits of family and guests, I hope that they’ll feel amazing when they see themselves in print. To deliver such emotion is a gift for me, and if I’m doing my job right, it’s a gift to my clients, as well.

What I want for my clients is to bring every moment to life, to shape the story of their special day through my lens. I hope I can do exactly that for you.

Lens & Learn – Inspiring Kids with Photography 2010

Friday, March 12, 2010 Posted in Personal Posts, Portraits

This year’s WPPI was simply inspiring. I feel very fortunate to know some of the best wedding and portrait photographers in the industry. My conversations with my photographer friends gave me some amazing advice that will help my business grow. Not only did I learn a bunch, I was able to just get to know these wonderful people better. Oh, and I got lots of hugs…really good, hold-on-tight, real hugs and that always makes an exhausting week worth it.

My first dose of greatness came on Saturday, a few days before the show. I went with Pictage to host a Lens and Learn day at the Boys and Girls Club. Canon let us borrow dozens of SLR’s to teach the kids some photography basics.

I think the first question of the day summed up what we had in store. “Are you guys paparazzi photographers?” After a few hours had passed I started to see the looks on their faces turn from confusion to pride. I don’t know whose smiles were bigger at that point, theirs or mine. At the end, Jim Collins asked, “Who wants to be a photographer when you grow up?” All but about five raised their hands. Looking at the photographers and other volunteers around the room I realized, we were the ones who benefited the most.

There is a video that I will post soon, but here are a few of the photos I grabbed from the day.