My Journey, My Story…

Photography has been a passion of mine for 11 years now. It has been a passion, a dream, an escape to gather my thoughts, my plans for the future and to soak in the quiet moments I have with God. The moment my camera is in my hand is the moment the world shuts out around me and it’s just me and my camera. Time slows down and everything around me slows down and I am able to focus on the beauty of what is in front me. I often forget the world around me. I am able to see the picture before it is taken whether that is with people, the scenery of city life, my children or nature. This was a dream that was placed in my heart 11 years ago and there have been many ups and downs. Many tears, laughter, joy, sadness and meeting so many wonderful people along the way. This business is my heart, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. I have captured many families and each one of those sessions I have treasured so deeply in my heart. I look back often to see how far my business has come. To see how much growth there has been in my business but also in myself. I often ask myself or remind myself I should say…Remember why you started. It’s something that I often need to remind myself when I am feeling stuck or feel like I am in this rut and not sure where to go from here. I look back at all the images I have taken, and it hits me. I started this business because I wanted to be able to be home with my children, but it was something that God has placed in my heart. I wanted to capture my children as they were growing up. I didn’t want to miss the moments, and I didn’t want anyone else to miss the moments. We get so caught up with our daily tasks, working, taking care of the kids, house and get in this grind that we often miss the moments around us. I am all about the moments and really just taking it all in but I also love to freeze those moments not only for myself but for other families so they can cherish those special moments years on down the road.

Telling a story, telling MY story

through my camera and capturing how I see the world around me. It’s a story worth being told.

Over the years it has been an amazing journey and one that I will honestly cherish. Each year has been different with lots of lessons being learned, lots of growth and being pulled in a different direction that God is taking me on. When I decided to stop doing family sessions, I knew it was a change that needed to be done within myself and my business. Being able to be home and be present with my children and husband and take on a new approach within my business was something that I needed to do. I have been through a lot of ups and downs in life that at times makes me question if this is something I want to continue. I always say yes in the end because I have put my heart and soul into this business and don’t want to see it end but when it seems like your passion is being sucked out of you where you have no desire to pick up your camera, to edit any photos you take and you sit there questioning yourself do I even want to continue this? Do I even want to do this anymore? Can I tell you that it’s not the greatest feeling in the world to think that way when you have been doing this for so long and put so much work into your business. I think at times we all hit that point in our life when things start to shift within in our life. We start to go in another direction or decide there needs to be a change whether that is within the business or yourself which isn’t bad, it gives you a new sense of purpose and hope. When we take that time to really take a step back and you start to see clearly what you really want, you set boundaries in place, and you come out of it stronger, with more resilience determined to make your mark and move forward.

I have learned so much over the years but recently for the past couple of years it has been hard to even pick up my camera anymore. As my kids get older, they are now doing their own thing which is amazing, and I do enjoy each stage they enter in life, and each stage has it challenges but it’s also been amazing at the same time. I have taken a turn within my business and started focusing on landscape photography all while capturing the adventures we go on as a family. Life is precious and I strive to capture each moment on camera as much as I love being in the moment and soaking up that memory. I think at times when I am taking pictures of the landscapes, storms I am reminded why I started photography to begin with, why I love what I do and other days It seems like every bit of what I love to do is being sucked out of me and I have zero motivation to take pictures or even edit. If I am completely honest, it absolutely breaks my heart. I look back at everything and ask myself what happened? It’s an unanswered question that has so many variables of when it could have possibly took a turn, but I know one thing is for certain is that God has placed this in my heart 11 years ago and it’s something that I refuse to quit on. It’s a battle of setting boundaries not only for myself but also for my business. Knowing my worth and value within the business but also showing people how beautiful the world really is. Everything that God has created has beauty and within that, each photo that is taken there is a story behind it. A story worth being captured.

When I decided to make that switch from photographing families to doing strictly landscape photography, I started to appreciate the beauty of nature around me just a tad bit more. I enjoyed the quiet and peace it brought and could just sit for hours with just me and God. I absolutely miss it. As the kids get older the more, they get involved in sports, school clubs, friends coming over and people relying on you, things kind of just take a backseat but it is a matter of finding balance and of course boundaries. Yes, as my kids get older being in front of my camera seems less and less, but it gave me a new perspective in capturing everything around me and how I am wanting to showcase that to the world. What I love about art is that its real people telling a story through their paint brushes, pencils, cameras, etc. You see and feel their emotions within the art. It is their unique story and it’s a beautiful story that makes them in who they are now. The passion behind every stroke they make whether on canvas, paper or even photo they capture the passion and heart of what they do and absolutely love. Photography has helped me through a lot in my life and even on the days it was hard for me. It’s my escape when life throws some pretty hard curve balls my way. Art and photography has helped me in many ways that I have learned about myself along the way and I am beyond grateful for no giving up on my dreams. Now I see things in a whole new way and look at life differently, look at nature differently and even look at the world differently. It’s beauty that I strive to capture but to keep moving forward and embrace whatever challenges come my way. Telling a story through my lens and art.

Life can be messy but when you learn to embrace life and use a creative outlet life doesn’t seem so bad. There is so much for me to learn and grow as the years go by in my business that I am ready for whatever life throws at me and I will express it the only way I know how and love and that is through my art. Telling my story and capturing the world around me for everyone to see, to feel and to enjoy.

Enjoy the beauty of the world around you. Enjoy the little moments and capture everything. Hold onto those precious memories because pretty soon memories and moments are all you have left.