I’ve been doing photography since my high school yearbook days. I was drawn to it partly because my dad loved it too — his business was called Shutterbug Photography. When I graduated, I went on to nursing school, camera still in tow, though I wasn’t actively pursuing photography at the time.
The year I graduated college turned out to be a big one. I got engaged and had my first real professional photos taken. Not long after, my big brother followed right behind me, set to get engaged at my dad’s cabin in Montana — with my dad planning to hide in the bushes to catch the shot.
But things didn’t go as planned. My father passed away just as my brother arrived at the cabin. It was sudden, and it caught all of us off guard. My husband and I flew up immediately to be with my brother and help sort through everything.
We convinced my brother to go through with the surprise engagement anyway, since we knew it’s what our dad would have wanted. So I stepped in, hid in the bushes myself, and took the photos. I went on to photograph their wedding soon after. That was the true beginning of my photography business.
I believe every family deserves the option of nice, quality photos — the kind that actually capture who they are. The best photo I have of my own family growing up is one in front of a Kmart concession stand, with three grown men dressed in mascot costumes. It’s not polished, but it’s completely us. I think photography should capture our true selves, just in the best possible light — which is why I want my images to be warm, joyful, and natural.