Featured Vendor

Best part of being a wedding photographer?  Being able to give someone artistic photographs of one of the most important days of their lives, which they can pass on for generations to come. Aaron Siskind once said that “Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.” I think this is exactly what I strive to look for, the moments that will be forgotten if I don’t catch them on film for you to look at years later.

What advice do you have for future brides? Relax. I know, it is quite cliché, but by the time your wedding day comes you need to just let go and enjoy everything you have planned and welcome the day. This is about marrying the person you love, the person who you will spend the rest of your life with. You have chosen all the right vendors and the perfect setting…trust the people around you and embrace your day!

Best “been there done that” wedding day advice? I know everyone has fears about rain on their wedding day but I’m here to tell you that if you enjoy your day, despite any unforeseen problems, you will get gorgeous images. One of my very favorite weddings from last year was shot on a rainy day where it literally down-poured the entire time. The bride wore a raw silk gown but she was determined to do her photographs outside. So we gave the couple and umbrella and shot all of their formals in the pouring rain underneath an umbrella. Her images are some of my favorites from last year and the ones that most of my clients comment on when we meet. Both of them smiled through the entire day despite the lousy weather, so if your spirits are not dampened (mind the pun) by a little rain then I promise that your photos will showcase your excitement and love.

I would like to meet... wow…now that’s a question! I suppose is I could meet anyone it would be Alfred Stieglitz. A photographer who started Gallery 291 in 1905, which was the first gallery to exhibit photographs and gave a place for the photograph in the art world.  Some believe that Stieglitz almost single-handedly established the photograph as an art form, so I think we all owe him a big thank you!  

I'm addicted to... Chamomile tea. I suppose it is not a terrible addiction, but it is one nonetheless. I am also addicted to Twizzlers, Chapstick, and the computer—or more specifically: photography blogs.

Why/How did you decide to go into photography? I am a photographer because of the support and encouragement of my high school photography teacher. It is because of her that I went to art school and then later to grad school for my master’s degree in art education to teach high school students the art of photography. It is because of her that I am an artist, a teacher, and a professional photographer. Thank you Susan HaasJ

How do you balance life and work? Balance…ha! Actually, I think everyone is constantly striving to better balance his or her life and work. Everything in my life is related to photography and I am able to surround myself with young artists and help to support new photographers in their quests to become better photographers. To me, there is no better way to spend my time than making—and teaching others how to make—beautiful images! Thusly, my life is my work.

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? Teaching and photographing. I suppose I also see myself with a family and more time to devote to my personal art.

Who do you admire? This list is probably too long for this questionnaire. I admire people who know what they want and go after it. I admire those who have a dream—no matter how large or small—and succeed in fulfilling it.

If there was a famous couple that you could photograph who would it be? I never really think about photographing famous people, but I suppose a couple of images of Brad Pitt and Angeline Jolie could never hurt…right?  

What is your favorite time of day? 3:00. This is the best light for photographs and if I am not photographing, it is also usually the time when I take a break and sit down with a cup of tea and reflect on my day.

What makes a perfect engagement photoshoot? A couple that is willing to have some fun and do a few crazy things for the sake of a great photograph. Oh, and yummy backlighting or a diffused lit sky doesn’t hurt anything eitherJ

Where do you get your inspiration from? I get inspired from all sorts of places. I am inspired by the package design of a new product or a DVD or by a rusty old motel sign on the side of the road. I am inspired by the light in grungy alleyways and by gorgeous fields of sunflowers. I like the natural dirty design of the environment around me and the clean and simple design of products, packaging, and graphic design blogs. However, I suppose I am mostly inspired by my students, whose wide-eyed innocence and freshness in photography instills a sense of newness for me as well. They inspire me to remember when I started as a photographer and motivate me with their genuine excitement. 

Name 3 things you are thankful for...

1. My amazing family.
2. My awesome clients.
3. My super supportive husband.