My Origin Story

how Your Neighborhood Elder Emo somehow became a Wedding Photographer

Alright, let’s be honest. I had no clue I’d be here today.

Let me explain–I was always a creative at heart. I was that super weird artsy kid growing up; the one that would bring a disposable camera to school every single day and keep it in her backpack for easy access when something cool would happen. And honestly, I’m glad I did, because I captured so many beautiful moments with my friends, who I’m still friends with to this day.

Even though I’ve always been creative, I’m also a recovering perfectionist who rooted their entire identity as a child in being the “smart girl.” I was told from an early age that creativity wouldn’t pay the bills, but doing well in school would. Turns out that idea I bought into was sort of true, but also really freaking boring.

I added another layer to my identity in high school–the alternative kid. We’re not going to get into it because you’re not here to listen to my problems or my rationale, but I mostly a) loved that vibe of music, b) all my friends were alternative and c) I knew there was something more to myself than just being the perfect, smart one. Being an “emo kid” allowed me to express my creativity above everything else.

And then I took a black & white film photography class in college and my life changed forever.

Just kidding, that wasn’t the pivotal moment. But that class definitely opened my eyes into the world of photography. I THRIVED in the darkroom. There was something so relaxing and almost hypnotic about swishing around your print in the chemicals and seeing it develop right in front of your eyes.

This class made me realize that I probably needed a hobby. Did I pick it up as a hobby? Heck no. Did I pick anything else up as a hobby? Also a no. I was a total workaholic through school and beyond, so I worked myself to the bone for the next 9 years of my life in the developmental psych & education field. I learned a ton and loved what I did, had my own office and Director title, won some cool awards, worked with an amazing boss and team, and grew our clients by almost 250% in two years. I felt fulfilled, but it still felt like work, and it wasn’t totally aligning with how I wanted to live my life.

All this time, you know who else thought I needed a hobby? My husband. Our first kid was born in 2020 and I’m not gonna lie–I was riding the struggle bus. Now work wasn’t my baby anymore–I had a real one, and she NEEDED the same amount of attention I was giving my career.

Enter stage right: my husband with a camera.

My husband, Zach, ended up being able to covertly figure out what kind of camera I wanted and worked odd jobs without me realizing what was going on to save up money for my first camera. He knew I had been into photography as a kid, won a journalism award my senior year of high school, and brought up that black & white photography class on the regular, but I would never spend this amount of money on myself. After pooling together the last bit of money he needed from our parents, he surprised me with a brand-new Canon EOS RP on my 30th birthday. These are some of the first photos I took and edited with my camera.

I immediately KNEW I didn’t want to work with actual people. That was just far too much pressure. So I started taking photos of our growing homestead, our chickens, bugs, our garden, our kids… I figured I would just sell stock photography or something. But just a few weeks later, my mother-in-law volunteered me to photograph a coworker’s wedding… and because I was working on pushing myself out of my comfort zone, I agreed to it. (A selection of my infamous first wedding below, complete with orange skin tones, because obviously.) I made a whopping $0 that day. I was actually in the red if you account for the gas I used to get there and all of the time I spent horribly editing the gallery. But what I earned was honestly priceless.

I realized I actually loved wedding photography.

The one thing I was running from was actually what I was called to do. I thrive in high stress work environments where I have to use my problem solving abilities. My love language is words of affirmation, and hearing the graciousness from my clients for capturing their most treasured moments is music to my ears. Wedding photography only takes me away from my family a small portion of the time I’m working–the rest, I can do at home with my kids. It was the perfect fit that I never saw coming.

The couple who hired me were so grateful for me being there. It was their third marriage to each other–a story for another day–and they were just going to have others share their photos after the wedding. They RAVED about the photos I delivered to them. And for an absolute amateur, they were pretty solid. So I felt pretty good about what I had going on. So, fueled with my first clients’ adoration and ego totally stoked, I set out to figure out how to make this brand new hobby a side hustle, much to my husband’s disdain.

After photographing only 3 weddings and a handful of couples, I launched my business in December 2021.

I knew I had talent and I was ready to dive in headfirst to see just how far I could take my knack for photography. I’m so grateful for those first few photographers who took me on as a second and showed me the ropes. In just two years, I photographed over 60 weddings in 3 states, upgraded and added new gear, invested in a ton of photography education, and became a published photographer and cover artist in multiple magazines and online publications.

So, what does the future bring?

Hold onto your hats, because I’m just getting started.

2024 is my year of growth–I can feel it. By the end of this year, I’ll be sitting at 100 weddings photographed in my career. I’m planning to be pretty choosy with who I take on as a client in 2025 by capping my wedding count each month so I can provide an even better client experience than I already am, all while balancing my time with my family and building our homestead.

I’ll be attending Shutterfest in April and focusing mostly on lighting techniques and making my photos more compositionally interesting. I don’t just want to document weddings, I want to make every single photo into a piece of art. Expanding my bridal boudoir and bridal portrait portfolio is another priority. My dreams are to be a one-stop luxury service for everything wedding-related. You’ll also catch me networking with other wedding professionals and expanding my vendor referral list so my clients can make their wedding day better than they could ever imagine. A few equipment upgrades are in the cards this year, too!

Want to keep up with what’s happening in my life and business? Be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates.

See you around!