This goes far deeper than a pretty Pinterest picture
Photographs have always meant so much to me because growing up, my family and I moved constantly. Due to the continuous downsizing/relocating, I never was able to keep sentimental items/souvenirs.
YES, TONS OF THEM, IN AN OVERSIZED PLASTIC BIN WHICH WERE ALL TOSSED TOGETHER AT RANDOM. AND I CHERISHED THOSE PHOTOGRAPHS; THEY WERE THE ONLY MEMORIES I HAD OF ANYTHING. AS A CHILD, I WOULD SIT ON THE COLD BASEMENT FLOOR AND SHUFFLE THROUGH THEM FOR HOURS EVERY WEEK, OVERWHELMED WITH FUZZY FEELINGS.
but we did keep photographs
but we did keep
photographs
EVEN AS AN ADULT, MY OWN HOME IS FILLED WITH FRAMED VINTAGE WEDDING PORTRAITS OF BOTH SETS OF MY GRANDPARENTS AND TOUCHING MEMORIES THAT SURROUND ME. THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS WORLD THAT MEANS AS MUCH TO ME AS PHOTOGRAPHS DO. I LOVE TO DOCUMENT EVERY SINGLE MOMENT, EVEN IN MY PERSONAL LIFE; BE IT BIRTHDAYS, MY FRIENDS, VACATIONS, MY CAT, AND BIG EVENTS I ATTEND.
MY CAMERA IS NEARLY ANOTHER EXTENSION OF MY BODY AT THIS POINT, AND NOTHING PLEASES ME MORE THAN BEING ABLE TO CAPTURE THOSE TYPES OF HAPPY MEMORIES FOR OTHERS THROUGH MY WORK.
AFTER SHE RECEIVED THE IMAGES, HER MOM SENT MY MOM A MESSAGE I WILL NEVER FORGET. SHE SAID:
“I’M NOT SURE WHAT MIKAYLA SAID TO MY DAUGHTER DURING THAT PHOTO SHOOT WHEN IT WAS JUST THE TWO OF THEM, BUT YOU RETURNED A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DAUGHTER TO ME THAN THE ONE I SENT. I’VE NEVER SEEN MY BABY GIRL FEEL SO CONFIDENT, SO BEAUTIFUL, SO SEEN, OR SO ACCEPTING OF HERSELF THE WAY SHE DOES AFTER SEEING THOSE PHOTOS MIKAYLA TOOK OF HER. SHE'S ALWAYS REFUSED TO BE IN PICTURES WITH US AT FAMILY GATHERINGS, AND NOW IT'S LIKE SHE CAN'T GET IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA ENOUGH. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW SPECIAL THAT IS FOR ME TO SEE AS HER MOTHER.”
What began as me running around high school football games taking photos of my friends quickly became my entire life’s mission.
FROM MY VERY FIRST AMATEUR SESSION DURING FRESHMAN YEAR, I HAD THIS OVERWHELMING FEELING THAT PHOTOGRAPHY WAS WHAT I WAS MEANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE. THE ADRENALINE, THE JOY, AND THE FULFILLMENT PORTRAITURE BROUGHT ME WAS UNLIKE ANYTHING I HAD EVER EXPERIENCED — AND HONESTLY, IT STILL FEELS THAT WAY TO THIS DAY.
WHAT TRULY SOLIDIFIED THIS CAREER PATH FOR ME HAPPENED DURING MY SOPHOMORE YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, ABOUT SIX MONTHS INTO MY PHOTOGRAPHY JOURNEY. I HAD ASKED A GIRL FRIEND FROM MY SCHOOL TO MODEL FOR ME. SHE WAS VERY QUIET, RESERVED, AND NEVER SOMEONE WHO ENJOYED ATTENTION, SO SHE SEEMED SURPRISED BY MY REQUEST. SOMETHING IN ME JUST FELT LIKE SHE NEEDED A CONFIDENCE BOOST, AND I THOUGHT A PHOTO SHOOT MIGHT GIVE HER EXACTLY THAT.
THAT MOMENT CHANGED
EVERYTHING FOR ME.
MY GREATEST JOY IN PHOTOGRAPHING PEOPLE — OF ALL GENDERS, RACES, AGES, AND BACKGROUNDS — IS HELPING THEM SEE THE BEAUTY I’VE ALWAYS SEEN IN THEM. FROM THE MOMENT I READ THAT MESSAGE, I KNEW WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT THIS WAS THE CALLING PLACED ON MY HEART BY THE UNIVERSE; TO CAPTURE PEOPLE’S BEAUTY AND HELP THEM RECOGNIZE IT FOR THEMSELVES.
I REMEMBER THINKING, ‘IF I CAN SPEND MY LIFE GIVING PEOPLE EVEN A SMALL PIECE OF WHAT MY HIGH SCHOOL FRIEND FELT THAT DAY, THAT IS THE LEGACY I WANT TO LEAVE BEHIND.’
Celebrating people is the best part of my job
And when I use the word “celebrating,” I’m not just talking about flashy events like weddings. Celebrating each other comes in all forms, both big and small.
ALTHOUGH I OFTEN SHOWCASE THE MORE POLISHED ASPECTS OF MY WORK ON SOCIAL MEDIA, MY PERSONAL FAVORITE PROJECTS ARE OFTEN THE ONES THAT HAPPEN IN PRIVATE.
I THRIVE ON THE BITTERSWEET OPPORTUNITIES TO TELL STORIES THAT ARE DEEPLY PERSONAL TO MY CLIENTS. IT’S EXTREMELY SPECIAL TO BE TRUSTED ENOUGH TO PHOTOGRAPH A FAMILY WITH A TERMINALLY ILL LOVED ONE, KNOWING THESE IMAGES MAY BECOME SOME OF THEIR LAST TANGIBLE AND MOST MEANINGFUL MEMORIES WITH THAT PERSON.
SOMETIMES, IT’S A BOUDOIR SESSION FOR SOMEONE FACING BREAST CANCER WHO IS ABOUT TO UNDERGO A DOUBLE MASTECTOMY AND WANTS LASTING IMAGES TO HELP CHERISH HER NATURAL BODY BEFORE IT IS CHANGED FOREVER. OTHER TIMES, IT’S A SESSION CELEBRATING SOMEONE WHO HAS GOTTEN SOBER AND WANTS TO CAPTURE HOW HEALTHY AND HAPPY THEY NOW FEEL. OR IT’S A BRANDING SESSION FOR SOMEONE WHO, AFTER YEARS OF BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS, HAS FINALLY ACCOMPLISHED THEIR DREAM OF OPENING A BUSINESS.
LIFE IS HARD — HARDER THAN WE’D LIKE TO ADMIT. THAT’S WHY I FIND IT IMPORTANT TO CELEBRATE PEOPLE AND THEIR JOURNEYS, BOTH WITH THEM AND FOR THEM.
EVIE IS NOT ONLY MY COUCH POTATO CUDDLE BUDDY, BUT IS ALSO MY EDITING SUPERVISOR, MODEL, AND HONESTLY...MY MUSE.
DURING THE WEEK, THERE’S NOTHING I LOVE MORE THAN A STRONG LATTE, LANA DEL REY OR NOAH KAHAN, AND MY CAT, EVIE, BY MY SIDE WHILE I EDIT AWAY.
I'M AN OLD SOUL AND I AM OBSESSED WITH ANYTHING VINTAGE; ANTIQUE KNICKNACKS, QUAINT HISTORIC VILLAGES, AND CREAKY OLD HOUSES --IN FACT, I OWN A 3-STORY VICTORIAN THAT I FIXED UP ALL BY MYSELF IN MY EARLY 20'S-- AND OLD-TIMEY MUSIC. I CAN'T SAY I'M A "COOL" POP-CULTURE GIRLY WHO'S UP ON THE LATEST TRENDS...BUT TRENDS ARE ALREADY SO YESTERDAY, AM I RIGHT?! HONESTLY, I'M HERE FOR THE TIMELESS S*** THAT NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE.
AND LASTLY, I'M AN ADVENTURER! I'VE DISCOVERED THAT THE REAL KEY TO HAPPINESS IN LIFE IS NOT MONEY OR POWER, BUT IT'S ALWAYS HAVING ANOTHER VACATION PLANNED IN YOUR CALENDAR. SO ON AVERAGE, I'M OUT OF THE COUNTRY AT LEAST EVERY OTHER MONTH AND ENJOY SMALLER DOMESTIC TRIPS IN BETWEEN WITH MY CLOSEST FRIENDS AND MY SUPER COOL HUSBAND. THIS WORLD HAS SO MUCH TO OFFER AND MY GOAL IS TO EXPERIENCE AS MUCH OF IT AS I CAN.
