First Impressions


Every day I wake up wondering what I did to have been given the opportunity to be living in Hawaii with my hunk of a husband and our three floofers…look it up, google says its a word; everything on the internet is true.

I grew up in a super tiny town (one I am sure you have never heard of), lived in the same house, spent time with the same friends, and never adventured outside of a few of the same states. Life was simple and, frankly, boring for a hodophile girl like me. My answer? Graduate college as fast as I could and join the military.


I met my now husband Clay just a few days after I arrived at my first assignment. We became best friends, and the rest is history 😉. Clay and I share a love for adventure, and we have done just that in our three years together. Some of our favorite pastimes include traveling, hiking, adopting dogs (seriously, we have three), and being foodies. Marriage is exciting and life is great.

I guess what you really want to know, though, is my background in photography; how long I’ve been practicing, what qualifications I have. And the truth is, I am brand new. I won’t sit here and tell you I’ve encountered every experience and I’m on my way to being National Geographic's Top Photographer of the Year. But I can tell you that I started my photography business as a hobby a little over a month ago, and I have been in awe ever since. This hobby is turning into something grand. I am staying busy with new clients and am booking up to six months out to hold spots for returning clients. I’ve been given the opportunity to expand from family portraits to maternity photos and newborn shoots and am now dabbling in aerial photography because of demand from future clients! 


What I’m trying to say is, I am new, but I am dedicated, a go getter, and most importantly, my clients are happy. I can’t show you a picture of my hundreds of awards, but I can show you a progression of my improvements in shoots over the last month. 

I took the time to edit EVERY photo I took in the beginning. I watched hours of YouTube. I dove into articles and tuned in to virtual lessons to learn how to use ISO and speed flash. I’ve taken upwards of 1,000 photos for hour long sessions to ensure I would have plenty of beautiful photos to share with my clients. I’ve learned and I’ve absorbed, and I continue to be grateful for how far this hobby has progressed.


I tell you all of this to say I’m not perfect. I can admit that. I have to spend time researching to ensure I am prepared for new shoots; and that’s okay, because I love what I do.


I spent hours reading blogs and about me pages trying to find the perfect template for this first impression to all of you reading. I was stuck for weeks with writer’s block because I HATE writing about myself. I finally realized this was the perfect setting to be transparent with all of you, and that’s exactly what I plan to continue doing. I’ll share what I learn, what struggles I overcome, and how my business is doing. 

With that, I end with eye contact, a smile, and a firm handshake, and hope that you will continue on this journey with me.