I’m a southern girl. I was born in Mississippi, raised in North Carolina, and I went to college in Tennessee. Adventure brought me to Los Angeles and has kept me here. I enjoy life; anything that makes me smile or laugh is all right by me. My friends, family, and fun are my priorities.
Old country music is usually my go to. It’s nostalgic and feels like home. I’m a sucker for Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings.
Having a creative outlet has always been a necessity for me. And although I grew up taking endless amounts of photos with my mom’s disposable cameras, it was in college where I truly fell in love with the medium. As a graphic design major initially, I was required to take a photography class. The rest is history, I changed my major instantly and haven’t looked back since. I owe so much gratitude to my professor, Baldwin Lee, for his enthusiasm, encouragement and guidance in opening my eyes to photography as an art form and all of it’s possibilities.
When I’m shooting I get lost in the excitement of the moment, so much so sometimes, that I almost lose the ability to express myself verbally. That’s photography to me. It’s a feeling, it’s a memory, it’s a fleeting moment, it’s happiness, it’s sadness, it’s everything you shouldn’t forget and don’t want to. The following quote really captures this idea for me, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss
People are my most favorite subject to shoot, especially children. I love more than anything to spend the day with a child and just photograph their daily routine. Sessions like that are always full of surprises, firsts, laughs, and heartfelt decisive moments. And they always bring out the kid in me as well. More over, being able to hand over moments like these to a parent is one of my greatest satisfactions.
Canon 5DMarkii and a 50mm 1.2 lens.
The biggest part of my “look” starts with my ability to set my clients at ease and make them feel comfortable. If you can do that, you will be able to capture your subject as their true selves in real moments. The rest of my “look”, soft focus, back lighting, and sun flare, which I achieve with a prime lens and a wide aperture, just falls into place.
One that evokes a strong emotion from within.
This interview was originally published on BehindTheCamera.co.
