Hello! So, you have stumbled upon my little corner of the web! Here, I showcase just a handful of the things I shoot and show you how I capture life around me. To see more, follow me on social media, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You never know, we may end up working together in the future!

Since some of you viewing this might not know me, I thought a little Photography Q&A would be an excellent way to answer some questions about my photography.

When did you first get into photography?
I grew up photographing nature and documenting our family vacations. We always drove when we went on vacation, so it was fun to capture photos from rest stops and from the places we visited. I started out taking more photos of my brothers and family using throw away cameras my mom would buy me at jewel before our trips. As I got older, my mom let me use her floppy disk Sony, which she bought to take photos of products for eBay. It was not until high school when I met my best friend, Dani Jo, who pushed me to make this a career. She pushed me to enter a photo contest for Moraine Hills State Park and I took 3rd place and got on the front of the paper.

Who is your favorite photographer/who inspires you?
I was not a big reader growing up, so I didn’t know about many other photographers other than Ansel Adams. I heard of him from my family as well as in school. I got to visit his pop-up art show in Cincinnati a few years ago and I have a tattoo of one of his quotes on my arm. It was not until college that I learned of many other inspirational photographers. To me, what inspired my photo career was more of an experience vs a person. Getting to see images from back in the day that my family photographed really drew my attention and I loved looking back in time.

How would you describe your photography style in five words?
Comfortable, Fun, Well Rounded, Inviting, and Relatable

Where is home for you and where do you work?
Home for me is McHenry County. I grew up in the heart of our county, in McHenry itself. I also work her. Not only do I own a studio on 120 in downtown McHenry, but I also work with Naturally McHenry County, City of McHenry, and the McHenry Chamber of Commerce.

What did you do workwise before you started your photography business?
Until I took my business full time, I worked as a full-time graphic artist. I did graphic design, product photography, editing, social media, and anything media related. It was nice because I still got to do what I loved, but also learned a lot about other things in my market that were relevant to my career and have helped me pick up extra gigs. I still do some of this on the side.

How do you choose the locations for your photoshoots?
I do like to ask my clients if they have a place in mind, otherwise I have chosen most my locations based off other photographers’ suggestions, stumbling upon them myself or knowing them from visiting them often. Depending on the type of shoot I have, I think about the difference in these locations to see which would be best for what you are going for.

What editing software do you usually use? 
It was not until last year I started using lightroom. I still am up in the air on how I like it and which pre-sets are for me, but you must adapt with the times. I use the adobe suite; photoshop and bridge.

What’s your favorite thing to photograph?
My first love in photography was flowers. I loved to shoot them and find out more about each one. Now, I really enjoy engagement sessions and branding photoshoots.

What camera and lens do you use?
I use a canon 7D and shoot primary with my 24mm lens and my 70-200mm.

What do you like most about being a photographer? 
Since I shot a wide variety of things, I love most to make an impact. With families, stopping time, with events, capturing memories and for businesses helping them grow.

Your footie social media platform?
I love Instagram. If I could host all my business here I would. It makes you focus on the top photos you shoot and allows you to feel inspired. My goal for 2022 is to grow my followers.

I hope this gave you a little insight on my photo biz. Feel free to reach out at any time to have a one-on-one, find out more or to book a session.