Awesome experience shooting at the Army base in Madison with the Blackhawks!
Very unflattering, but my face was pasted to the ground to get that light in exactly the right spot for this shot.
When you just can't get the right angle without going in deeper water, you just go deeper and get that perfect shot.
I spend a lot of time on the ground to get just the right angle for each shot.
Balancing at the top of the silo for a shot to include her whole farm.
In 2005, after going through professional coursework and attending many seminars, I took a leap of faith and left teaching to open my professional photography studio in Westby, Wisconsin. After years of being too afraid to take my own two high energy toddlers anywhere for family portraits, I was determined to create a safe space to capture the reality of life for all families and be able to tell their story in a natural way. I wanted to create a place where we could capture the spirit and soul of the family or child, in their truest, authentic self, regardless of how messy or different that might look.
As I look back through more than 16 years of portraits, through multiple generations of families who have become friends and not just clients, I know that being real and taking time with each client has made a tremendous difference in being able to tell their family's stories. I included portraits in the final image collections that might have been thrown away by others, knowing that in each moment, there was a certain expression or action that melted someone's heart. I kept the images with upside down toddlers, wide open laughter with eyes squeezed shut, and funny faces because in the end, these were the authentic moments that told their story in the most genuine, natural way. They were not all "wall portraits," but each image was a part of their story, and my job is to tell that story in our short time together through beautiful, sometimes messy, wonderful, chaotic, creative images.
In recent years, I have also taken on roles for storytelling through marketing and social media for several local businesses. Now located in Buffalo City, Wisconsin, I can travel anywhere to make your portrait dreams a reality. Whether you are looking for a professional to help tell your personal or business story, let's talk and make a plan for the best way to tell your story for years to come.
You've heard of the book "Oh, The Places You Will Go," right? After all of these years of doing crazy things in the name of getting an exceptional picture, I've decided I should start writing a book about all of "The Places I Have Been" when photographing clients. I sure wish I'd asked the moms to take pics of some of these scenarios!
Here are JUST A FEW fun ones:
And my ONE ask is that clients NOT ask me to go where everyone else goes because I want your images to be truly original, genuine, and tell YOUR story. Sometimes you will question why I would choose a location UNTIL you see the final image from the camera's point of view. Trust me, and we can make some amazing memories and stories together.