A year of food photography with Duck, Duck, Dough, Gorham, Maine.

A Celebration of small batch, delicious, hand made, sourdough based treats. Baked from scratch in Southern Maine.

I had no aspirations of being a food photographer. Then, I was at a child’s birthday party. One of the other mom’s who I knew from the parent pick-up line at school was there, and had brought some bread to share and everything changed.

I grew up with parents - all THREE of them - who at different times throughout my childhood worked in restaurants and coffee shops. I started working in restaurants at 14 which may not have actually been legal, but I continued working in food for most of my life. You could say I’m a bit of a foodie. I only drink alcoholic beverages when I feel it will complement the meal I am eating, I enjoy a wide range of flavor profiles of food. I eat most everything except for octopus (too intelligent), shrimp (too allergic), American cheese (undigestible), and any insect (I am sorry, I just can’t.) I will try nearly everything if it’s cooked the right way though and I have no problem not eating something when it isn’t good.

I have actually worked for chefs that require us to say “yes chef” and “behind you” and “hands.” I know the actual panic of a jammed order printer during a dinner rush and have lived the camaraderie that can only happen when you work in a restaurant and have a restaurant “family.” Restaurants kept me alive for a lot of my life, for good and bad, restaurants feel like home to me.

I once took (and aced) a test on wine varietals, my old manager was a sommelier. I grew up in restaurants, meaning I am, underneath it all, a restaurant person and even though I don’t work in that environment anymore, it is what made me. I love to cook, I love to bake, I love eating at restaurants. I love discovering new recipes, and discovering hole in the wall gems in cities I visit. Yes, I went through a sourdough phase, it was delicious and required a lot of maintenance. I have a sweet tooth that I’m trying to tame for health’s sake.I can usually out-bake everything I encounter. No restaurant cake is safe, If I try it, I can go home and make one that’s better myself, and yes, I do that.

What I’m trying to say is that I’m picky and a bit of a snob when it comes to food, because I am in some sort of unspoken competition with every restaurant I encounter. I think it’s important to note that when I have a meal that is particularly incredible, that I could not even dream of making at home, I am instantly a super fan.

So, when I was sitting at a particularly chaotic birthday party, and Jen from Duck-Duck Dough handed me a fresh slice of chocolate sourdough that was still just slightly warm from the oven and had big chunks of dark chocolate all melty, and sweet met savory, and sour met malty chocolate. I realized that it was the first time in a very long time that I had encountered a baked good that I could not have made myself. It was pretty startling.

Jen casually mentioned that she was toying with the idea of creating a farm stand for baked goods, where people would order delicious treats in advance and pick up when the orders were ready and I was like, “You must, this is too delicious.” I didn’t know if she would really make it happen, but I was hopeful. A few months later, when she put this dream into action, I was like, “I will take the photos for your website.” I didn’t give her much of a choice, so I am glad she said yes to this. Since then, when she is rolling out a new product, I get to photograph it, and it has been such a treat (pun intended.)

The results have been a whole new adventure in photography and one that I hope to take even further. I also understand now why there are SO many food photographers, it is incredibly fun. So, here are some of my favorite shots taken over the last year. Thank you Duck Duck Dough!

F.A.Q.

It’s time for a Q & A

Common questions answered here:

• I’m nervous in front of a camera, do you help people pose?

  • YES! Enthusiastically, absolutely. I would say that probably 90% of people I have encountered feel at least a little nervous in front of a camera. Over the 10+ years that I have been photographing people I have become really comfortable coaching you through every moment of it, by the end, you may even have a little fun, I swear.

• Do you travel for weddings?

  • Yes, I do! Weddings within 100 miles of Portland, Maine are travel inclusive, but if you live outside of that radius there are two ways to arrange for my travel to your wedding:

    • 1. You pay for my airfare, transportation, and lodging. Sometimes this is easier for people who are purchasing a block of hotel rooms or having an agent book tickets for their wedding party. The dates and details would be agreed upon and you would handle the arrangements.

    • 2. I add a $900 travel fee to your invoice, we agree upon arrival and departure dates, and I handle all the arrangements.

• What about weddings where you may be traveling, but not necessarily flying?

  • This is determined on a case by case basis, and I try to keep my travel expenses reasonable. You can expect to cover mileage and lodging.

• How much do you charge to photograph a wedding?

  • There isn’t one set price and I don’t have plug and play “packages.” My pricing starts at $425/hour with a 2 hour minimum. Travel within the 100 mile radius of Portland, Maine is included.

• How do I book a wedding?

  • First you may want to take a look at my wedding gallery page here.

  • Then, send an email! It goes directly to my email and we can go from there.

• What about traveling for other types of shoot, like family, or events?

  • Yes, I would love to travel to you to for photos. There are specific locations that I visit and book sessions, like San Diego. I generally announce those booking dates at least 6 weeks in advance. If you live in a city that I am not already booking for, please let me know, and we can talk about options for traveling to you.

  • Other locations are always a possibility, but there are of course logistics to figure out, so this is always a case by case situation.

• Do you ever hold mini sessions?

  • No. I have in the past, but found that it contradicted many of the values that I hold in regards to having an experience together as photographer and subject. I don’t like the pressure of having to get a good shot inside of 10 minutes and found that most people I was photographing found it very stressful. So, I stopped offering it and I have never once regretted that decision.

• Do you ever work for exposure? Can you take photos for my business and I pay in referrals?

  • The short answer is no. I am sorry! I want to be sympathetic to business owners and companies that are starting out. I know that entrepreneurs and solo-preneurs are often having to make magic happen on tiny budgets. However, every time I have been asked to work for exposure and for free it is by a company that is big enough to have a marketing and photography budget, seems a bit exploitive, right? Photography of your work, your products, your staff, and your story are valuable assets and worth every penny.

Do you have a question that I don’t answer here? Please send me a message!

In Honor of Summer

I never really thought of myself as a summer person until I moved to New England, where there are four distinct seasons, and winter is the longest.

I love having four seasons, the cycle of renewal, growth, death, and rest has helped me become more connected to nature. It has also made me more acutely aware of the light during each season.

The winter light is dramatic and short lived, during the shortest days, the light is brief but impactful. Spring is unpredictable, gray, with spots of brilliance, the closer we get to summer the brighter. In fall, possibly the most popular time for family photos, the light can be warm, golden, and even. Sunsets stream through amber colored leaves, it really is dreamy. The days still long enough to enjoy a luxurious golden hour. I get it, why everyone wants fall photos, but still.

Summer, oh glorious summer. With flowers in bloom, and bright crispy sunbeams, long lazy days that stretch into extended golden hour. Dinners that are a modge podge of various things I have in my fridge plus something magical I got at the farmer’s market that week. Summer, with her sparkly waters off the coast and lazy nights, fireflies blinking their love songs in the back yard.

Summer in Maine is the reward that we get for making it through winter.

I never want summer to end. It is an incredible time for photos and lucky for you, I have a bit of availability coming up this last stretch of summer. Before things start to turn towards fall again, the leaves change, and we lose these precious hours of light.

If you are in the greater Southern Maine region and want to book a session, contact me here:

The Photography of Movement, a class offering on Substack

If I could split my life into eras, it could be “dancer” and “former dancer”, or perhaps it would be “before photography” and “after photography.” It could definitely be “before motherhood” and “motherhood.” These distinctions seem quite simple but really they are so much more complicated than that. There is overlap, in fact quite a lot of it. Nothing is a clean break because things just don’t happen that way. Everything falls in and out of a messy gradient. Some things happening simultaneously, some things sudden.

I can’t remember not being a dancer. My earliest memories are of dancing and it was the one constant in my life that wove itself through every phase. Dance was always present. Then photography entered my life - it wasn’t a quick shift. I was still pursuing dance, teaching dance, and it had been after years of interest. Photography felt like something that I was not allowed to do. You needed money to be a photographer, cameras were (and are) expensive. It seemed like it was a boy’s club (it is.) So, after years of intrigue, of wanting to learn, I finally taught myself, but it wasn’t like a switch flipped and I quit dancing and started doing photography only, not at all. There were years and years of doing both.

I danced through two pregnancies, two infant-hoods, all the while working as a photographer. I found out I was pregnant the day after I enrolled in a real photography class at San Diego City College, finally. I had wanted to go back to school and photography was the thing I wanted to study. I remember hours spent in the darkroom, in the first trimester, the smell of developer making me slightly nauseous. watching photos rise on the paper like I was some sort of magician, it felt like magic. The encouragement and support I received from the faculty at SDCC was like nothing else I had ever encountered. They quelled my fears about photo chemistry and pregnancy, and gave me real mentorship even if it was just for one semester. They made me believe that this was something I could do, not just as a hobby, but for real. A real career.

Dance and photography are intertwined and inseparable for me. When I am photographing people it is common for me to break a sweat. I am constantly in motion and I encourage my subjects to move around too. There is no such thing as stillness. It is an illusion.

So, I am putting a lot of things together and offering my knowledge as a class on Substack. It is currently titled “Photography of Movement.” I plan on having both paid and free posts that are discussions, exercises, and information that photographers and aspiring photographers can use to approach movement.

Over the years I have loved teaching. I loved teaching jewelry classes at the bead store and the Encinitas Library. I loved teaching dance and creative movement to children. I loved teaching photography basics and facilitating a zine making workshop and I know that I am going to love this too.

So, if you’ve made it this far perhaps you are intrigued? Maybe you want to join the community, or you are interested in learning a bit from me and I really hope you do. Take a peak at my Substack and stay tuned as I post more lessons.

Introducing: The Community Portrait Project

Recently I asked myself: “What is something I have been seeking for a long time, and I don’t feel like I have found it yet?”

Community. A sense of purpose. Belonging.

Relocating from a large Southern California city to a small New England town has left me feeling adrift for nearly a decade. I want to know my children’s home town better and I want to meet as many people here as I can. It is so important to build community, and I believe so passionately that art can do that. So, I would like to try a little project.

The Community Portrait Project

What is the Community Portrait Project?

A community art project where I take portraits of as many people in my community as possible. 

Goals:

• Create a visual archive of a specific time and place in our local history

• To create a body of work that is both documentary and visually appealing - equal parts artistry and archive.

• To meet and learn about my community

• To practice my portraiture work.

Will it cost money?

• No. It is free to participate and have a portrait taken.

• Digital photos and prints will be made available to purchase when they are finished at a reasonable rate.

Concepts and Ideas I am exploring:

• Community artmaking, “community cameras” will be brought to every pop-up for people to contribute their own images.

• How to be creative photographing many people in the same environment, how to keep things fresh and interesting.

• Being resourceful and tightening up my workflow.

What is the ideal outcome?

• Photos of as many Gorham residents as possible that create a “visual archive” of our community.

• This collection will be used on my website, possibly on social media, and hopefully in some form of print depending on the success of the pop-ups and the rate of participation.

• There is not a set goal or finish line. I would just like to see where this project goes.

• Long term, I would like to explore doing pop-ups in different communities.

What happens during a pop-up:

• I will be making events known through my business social media channels about the date and time of the popup.

• Anyone who lives here or in the general region can show up and have a portrait taken to be part of the project

• Anyone under 18 must have parental consent

• All participants will be required to sign a release that grants me permission to take their photo and to use it for my own artistic purposes within the scope of the community portrait project.

• Pop Ups will last around 2 hours, plenty of time to photograph lots of people!

• People do not need to sign up in advance, just show up

• I will be collecting contact information so that if I have questions or need further releases etc I can contact people, no information will be sold to any third parties.

• Participants are welcome to purchase prints and digital files and those may be used for personal purposes. They may not be sold, licensed, or used outside of the scope of the project.

So, if you’ve read this far, perhaps you are a little intrigued?

Here are the dates:

Sunday July 21st, Robie Park, Gorham, ME 5-7pm

Monday August 12th, Robie Lawn (next to Robie Gym) 42 South St, Gorham, ME 5-7pm

Sunday August 25th, the gazebo next to Baxter Memorial Library, 71 South St, Gorham, ME 4-6pm

Saturday September 7th, At Art on South 42 South St, Gorham ME 10am -2pm

Questions? Email me HERE

5 Big Reasons for Family Photos at Home

Where I am based out of - Southern Maine - there is an abundance of beautiful locations to meet up for family photos. Every once in a while I’ll post a question to a group of women’s business owners asking for suggestions on location and my messages are flooded with the most spectacularly beautiful places. I love meeting up with families for on location shoots, it combines a little bit of adventure with a lot of the natural beauty of our state usually resulting in incredible photos. Sometimes though, the best place for family photos is in your home. Before you stop me because your home isn’t a perfectly staged mansion straight from the pages of a magazine, take a moment to read ahead. I could go on about this forever but here are just FIVE big reasons you may want to have family photos at home:

1. Kids are comfortable at home - What is the best way to look comfortable and have fun in front of a camera? To actually BE comfortable and have fun in front of a camera. For most people, familiar surroundings can mean just being more relaxed in general. This is especially true for kids.

2. Kids love to show me their stuff - Some of my favorite photos from family sessions at home have been when your kids show me their favorite things. Kids bond to certain items, I know I did, I STILL have my little plush dog “Toto” to this day. Not only is it sweet to have a photo that shows them with their prized possessions, asking them to show me their favorite things is a great way to break the ice with a kiddo. This also can lead to some really wonderful play time photos. My family photography walks the line between documentary and portraiture - sometimes the best photos come from completely unstaged moments where kids just do their thing. In these moments, I don’t intervene, there is a time for them to pose and smile but while they are playing isn’t it! Just let them be the incredible little people that they are.

3. If you need a break everything is there for you - It is sometimes impossible to get out of the house with everything you need, everyone fed, everyone’s diaper changed, hair done, makeup on, ready to go for photos. I mean, just writing about it makes me feel exhausted.

4. You won’t feel rushed to arrive on time - You will already be there. Need a few more minutes to get your makeup on, brush your hair, eat a snack before we begin?  No problem, it’s all there for you.

5. Photography of your family in your home creates a record of a place that is crucial to your children’s core memories -  This one may be the most important. I moved with my family and my single mother in the 80’s and 90’s ELEVEN times before graduating high school. There was a ton of upheaval and a ton of fractured memories, toys lost, and ruined things that I loved.  There are extended periods of time that are blurry.  The photos that remain - and there are only a few - are some of the only things that can ground me when I examine my life in retrospect. When I look back at my family photos, I see the place I grew up in, for good or bad, documented as it truly was, and it instantly brings me back. Photography, especially when printed or in a book or album is both a record of a time and a place but also an archive of a family history. I cherish the photos of me as a child in the places that I remember and your kids will too. 

The possibilities for picking a great location for family photos are many. Before you decide to load everyone up and embark on a big outing, think about the wonder and beauty that is already around you in your house. Consider the possibility that your own home is a great place too. 

Interested in booking a family photo session in your home or neighborhood? Let me know, send me a message here. I can’t wait to take photos together.

Maker's Sessions, what they are and how to book!

Recently I was asked if I offered “lifestyle and branding” sessions. Actually, if I’m being honest, I was asked if I knew anyone who offered lifestyle and branding photography and I was like, “Honey, that would be me.” I was a little taken aback, and maybe a little offended because I thought this person already knew that was a big part of what I do.  

Anyone who knows me, has heard me talk about how much I love working with people to showcase them and their businesses. I talk about it constantly and by “talk about it constantly" I mean I think about it constantly and talk about it over breakfast with my husband and occasionally mention it every once in a while when asked, specifically, what kinds of photography I do. Do I often offer this information up just in regular conversation? That would be a no. Am I proud of how painfully bad I am at striking up conversation with strangers and casually dropping in my elevator pitch? 

Yes and no. 

I’m here to make meaningful connections and long-term working relationships with people who love and value my work, not to constantly pitch to strangers and the moms waiting at the pickup line to get their kids from school. I am not here to cheese everyone, literally. 

So, what’s a “Maker’s Session”? 

• It’s a one hour (approximately) session at your home, small business, a location you love, or artist studio.

• This session is to show who you are, what you make, and what you do, so that you have a collection of images to use in social media, websites, and print for your marketing. 

• It’s a relaxed session! So many people are nervous in front of a camera, luckily I’m not nervous behind a camera. No matter what you’re feeling, we will get through it together and end up with beautiful photos of you doing your thing.  

• It’s head shots, if you want them. It’s a great time to get some fresh headshots of you in your workspace, the beautiful storefront you’ve curated, or next to your newest work of art. 

Who is it for?

Solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, artists, performers, creatives. Anyone who is making it work on their own or with a small team.

What is it NOT? 

• This is NOT studio photography, stiff headshots in front of a gray background, or fake sets constructed to help you launch your influencer career. 

• This is NOT cookie cutter, everyone ends up with the same 5 photos, and has to pay through the nose for a 3 month license.

• This is NOT product photography or commercial-lifestyle work- interested in bringing me on to a commercial shoot? Email me here. 

• This is NOT corporate headshots. 

This is YOU, showing the world what you show up for every day.

Ready to get on my books? SEND ME AN EMAIL at [email protected]

Imaginary Island Dance in performance at Space 538 in Portland Maine. March 30th, 2023

The story of how I became a photographer often feels like a long one. It started, like so many things in my life, with my lifelong practice and love of dance.

Dance and photography are woven together for me. Times when I danced more seriously were accompanied by a nagging impulse to photograph myself and others moving. Now, when I am working as a photographer, I am connected to and informed by the perspectives and compositional techniques I learned for over three decades in dance classrooms. 

It is rare that you will find me sitting still, taking static images with a camera on a tripod. Movement and photography are two sides of the same coin for me. They just go together. When I am taking photographs I am moving: dodging, bobbing, weaving, swaying, crawling, kneeling, up on my tippy toes, and sometimes climbing on furniture. I am often mirroring my subject’s movement throughout a session, if they jump, I jump too. Connecting photo making with movement is the culmination of so many things that inspire and drive me in my life. It keeps me awake.

So, when dancers hire me to photograph them, it is such an absolute gift. Both of my passions are combined, to create something that is truly wonderful.  Dance and photography are very different in their forms, but share so much. The common ground between them is that both deal in the passage and experience of time.  Imaginary Island, a dance company based in Portland, Maine invited me to photograph them in performance at Space 538, a gallery and venue on March 30th. Working with Imaginary Island was such a joy and I am so proud of the images that were created during their rehearsal and live performance. Without further ado, a collection of my favorite images from “You Are Going To Be Healed” by Imaginary Island. 

Five Tips for Family Photos at the Beach!

I didn’t realize how connected I was to the ocean until I moved to Maine from San Diego, where beach time is a part of daily life and the beauty of a beach sunset was often taken for granted. Lucky for me, Maine has some of the most breathtakingly beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen.  Now, I spend as much time at the beach as possible. Even in winter you will find me there, actually especially in winter. The magic of winter beaches is one of the biggest surprises of my life. I love them so much. Is it cold? Absolutely, and sometimes windy, but it makes up for it by being gorgeous, a little wild, and peaceful.

It seems like a few years ago, beach photo sessions were everywhere. To the point that I was like, “Oof, this is getting a little predictable.” Here’s the thing, the beach is a wonderful location for family photos, it’s a beautiful backdrop, and lots of fun. I’m also being a little bit selfish here, because if I’m being honest, I’d really just love to spend more time taking photos at one of my favorite places.

I’ve found that even in the most beautiful of locations, being a little prepared, so that you get the most out of your session, is one of the most valuable things that you can do. 

Here are 5 tips for family photo time at the beach - even in winter!

1. Pick a beach you are familiar with, in fact, pick a beach that you love. Feeling comfortable in front of the camera starts with feeling comfortable in your environment. You don’t want to feel stressed and out of your element from the get go. Pick a beach that you actually go to, that you feel happy going to. Your genuine happiness is what I want to capture in your photos, the excitement and fun that your family really experiences in a place that is special to them.

• Need help finding the perfect beach for your photo session? Here’s just one of MANY lists of beautiful places to explore.

• Want to try a little beach hiking/location scouting? Check out the Outdoor Movement Project’s list of beach hikes to try.

2. Pick a time that you know may be less crowded: Beaches are crowded in Summer, this is just how it goes in Maine, but if you are familiar enough with the beach you are going to, you can make a plan to go there at a less busy time. Having said that, some of the best times for photos at the beach are in the evening, during the “golden hour”, that final hour and a half just before sunset. If you play your cards right, by the time golden hour hits, the crowds have begun to thin out. 

3. Check the tide charts: Beaches can change dramatically with the tides. During high tide, your big expansive beach can turn into a tiny sliver with crashing waves. So, make sure to at least look at the tide charts to be prepared for the conditions. 

4. Bring your beach bag: Time gets a little bit slippery at the beach, it is magical and soothing, but every time I plan for a quick hour out in the sun and sand, I end up spending three. Pack a beach bag with all the usual suspects: snacks, water, a brush, towels. You may just be going for beach photos, but prepare as if you are going to the beach like any other time.  Pack extra clothes…I know it’s a lot getting everyone ready for photos in even one outfit, but you may want to bring a backup or just bring your swimsuits and prepare to relax and have fun. Bring your beach stuff! You will probably need it. 

5. Book your session in advance: Everything that goes into making your photo session a fun and memorable event can take a little bit of time.  Even if summer feels a million years away, it will be here sooner than you realize! Once my schedule starts to fill up, booking a session last minute can be really challenging. Do yourself a favor and message me now to get on my books!

Fall Family Mini Sessions 2022

It’s the first day of fall and I swear it just feels different! I love the change in seasons and while New England winters make me question my life choices and whether or not I should flee to somewhere warmer, Maine in the fall is what keeps me here. 

Every year, I go back and forth on offering “mini-sessions” and this year I want to do it in a way that stays true to who I am as an artist. Setting up a backdrop and having a new family step into it for a photo every fifteen minutes just doesn’t work for me. It’s great for other photographers, but not me. I need to spend a little time with you, give you a minute to get used to having a camera in your face, be outside, feel the sunshine and the way the light gets golden this time of year as it streams through the leaves of the woods around us. 

In an effort to keep things as simple as possible, this year sessions will be: 30 minutes, in a location of your choosing in or around the greater Portland, Maine region, for $199. You get the digitals with options for printing. 

You get to pick a location that you love. Southern Maine in the fall has no shortage of beautiful places and if you are stumped I’d be happy to make some suggestions! I have availability for these fall sessions going through the end of November! send me an email Here for booking and questions.

San Diego in September

The first time I saw San Diego, I didn’t know a single person there. I had just graduated college and there was a week and a half of time between having to move out of my apartment in Albuquerque and returning to Northwest Arkansas where my father lived to start a new job.

I didn’t really have a plan to go to San Diego specifically, but it was a pretty straight shot west from Albuquerque. I was craving an adventure, so I filled up my tank and drove. I spent the first night camping in the Arizona desert, the floor of my tent warped from the radiant heat of the rocks and sand beneath it. By 6am it was blisteringly hot out, so I packed up all my gear, took a quick break at a coffee shop in Tucson and kept driving to the ocean. By late afternoon I was cresting the top of the Laguna Mountains, traffic started flying past me on the 8 west, and suddenly, I was in a city. San Diego began to spring up all around me, green and mountainous, with buildings seemingly perched on the sides of canyons.  I kept heading west until eventually, I reached the Pacific Ocean. I stopped to regroup, look at a map, and I found a campsite at South Carlsbad State Beach. I stayed there for two nights. Sleeping in my tent by the ocean. Exploring the little towns nearby, sitting on the beach, and wondering how people could manage to make a life in a place like this. 

I had no idea that years later I would live there, for over 9 years, then leave, then feel homesickness that I had never felt before or since. 

In about ten days I’ll be home again. It’s weird to call it home because I wasn’t born there, but the way I feel when I’m there is that I have gone home. I notice all the changes in the city. I feel the frenetic, crazy energy that is there again, I soak up all too much vitamin D if that’s even possible and I spend every spare moment visiting the places, people, and things that I miss so much. It’s my annual reset. 

This year I am bringing my cameras again, and while I am already nearly fully booked for the time that I am there, I have a few windows of time that I could add in a couple more sessions. I am so excited to be back again, if only for a few days, to catch up, take photos with some really incredible people, and say hello to my old city. I can’t wait to be back again. 

Family Photos on Peaks Island, Maine.

When one of my favorite family clients asked me if I would be willing to come over to Peaks Island to take some family photos I didn’t need to think about it. “Yes!” I exclaimed, because any excuse to hop over to the island is a good excuse. 

Just a quick ferry ride from Portland, Maine across Casco Bay, brings you to this sweet community.  One of the things that I love the most about visiting Peaks Island is how even though it looks right at Portland,  it feels distinctly different. Once you are on the island you notice the abundance of golf carts, bicycles, and other modes of transportation. Peaks Island doesn’t have a public transportation system because the whole island is around 740 acres, with the Peaks Island Loop clocking in at around 4 miles, mapping the perimeter of the island. So, when you are on there, make sure you have good walking shoes, a bike, or a plan for renting a golf cart. I began the day with a beautiful session at a home on Spar Cove, on the eastern side of the island. It was sunny, warm, and bright, perfect for family photos.

As our session progressed, they showed me around the house, combed the beach for sea glass, played on the rocky shore of the cove, and found little sea-snails. 

It is not often that I am awestruck, so much that I forget where I am, forget my camera is there, forget that I’m working, but that morning, on Spar Cove, off the coast of Maine, a child said to me while holding a tiny sea snail, “If you sing to them, they come out of their shell.” I wasn’t sure if this was a claim that I could believe, certainly we have all tried at some point to commune with animals, but then a little snail emerged from his shell, beckoned by the quiet humming of “the battle hymn of the republic.” This is one of my most treasured moments of being a photographer. To be brought to this magical island, so close to my home, then shown a small miracle. 

After that, I was off to visit Sandy Beach on the Southwest side of the Island for another family session. A short walk from the ferry terminal, Sandy beach feels quiet and intimate, even with other families there, we still had plenty of room to move around, play, and take some gorgeous photos. 

After saying goodbye to my wonderful clients, I met up with my own family, to make a day of it. We took a walk, played some more on Sandy Beach, and ate some pizza at Il Leone. After the short walk back to the ferry terminal, we sat on the pier and waited for the Peaks Island Ferry to pick us up. We watched as people jumped off the pier and swam near the docks. Life felt like it slowed down a bit over on the island. Shortly thereafter the ferry arrived and we hopped on board. As I looked back at Peaks Island, I couldn't help but wonder how soon I would be able to come back for more family photo fun.

A Year of Documentary Family Photography: introducing "Trip Around the Sun"

I can’t believe it is December already. This last year we have all had to pivot, then re-pivot, then again, and again. Things are changing still, always, forever. Every time I think I know what is going to happen… things up and change. Each day I remind myself to be gentle with those who are grieving, and that is everyone now. We have all lost someone or something, some people many someones and somethings, it can feel heavy to face that.

When I was little I would sit for hours poring over my mother’s photo albums. I would leaf through each page, one by one. I’d ask her to tell me the story of each photo, where it was taken, who were the people in it, what year was it taken? Seeing the permanence that a photo held struck me even then. If you invite me over to your house, which perhaps someday you will, I will instantly be drawn to your wall of photos, your fridge, your gallery of school portraits on your stairway, the portrait of your grandmother in a tiny ornate frame on your desk. A blurry photo of your childhood pet, the one that was yours. The history of your family told through images will pull me in, I can’t tell you how many parties I’ve been to where I can barely hold a conversation because I’m too distracted looking at pictures. I don’t know how to help it, and I’m not sure I would want to if I could.

When I think about the thing that keeps me coming back to this work, this practice of photographing people, this dream of making a career out of it, it is that when I am taking photos of you, I am creating a chronicle of your life, something you can come back to years later. A photo can seem so commonplace now, in this world where everyone has a phone camera on them at all times, but I promise you, documenting your life is powerful. It is a window into your world that remains open. Photos are a fixed point, they defy time and space. It is thrilling.

I have been so fortunate to be able to photograph the same families over the course of time, to see how their lives have changed, to see their children grow, to witness and document the shaping and reshaping of lives, and have had the privilege of being invited in to photograph that.

I am offering a new type of session format, taking this thing that I love and making it intentional. I call it:

▸ Trip Around the Sun

A series of documentary photo sessions to create a visual archive of your life over the course of one year.

There are three options you can choose from.

1. 12 one-hour documentary sessions, one per month, for one year, at 20% off ($316 per session.)

2. 6 one-hour documentary sessions, one every other month, for one year, at 15% off ($335 per session.)

3. 4 one-hour documentary sessions, one every three months, for one year, at 10% off ($355 per session.)

Each session will be chronologically added on to an online gallery and after the course of a year, there will be a full collection of images from your life.

Do you have questions? Please, let’s talk! I would love to hear from you. Contact me HERE.

Fall 2021 Mini Sessions!!

It’s time for some fall mini-sessions! Ya’ll, I don’t do mini sessions very much, because I’ve found that I really love to spend time with my clients and sometimes it takes more than 15 minutes to loosen up for the camera.  So, my “mini” sessions are around 20-30 minutes long, which generally will give us about 5-10 final, high resolution photos. The session fee is $150 and includes your choice of 5 digital photos, with the option to purchase any additional photos from your gallery.

These sessions will take place on the following dates and locations, all are Sundays:

September 26th at Payson Park, in the Longfellow Arboretum, in Portland, Maine.

October 3rd at Martin Place Farm in Gorham, Maine.

October 10th at Ft. Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine

I’m only going to be booking a maximum of 4 sessions per day, and I have a bit of flexibility in the hours at this point, but they will fill up quickly, so don’t hesitate to book! 

Spring Sessions!

Spring is here, at least I think it is, it seems like it is, I hope that it is. I live in Maine and as much as I want to believe that we’ve made it out of winter, the reality is that snow is pretty nearly always a possibility. Regardless, the forsythia is in full bloom, the cherry blossoms are blessing us with all their pinky promise, and the tulips have made their full dramatic ascension. Living in New England I am more connected to the seasons than I ever have been before. Nature is not just something we witness, it is part and parcel of existence. We are made of the earth, we are connected quite literally to the trees and flowers and birds, as a friend of mine recently stated, “it’s not a metaphor,” we affect everything, and everything affects us.

This spring, I am ready to see what the world can bring post-pandemic, I am excited to witness all the growth that we have in front of us, and I would like to help others who have struggled and are suffering so much in the wake of all the tragedy and devastation that Covid-19 has brought about.

So, if you book a family or lifestyle session in the Month of May, 15% of your session fee will be donated to Together Rising, a nonprofit platform that I believe is doing incredible work to make the world a better place. These sessions do not need to take place in the month of May, and can be booked in both New England, or San Diego, as I have a tentative San Diego trip planned June 17-21! Which is another big announcement.

Starting May 1st, there will be no quarantine travel restrictions coming to and from Maine, which is so exciting, I can travel again, and I will. If you have questions about booking, the fundraiser, or anything else for that matter, please don’t hesitate to contact me, I’d love to hear from you.

Spring 2021, Hope for the future with support from the Maine Arts Commission

As we move forward into spring, I can’t help but feel hopeful. I know that the world has changed dramatically, and the losses we have all endured over the last year are barely being understood, but I now feel that there is a future that may look a little like the one I had envisioned for myself pre-pandemic. I have had moments over the last year where I felt paralyzed and simultaneously pulled to photograph and document my life and the lives of others because this moment in history deserves to be understood in the future. I want my children and grandchildren to look at the photos I took over the last year and see that life marched forward, despite how heartbreaking it was. I have been spending a lot of time over the last year taking a long hard look at my life and what I really truly value.

How do I want to spend my days?

When I am old and looking back on my life, what will I have done, what will I be leaving behind?

I have been laying the groundwork over the last several months to begin to build back the small photography business that I very nearly abandoned last year and to hopefully do so in a way that is more meaningful, more fully realized. It has been emotional, to say the least.

I have also been so fortunate to be able to find classes, mentors, and resources to help me achieve my goals and begin to learn the pieces of running a business that I didn’t know I didn’t know. This is such a great privilege, I know this.

I am so pleased to announce that I am a recipient of a Maine Artist Resilience Grant which was funded in part by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

This grant came at a moment where I was considering closing my business entirely, I actually had the goodbye email drafted and was about to schedule it to send to all my clients when I was notified. It was a glimmer of hope and financial lifeline so that I can continue to learn more about business, further invest in equipment, learn as much as I can about creating opportunities for my work and begin to build back again. I am so grateful to have this support and I am really looking forward to the future.

When things don't go as planned

I used to think I had a pretty good idea of what the future was going to look like. I built my life around this imaginary future. The career trajectory that I was plotting, the idea of the future, of what I thought my life was going to be. The details were expected to change, but the events of this year so far are ones that I never planned for. The last few months have been ROUGH, worldwide, nationwide, locally. Even the countries and communities that are faring best in this global pandemic are having a rough year. Let’s just sit inside of that and dig into this discomfort, because we may be here a while. While it feels much safer to cling to the things that make me comfortable, I’ve always been more of a “just rip the band-aid off” kind of person; I’d much rather face things head on. Despite how painful it can be, even when my instinct is to retreat, I can’t. There are things greater than myself that need so much more attention right now than the meager offerings that I have to give as an artist. My aspirations for my photography business are on hold right now, I spend most days working on keeping my children from feeling isolated and bored, I plan, and budget, and do dishes, so many dishes. We strategically plan outings, armed with masks and sanitizer, we listen to scientists, we read, we read some more. Still, I can’t help but feel that documentation of the world right now is important. I have been shooting more than ever before. I have also been shooting film more than I have in the last five years. It feels like going home. I’m not sure how I ended up living in the wrong era, where everything I am good at used to be a good way to make a living, but is now only viewed as a hobby, but here I am. So, here are a few shots taken with a really lovely roll of Lomo-chrome purple, a film with an intentional color shift, mimicking the infra-red films that are so expensive and difficult to work with. I am simply in love with the results of this film in my forever BFF, my Pentax K1000. Here, is a quick glimpse at a few moments from the summer of 2020, pandemic, life in Maine.

Get your Holiday photos in time 2019!

Not to be too short, but ok, here’s the deal: 30 minutes, on location, you, your family, fur babies, friends, dress up, or don’t. It’s up to you. Be you. Let’s get some pictures ready for holiday cards. $125, 10-25 final high-resolution digital files. All November long. Contact me to set up an appointment. Offer expires November 30, 2019.

Family photo time!

Recently, a photographer friend of mine noted that “children and animals are the worst things to try and photograph.” I was like, “What. Are. You. Talking About?!” I think that this common sentiment is rooted in an old school mentality that children should be seen and not heard, should behave, and should fit into a rigid ideal for what society deems “appropriate behavior.” While I’m all for perfectly posed toddler photos, and the rare unicorn that they are, I think that it’s time we get real about who these little people are that we share our lives with. I don’t want to capture a picture of your little tiny kid doing anything other than being exactly who they are meant to be in that very moment that I’m with them. I don’t mind getting my clothes dirty, getting in the grass, playing in the leaves, or chasing them around. Photography is about freezing a moment in time, one that we will never get back. Why would we want to remember that as anything other than it truly is?

So here it is, the end of summer sale!! 30 minutes, 15-25 high definition digital files. At a location of your choosing (within 25 miles of South Portland.) For $115! Book between Friday August 15th and September 1st to take advantage of this price!!

You, your family, fur babies, friends, chosen family, or just you, doing something you love to do.

Springtime Refresh

“What am I supposed to do?” Is a common question when I’m shooting.  Everyone from new mothers to professionals getting a head shot for their website have insecurity surrounding being photographed. Feeling like we should be doing something worthy of being photographed or mimicking what we’ve seen a million times in fashion magazines is normal, but it’s not good, because it isn’t true.  Those ideas we have about what we are supposed to look like on camera are lies, often ones that aim to sell us something.

“I’m not photogenic.” Is another one that I’ve heard more times than I can count, from nearly everyone I’ve ever photographed, even the ones that are clearly incredible on camera, which is literally EVERYONE.  You are incredible on camera. The camera loves you. Yes it does. Yes. YOU!

What makes a good photo of you?

YOU.  Being you. Doing the things that make you feel like you.  There is no product, makeup, photoshop effect, or instagram filter that can take the place of who you uniquely are and what you bring to this world.  

This is why I love taking photos of people in their homes, doing things that they love, spending time with their families and pets.

As we continue to lean towards an ever increasing “gig-economy” how we represent ourselves online becomes more important.  More is at stake. I have worked in the wellness and entertainment industries for years, where people are putting an emphasis on working for themselves in many capacities, and I see how having good quality photos of who you are and what you do can make a difference in your life.  How are you representing yourself? Is every photo of you a dark iphone photo or a blurry selfie? Or are you showing the world who you are and what you do with beautiful images that help you find more gigs, clients, or opportunities?

Do you need photos for your website, instagram, or facebook campaign? Or do you need to get photos of you and your family, your bff, your furbaby? Don’t wait to get photos of you and the people and things you love, the world is crazy, time is unrelenting, memories fade, but photos can bring you back immediately.

Lucky you, here I am, your photographer.  

Send me a message to set up a session to get some fresh photos.  It can be you, doing anything. How do you want the world to see you?

Let’s make something memorable.

Smize for the camera, smiiiiize.