I've always found photography interesting.

In middle school I was gifted a camera and a personal photo printer for Christmas one year, and deemed "family photographer." I liked the title. I thought it was something special. But my photos... were not. In high school, I had the option to do some photography with my crappy little digital camera. I was so excited. My photos were anything but exciting. In college, I began to take actual photography classes, bought my first DSLR camera, and started learning about exposure and light and shutter speed, and all the other things that come with using a proper camera. I began to see a change. My photos were not amazing, but they weren't bad, either.

This December will mark 5 years since I graduated college, which seems crazy. Life has taken me on a lot of twists and turns, but the last year has allowed me opportunity to grow even more in my skills of photography. I have learned more about how to use natural light to my advantage, the benefits of spending money on a good camera lens, and how to properly pose people for a photograph so that everyone looks their absolute best. I still have a long way to go, but it's amazing to look at how far I've come. Below are some "before" (left) and "after" (right) photos. I am proud of each of them because they all have been a part of my journey to where I am now. A journey that I feel so blessed to be on, and I’m so excited to see where it takes me.