You know that trope; “When I was 16 my father gave me a camera… ”? Well, when I was 15 my school started a photo class, and at 16 my dad really did give me a camera. Also at 16, through my teacher’s help, I was hired by the Salvation Army to come with them on a “coffee run”, documenting it for their annual report. Probably I was the cheapest person willing to meet them at 4:30 a.m., going around serving the homeless, disabled, and infirm. I got $200 and the knowledge that what I was doing was worth something!

Moving to Boston in 1994 was also an easy decision. My mom grew up here in Milton, and many of my best memories of youth are from the area. Growing up in Iowa, I’d always said I was going to live in Boston; Milton was close enough.
First at a lab, then as a commercial assistant, I was grateful to be working in my field. Quickly I realizing I wasn’t/didn’t want to be “That Guy” who was the “Commercial Photographer”, I found I really enjoyed working behind the scenes; assisting, then as a production assistant, helping with casting and location scouting, then a bit of Studio Management as well.

In 2004, after closing my greeting card company, I started working full time for Coffee Pond Productions as a Photography Coordinator & Account Manager. It was a great way to use the organizational & the customer service skills learned working for myself. This also allowed me to photograph on weekends, improving my portrait skills.

After having our first child in 2008, the industry and I had both changed enough, that getting back behind the camera as a main job was a wonderful, and natural extension. Meeting so many families after having our first daughter was lucky, as the family portrait business was coming into its own in the age of digital. Every year is a new adventure, challenging & honing my photography, and I love it.