I went to school for commercial photography and earned a BA perfecting my techniques for lighting and photography. I was taught sooo much technical information that the art form of things was nearly lost. But then one day a wedding photographer came to speak at our school (Mike Colon), and my friends and I went to heckle him. At a commercial photography school, wedding photographers were considered to have come up short on photographer career goals. So, walking into the talk I was ready to fire away as a cocky/arrogant college student who knew better than this man.

Halfway through his talk, I saw how he was able to create emotional and meaningful photography for his clients, how much joy it brought him and his couples, and how everything I’d learned from commercial photography could be brought to the table AND be combined for my extrovert LOVE for being around people. By the end of the talk, I looked at my roommate and said, “I think I’m gonna be a wedding photographer.” My roommate immediately told me I’d officially wasted my education. I never looked back. I’d found a new freedom in my photography and my creativity that only wedding photography allows.

Then I hired a business mentor, and he pushed me to focus my wedding photography on things that I personally am “passionate” about - that word gets thrown around a lot in this industry. My mentor told me what I am truly passionate about would be something that someone could and would claim in their own business NOT to stand for. We spent 6 months with him poking and prodding at me, nuancing and exploring - and after half a year of self reflection, I came out the other side knowing what truly drives me as a human being and what I’m looking for in couples who are a good fit for me - Active. Adventurous. Mischievous.