HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU STARTED PHOTOGRAPHY?

I was 12 when I picked up my first camera, trailing behind my big sister with her big camera. I started pursuing photography as more than a hobby sophomore year of high school when a friend handed me some cash after we frolicked around a field taking her senior photos. As I grew in the time I spent with my camera by my side, my friends and family starting seeing more potential than even I saw! And then my life changed forever (age 16) when a couple trusted me to take photos at their wedding that same year, 2014. And it's been a whirlwind since! Booking through word of mouth and my portfolio circulating through platforms like my blog and Instagram.

Why photography?

Simply put: it's just me. There is something pure magic about stopping time. In such a visual world, I love that I can spark emotion, capture moments, and deliver work that allows my clients to cherish their memories. I love the responsibility I have to capture something that won’t ever happen again. And I love that I am growing and getting better each day I pick up my camera.

I know I will never stop taking photos because, like I said, it is truly a part of who I am. I think in colors and composition. I process life and events through photos. I pray I will always have the opportunity to empower, encourage, and evoke. I don’t think photos should only be happy. I choose to pick up my camera to be a communicator. A photo is worth a thousand words. I don’t control your interpretation of an image, and that is a beautiful thing.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE PRODUCT/BRAND PHOTOGRAPHY?

Community over competition is what I am all about, and I never want to lose that. I love coming alongside other entrepreneurs and creatives, empowering them in their own goals and dreams.

If I didn’t have microphone anxiety I would absolutely love to be an inspirational speaker. That being said, I love to be a one-on-one catalyst. My passion is to set goals, write mission statements, and make things happen. There is a world full of people with ideas scribbled on napkins and journals, but they are never challenged or given the tools to make their dreams grow into a reality. I want to be there with the passionate individual and help breathe life into their visions, to be their one-on-one inspirational speaker and tool kit.

You need QUALITY photos to launch your product/brand. Photos that capture you as the maker and creator, photos that show off your products in a lifestyle way. That's what I am about.

WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST DREAMS?

1. I want to be a humanitarian photographer. I want to use my skills and heart to serve the nations, shedding light on the culture, joy, as well as hurt in cultures and nations. I want to serve with those being a voice for the voiceless. I don't want to just photograph someone. I want to dignify them, empower them.

2. Community Creative Space. My brother-in-law and I have dreamed of starting a community building/studio for creatives in our city/a city. A place where photographers, designers, videographers, illustrators, entrepreneurs come together to work alongside each other at community desk areas. Turning screens around, brainstorming big ideas on white boards and windows. Community over competition at its very finest!

3. I would love to write or commission someone to write a biography on my parents' story, covering from the day they met to current day. From the date my mom accidentally spilled a whole glass of ice water on my dad; to the day my dad asked her parents' blessing in marriage, communicating "You won't watch your grandkids grow up. We want to move overseas"; to their around-the-world trip, straight to living in Turkey for 20 years. Their legacy inspires me daily, and I think it's a book that would impact so many.

HOW DO YOU TRAVEL SO OFTEN?

After growing up overseas, I've got the travel bug strong. Thankfully my TCK (third culture kids) friends still live all over the world AND are getting married. So a lot of my travels are to visit them/shoot their weddings. I am continuing networking and one of my goals by 2019 is to have almost 80% destination weddings/out of Memphis weddings. SO, where ever you are, hit me up!

As for personal trips, as with most things that are luxury and not necessity, you give up a lot to have something else you want. I don't go to movies, concerts, and festivals. I try to stay frugal on clothes and stay conservative on how much camera gear I invest in and keep. ALL in order to save for long trips. I love LIVING as long as I can in a place I visit to truly experience the feel, culture, people, set up, and way of life.

WHAT DOES YOUR WEEK/DAY LOOK LIKE?

Honestly, it's different every week, but in general my to-do lists look a lot like a scatter-brained 15 year old with priority issues. Every week I log about 40-50 hours of work split into about 5 categories (listed from most time to least time spent): Editing, Shooting, Bookkeeping, Media (blog/Insta/website/fb), and Client Care (emails, meetings, calls, etc.).

You can find me working in coffee shops (especially Avenue Coffee, our local spot open till 12a.m.), in airports, on planes, in the car on road trips, on trains, (have yet to work on a boat), in my bedroom at my standing desk, anytime I can outside on my patio, on the floor at a friend's house, or pretty much anywhere that week has me. I live on the go as much as I can, relishing new spaces that inspire me and help me create in a way that keeps me getting better and better. So to answer that question is kind of hard, but let's just say I work as hard as I can wherever I am.

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE?

My main camera body is the Canon 6D (and my second is canon 6D) accompanied by the Canon 35mm 1.4f prime, and Sigma 50mm 1.4f prime. Every once in awhile you will catch me traveling with the 24-70mm 2.8f. For low light situations you can find me using the trusty Canon 600x flash. I edit on my 15 inch MacBook Pro with Adobe Lightroom. I stand behind Photo Mechanic and BlogStomp as lifesavers, as well. I use Mailchimp for my monthly newsletter, as well. My favorite app is TOGGL for self-employed folks like myself.

WHO DESIGNED YOUR LOGO AND WEBSITE?

My AWESOME brother-in-law. Seriously the bomb.