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Summer Creek Minis

May 27, 2021

Summer Creek Minis will go down in history as some of my very favorite sessions of all time. Picture you. You, the people you love, warm sunshine and crisp cool water. These sessions are my favorite because they’re really just me getting to capture you right now in this stage of life. There will be a few posed shots at the beginning of your session…

…but for the most part, prepare yourself and your fam to come, have fun, laugh a lot and get wet :) ALSO! These sessions aren’t just perfect for families with small children. Couples!?!? Senior sessions?? Where you at?? Scroll down to book!!

Click the button to reserve your spot!

Summer Creek Mini-sessions 195 (plus 6% sales tax) and are approximately 20 minutes in duration. All sessions include 10 complimentary digital images, and an online gallery. Options to order more digitals and prints is always available.

Choose your time on either June 19th, June 27th, July 3rd or July 24th. Please note: The BEST time to shoot is the hour right before sunset. I've opened up slots a little earlier than that incase you have kiddos that have early bed times - but would definitely recommend anything after 7. An invoice and contract will be sent to you within 24 hours to complete your booking.If you have any additional questions, please contact me! Looking forward to documenting these memories for you and your family!

CLICK HERE TO BOOK!

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Winter Family Session

March 21, 2018

Well - I jumped the gun on the spring session post earlier this week, eh??? This dreary, cold weather has me feeling like bundling up under a blanket, and sipping hot cocoa. You too? Grab a warm cuppa and browse through these darling images taken on a cold, blustery day - much like this one. :)

I've had the honor of photographing this GORGEOUS family 3 years in a row now, and every year, I'm so excited when we put the next date on the calendar. Somehow, every time it's freezing. But we always walk away with some stellar images - I mean - with 4 people this beautiful, how could we not?? Downtown Harrisburg served as the perfect backdrop for this family's session this year and I'm thrilled with the way these images came out!

Schedule your urban family session now!! Perfect for weather all year round. Click here to get in touch with me!

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M Family {family session}

March 19, 2018

You guys! Spring officially begins this week and I, for one, could not be more excited. What says Spring more than rain boots, smiles, greenhouses, Queen Ann's Lace, a little bit o' sunshine and a whole lot of love?!? So, let's ignore the snow in this week's forecast and enjoy the promise of warmer weather, sunny days and smiles.

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J & T { DIY wedding}

March 9, 2018

I don't even know where to start with this picture perfect wedding. Tom and Jenni were an absolute DREAM to work with - from the booking process, to the engagement session and all throughout the wedding day, it was easy and natural and just felt right. Don't you love those kinds of connections??

I asked Jenni to share part of her story and some insights from her wedding day. Upcoming brides? You're going to want to take notes! She's got some great tips and insight. Stick around - you'll be glad you did :)

Their Story:

“Our love story starts the way that every girl dreams it... One night in a bar. In our defense, we were in the same bar celebrating a mutual friend’s birthday. We hit it off - having more in common than anyone can imagine... And then, like every knight in shining armor, he forgot to ask for my number! The next day I woke up to my friends blowing up my phone because Tom was relentlessly trying to figure out what my number was and how he could reach me. The rest was kind of history from there. And perfectly describes the hilarious type of relationship and love that we share. I had never met somebody that I was so comfortable with and from the beginning, I truly felt like I could grow with this person . All of the ups and downs in our relationship only made us stronger and me more confident that this is the person that I want annoying me, cracking me up, and loving me for the rest of my life.
”

— Jenni

Let's get down to the nitty gritty - the wedding details.

The Venue: LakeView Farms

Jenni andTom started looking at wedding venues right away. Jenni is a planner (and a darn good one, at that) and so having a venue where she could have a say in the details and planning was super important to her. Upon visiting Lakeview Farms, they knew it was everything they wanted for their day - from the beautiful country farm atmosphere, a stunning lake and perfectly maintained historic barn - it was the perfect venue for them. With only ONE date available, only 6 months away, they excitedly booked the venue and began finalizing the other details of their day.

The Dress:

“The detail I was dreading the most was finding a dress. I feared everything was more expensive than what I wanted to spend and would just look like every other dress I’ve ever seen. ”

Through a referral she looked into Anthropologie's bridal line BHLDN. On a whim, her and her mom decided to head down to their Georgetown, MD location - not really expecting to find anything. But how can you resist an excuse to check out their perfectly elegant and romantic dresses?

“I tried on just four dresses that day and found exactly what I was looking for. I bought it on the spot. The Marvana dress was exactly what I wanted. It was all lace , simple, and that vintage romance that I loved, plus it paired perfect with my cowboy boots. Did I mention that it was less than $800! I feel like when things are right they just fall into place which made me know that this was the dress for me. ”

— Jenni

The Rings:

Tom had a diamond that he was able to turn into a gorgeous customized setting at Littman Jewelers. After doing research on Tom's ring and looking into tungsten, titanium and ceramic rings Jenni discovered you can find the same things on Amazon for a fraction of the price.

“We are talking $30-$60! It’s unreal I highly recommend looking into that before buying one from the jewelry store. By the way I ended up buying Tom 3! He enjoys the variety!”

— Jenni

The Flowers:

“You can customize pretty much every detail of them and I could not have been happier with how they turned out. Not to mention I still have them to this day and have found different ways to decorate and repurpose them.”

— Jenni

Jenni had the same qualms about flowers that a lot of bride's seem to have - not being able to fathom spending money on real flowers that would be dead in a matter of days. After some research, she settled on Eco-Flowers - a company that makes flowers out of wood and other recycled materials.

"As far as all of my centerpieces, I knew I wanted everything to be a little different and nothing to be matching. I started searching high and low in my relatives attics and at flea markets. I found collections of antique railroad lanterns, birdcages, mason jars, and milk glass. I cleaned all these items up and decorated them with some lace and incorporated my eco-flowers, and some wheat from the farmers field out back from my parents house. I ended up pretty happy with my collaboration of different antique items. We ended up finding lace off-white tablecloths on clearance from Bed Bath and Beyond and still have them to this day vs. renting them for hundreds of dollars and having to give them back! Any other decorations I got from searching Pinterest high and low . I ended up with a pretty unique customized day. I feel like that's the way to go because it speaks the personality of the bride and groom so much more than just something that everyone typically does.

The Cake:

Jenni is one of those rare individuals that doesn't like cake... This could have almost completely destroyed our work-relationship ;) But, just like every other perfect detail throughout their day, their cake alternative was 100% taylored to them. Jenni's in-laws are pretty much the masters of desserts.

“It’s kind of tradition to have a dessert smorgasbord. We ended up with three 8 foot long tables filled with more desserts than I could ever list here. As favors, I ended up finding cute take-out boxes on Amazon and making customized labels and everybody got to fill a box with a ridiculous variety of desserts. For my cake itself, I was really into the look of the naked cake because of it being so different. We ended up getting that same look with tiered layers of chocolate chip cookies and cream cheese frosting in between the layers. ”

— Jenni

Advice & Regrets:

While this wedding was about as perfect as they come, everyone of us can look back at an event or experience and find one thing we might have changed... Jenni has some great perspective on this:

“My only regret in regards to our day was our DJ. While I did all of the right things - researched, red every review possible - this still turned out to be the worst part of our night. And I wish I had stuck with my gut feeling before booking - it seemed too good to be true and his prices were incredibly low. We went with him because I could not find a bad review and he was great to deal with in person. But always trust your gut . His attitude, lack of professionalism and slight craziness had serious potential to ruin the day, but I refused to allow it. Our wedding venue and vendors said that they never have seen somebody like him in all the weddings that they did. We made the best of it but I still definitely twitch if I hear his name. I would strongly advise going with somebody that you have a personal referral with and if your gut steers you in a different direction listen to it! Inevitably something will not go according to plan on the day of your wedding the best thing you can do is not let it ruin your day - focus instead on all the other positive things that are going right! ”

— Jenni

And as for the positives - they were many. Jenni and Tom seemed to enjoy their day more than a lot of other couples I've worked with - and I think Jenni nails it on the head when she the decisions that they made that ensured their day ran smoothly:

We feel truly grateful to be able to look back at the day of our wedding and be able to say we are so happy with how everything came together. I think we can attribute this to several choices we made in the planning process and on the day of.

1. I wanted to be as prepared as possible and as organized as possible so that that day could be fun, relaxing, and a day to never forget. This is an absolute must to guarantee that you're not stressed out the day of your wedding. Think about everything in advance and do as many things as you can to get out-of-the-way beforehand. Our venue allowed us in two days before to allow us to set up and get all of her details ready. The day of our wedding we had nothing to do but enjoy ourselves.

2. Instead of having to pick and choose family and friends for a wedding party we did it super untraditional and opted to not have a wedding party at all. Our friends seemed to appreciate not having so many logistics to do that day and not having to spend so much money on their attire. We still did all the traditional bachelor and bachelorette parties. And still had our friends coordinate somewhat of a color scheme for taking photos that day. All of my closest girlfriends still got ready with me, but there was no bridesmaid drama. It was perfect.

3. Tom and I did first look photos and it's one of the best decisions we could have made. We got time together just the two of us. After this we took photos with family and friends. This way after the ceremony we didn't spend our entire cocktail hour taking pictures. Instead we actually went to our own cocktail hour and were able to enjoy it and get candid pictures with all of our guests.

4. Step back. Enjoy it and breathe it in. This day can easily become about everyone else and not about the bride and the groom. One of the biggest things that we insisted upon was to spend time together that day. We took multiple breaks and walked away just the two of us to be able to take in this amazing moment that we created with everyone that loves us. It's a pretty incredible feeling and at times overwhelming but at the root of all of the madness this whole crazy magical day happened because you fell in love with someone that you choose to be with forever!

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Baby J

July 18, 2017

The longer I do photography, the more I adore sessions like these - capturing real moments. Getting to hear a big sister whisper, "welcome to our family, baby". Watching family take in every feature - each smile, dimple, patch of hair - for the first time. Seeing grandma's "ooo" and "aaah" over their newest grandbaby. Watching the way a beautiful mama gazes into her new baby's eyes, seemingly promising him all the love in the world. These are the moments that demand to be held still.

I've known this family for years - D and I went to high school together and I had the honor of doing him and E's engagement session, wedding and multiple family sessions! This week, they welcomed their third babe into the world, and I was lucky enough to be able to scoot over to the hospital to take some images of some of some of his first hours on earth. His family is absolutely smitten with him - he'll be one incredibly loved little man.

Welcome to the world, baby J.

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S & J {engagement}

May 30, 2017

I absolutely love it when a couple decides to choose a location that is significant to them, or include props in a session that shows a part of who they are, both as individuals and as a team.

I have known Sarah for awhile - she was in one of my favorite weddings years ago, and I casually follow her on social media. When she booked me for her upcoming wedding, I was beyond thrilled. And every time she would post a picture of her horses, I would think, "Oh man - I hope she wants to use these beautiful beasts in her engagement session!"

Wishes do come true. :)

Working with two massive animals does make a session slightly more challenging. And brought with it several fantastic laughs and epic photo bombs.

Sarah bathed her large white horse, Dragon, before the session. He was wildly unimpressed by this and decided to roll as soon as his human turned her back. #whitehorseproblems

A few more bloopers below. Scroll on through for a few more smiles.

All in all, it was a perfect session, horse rolls and licks included. Enjoy scrolling through this gallery with dozens more images from this gorgeous couple's engagement session. Cannot wait for their wedding this July!

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T & A {engagment}

May 10, 2017

I'm obsessed with this couple. They were beyond amazing to work with. Gorgeous. Fun. Super flexible. And clearly so very much in love.

We met up at the always beautiful Boiling Springs Lake and spent an hour or so getting to know each other better, talking, and taking some stunning images of this amazing couple.

My favorite piece of their story? They met in KINDERGARTEN!! PEOPLE!!! That's insane. One of them passed a love note to the other, in the most articulate and romantic way a 6 year old can, and they became boyfriend and girlfriend. Life took them very different directions and after individual success in different areas, heartbreak and loss, love brought them back together. True story.

Enjoy some images from their engagement session. T & A, cannot wait to share your day with you at MoonStone Manor in October!

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Adoption Day!

March 27, 2017

"WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THE GREATEST DECISIONS WE WOULD EVER MAKE WAS NOTHING WE EVER PLANNED FOR."

This was the first thing Laura said to me when I asked her to share the story of their journey towards adoption.

Several weeks ago, I had the incredible opportunity to photograph the court hearing for an adoption. My job takes me to some pretty interesting places and events, but this may have been one of the sweetest days on the job in a long time.

Their adoption journey was not something they had planned. 4 years ago, they were planning their wedding and dreaming of starting a biological family. But when they began learning the statics surrounding children in foster care, they couldn't help but take action.

"WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE MASSIVE NUMBERS OF KIDS IN NEED OF A FAMILY. THERE ARE NEARLY 500,000 CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE IN THE UNITE STATES ALONE. THOSE 500,000 CHILDREN WOULD FILL TWO ENTIRE FOOTBALL STADIUMS! THE STATISTICS LEFT US WONDERING IF WERE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE A PART OF THIS WHOLE FOSTER CARE THING. WE HAD WATCHED FRIENDS AND FAMILY GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. WE KNEW IT WAS MESSY. AFTER SEEING MY SISTER AND HER HUSBAND GO THROUGH A REALLY TOUGH DAY IN THEIR PROCESS TO ADOPT THROUGH THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, I TOLD TIM, 'THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN DO THAT!' HE RESPONDED BY TELLING ME THAT IF THIS IS WHAT GOD HAD FOR US, WE COULD DO IT.'"

As Tim and Laura continued talking about beginning to foster, Tim began to feel very strongly about taking in a child with an autism diagnosis. Tim and Laura had both worked at a school for children with severe autism. They were trained and well equipped for the task at hand, but the idea of bringing a child into their home who was diagnosed autistic was slightly daunting. They continued to process what this would mean for them, and pray about what steps to take next.

Laura's sister was in the process of adopting two children, and while their social worker observed their extended family all together, she instantly knew that Tim and Laura would be the perfect parents for Donnie, a beautiful blonde haired, blue - eyed boy with a pretty significant autism diagnosis. She approached them with this and after taking about a week to think through what this would mean for them, they told her they were interested in moving forward. She emailed them a picture of Donnie, and they instantly fell in love with his amazing, infectious smile.

They quickly began to acquire the necessary training required for being an approved foster parents in the state of Massachusetts. Their home study was completed in March, four long months after completing their training. The process was tedious and required an incredible amount of patience.

"I WOULD LOVE TO TELL YOU WE LEARNED OUR LESSON IN PATIENCE, BUT I'M STILL JUST AS IMPATIENT AS I WAS BEFORE WE STARTED THIS PROCESS. WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES REQUIRES A TYPE OF PATIENCE I'M NOT SURE I WILL EVER POSSESS."

On April 2, 2016, which ironically (or amazingly?) happens to be Autism Awareness Day, Tim and Laura met Donnie.

"I WORKED AN OVERNIGHT SHIFT THE NIGHT BEFORE, BUT THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GOING TO FALL ASLEEP AS WE DROVE THE HOUR INTO BOSTON TO MEET DONNIE! HE MOSTLY PLAYED ON HIS IPAD AS WE HUNG OUT IN THE LIVING ROOM WITH THEM. HIS FOSTER MOM, WHO IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AND POURED HER LIFE INTO HIM FOR MANY YEARS, TOLD US HE DEFINITELY LIKED US BECAUSE OF THE WAY HE ALLOWED US TO SIT BESIDE HIM WHILE WE PLAYED ON HIS IPAD ON THOSE FIRST FEW VISITS."

Building a relationship with a child who has a severe trauma history, lands on the far end of the autism spectrum and often struggled with aggressive and self-injurious behaviors was not an easy process and came with some unique challenges. Tim and Laura went into their first few times with Donnie with eyes-wide-open, recognizing that trust would be difficult to earn.

"THERE WAS NO REASON WE SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED HIM TO TRUST US OR WANT TO KNOW US. SO MANY PEOPLE HAD BEEN UNTRUSTWORTHY IN HIS 9 YEARS OF LIFE, AND WE WERE ABOUT TO REMOVE HIM FROM THE PLACE HE HAD MADE A HOME OVER THE LAST 3 AND A HALF YEARS. WE SPENT TWO MONTHS VISITING WITH DONNIE BEFORE HE MOVED INTO OUR HOME, AND AFTER MANY HOURS OF WII, IPAD AND LEGOS, WE BEGAN TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP."

Donnie officially moved in with Tim and Laura on May 28th. He had poor verbal-skills, weighed 57 lbs, wore size 8 slim pants, and was used to a diet of McDonalds, pizza and Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies. Vegetables were a non-existent part of his meals. However, with help from their previous training working with autistic children, a little help from Vitamix, some super sneaky vegetable hiding, a huge dose of patience, and an even larger dose of unconditional love, Donnie began making incredible changes.

"TODAY, HE SPEAKS IN FULL SENTENCES MORE THAN EVER, WEIGHS 74 POUNDS, WEARS SIZE 10 REGULAR PANTS, AND EATS A FULL BOWL OF BROCCOLI WITH HIS DINNER EVERY NIGHT - TO EARN IPAD TIME OF COURSE! HE CONTINUES TO MAKE AMAZING STRIDES THAT MANY WORKERS CONSIDERED TO BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM, AND WE COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OF HIS COURAGE TO TRY NEW THINGS."

On March 3rd, after 9 months of having Donnie in their home, the adoption was made official.

After 2,028 days in the foster care system, family and friends crammed into a small courthouse outside of Boston and watched Donnie legally become a member of the family. Donnie officially had a forever home.

A couple observations about this amazing day:

I've had the chance to watch Tim and Laura love on Donnie a couple of different times now - and let me tell you - they are amazing with him. They have learned his trigger points and how to avoid them, they have learned how to redirect him when he begins to become overwhelmed, they have learned what makes him laugh, they have learned how to effectively deal with his tantrums and self-injurious behaviors. No one else could be as perfect for Donnie as they are.

It was truly amazing to see what an incredible support system Tim, Laura and Donnie have. They say it takes a village - and Tim, Laura and Donnie have an astonishing one. It is amazing to watch Donnie interact with these people who have become his new family. He is one unbelievably loved little man.

"HE IS OUR SON, AND WE ARE HIS PARENTS. THIS IS NOTHING WE EVER PLANNED FOR, BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE GREATEST DECISIONS OF OUR LIVES."

"ANYONE WHO EVER WONDERED HOW MUCH THEY COULD LOVE A CHILD WHO DID NOT SPRING FROM THEIR OWN LOINS, KNOW THIS: IT IS THE SAME. THE FEELING OF LOVE IS SO PROFOUND, IT'S INCREDIBLE AND SURPRISING.“
~ NIA VARDALOS ~

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Lessons From Abroad

March 26, 2017

If I could toss all caution to the wind, and spend the rest of my life in a constant state of wanderlust, I would. In a heartbeat. I love to travel - for work or pleasure. Living abroad and international travel have taught me so many valuable lessons about everyday life and the way I view the world.

Traveling has given me an enhanced cultural awareness and a sensitivity to various cultures and customs. It has schooled me in the art of sensitivity - being able to recognize where people have come from or what they may be currently experiencing.

Traveling has enhanced my ability to recognize body language and non-verbal communication skills.

It has taught me the importance of adaptability and flexibility; the importance of organization; the importance of resourcefulness.

Adventuring has taught me the necessity of stress management and has compelled me to learn the value of a healthy sense of humor.

The bottom line is this: traveling has the ability to leave us speechless - but it also has the incredible power to turn us into story-tellers. My international experiences have taught me an extraordinary amount in regards to my role as a photographer and story-teller, equipping me to be more confident in my ability to hold life still in timeless images.

Every time I pick up my camera, whether it's to take images at your wedding, at a lifestyle session with you and your family, or just for fun, my goal is always to preserve moments and experiences in an attempt to describe the world the way I see it.

Enjoy browsing through the travel galleries below!

I SEE SOMETHING SPECIAL AND SHOW IT TO THE CAMERA. THE MOMENT IS HELD UNTIL SOMEONE SEES IT. THEN IT IS THEIRS.
~ SAM ABELL ~

INDIA

PHILIPPINES

FRANCE

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

THAILAND

THE UNITED STATES

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Let Me Introduce Myself...

March 21, 2017

I absolutely love what I do. But I am not your run-of-the-mill photographer. And so, it'd seem strange taking up this section by telling you all about my photographic endeavors...

About how I stumbled onto photography quite by accident - involving a dear friend, a camera phone and a blog… But, upon picking up my first camera, it was love at first click...

Or all about my philosophy of photography - how it's changed me and stretched me...

About how I've learned to see photography as more than just an art form - but as the art of observation - finding something beautiful in an ordinary place...

About how I've come to find that photography has very little do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them… That beauty is all around us - in the unexpected and unforeseen - we just have to be willing to look for it.

Or more importantly, how people are the reason that I do what I do - because usually, each family that I meet, each couple that I photograph, become friends. Friends whose unique personalities I have the honor of capturing- each smile, each tear, the quiet, private moments, the space filled with laughter...

But - I figured that might bore the ever-living daylights out of you…

So, let me tell you about ME…

I currently live in the Central PA area with my husband, Ryan, and my Great Dane pup, Moses. He's pretty much the most adorable thing ever. I'll let you decide if I'm talking about my husband or the dog.

I love cake. A lot. It may be my greatest weakness.

Music moves me. Sometimes to tears. Sometimes to really embarrassing dance moves.

My faith is incredibly important to me. It is my anchor.

I grew up in South East Asia - it changed the way I view the world and gave me an insatiable desire to travel and explore our incredible planet. I come alive when I am able to capture and document other cultures and the beauty that lies in each and every country I have a privilege of stepping foot in. Traveling has softened my heart to the needs caused by poverty, preventable diseases, human trafficking and all the men, women and children affected by these things. I know, without a doubt, that living abroad growing up and adventuring the past few years has directly impacted and changed my photographic style and voice, allowing me to be fully comfortable in any place and any situation.

I have a degree in Counseling. Not in Photography. And I'm constantly amazed at how well those two things work together.

I love adventure. I love trying new and exciting things. It revives my soul. One of my favorite adventures involved jumping out of an airplane.

$DCIM\999GOPRO$

When I'm not chasing beautiful light for photo sessions, or making ridiculous noises in an attempt to get children to smile at the camera, I can generally be found hanging between two trees, journaling, coloring or reading a good book. I've been known to turn my hammock into my office as well - somehow, hanging and enjoying nature makes editing way more fun.

I thrive in high stress situations - which is one of the many reasons I adore wedding photography.

I photograph weddings very differently now that I've been a bride myself. It made me realize, more than ever, that we have a great responsibility to take care of our memories - whether that be weddings, capturing your family the way it is now, or catching memories of life as it is happening.

I absolutely hate to have my picture taken. Ironic, eh? But seriously - I am probably every photographer's worst nightmare when it comes to taking photos. My husband and I will pose for the occasional selfie - but we pretty much draw the line at that. Don't be like us! :)

And as for photography - well, I love it. I come alive behind the lens of a camera. Sometimes, I even gasp taking images of beautiful people. (But really, brace yourselves. I'll be doing a lot of this during your session). I am never more comfortable than when my camera is in both hands, faithfully clicking away, capturing moments.

I picked up my first "professional camera" 10 years ago and have never looked back. My grandpa always told me, "Love what you do, and you'll never work a day in your life…" I am blessed beyond words to be able to do what I love - capturing people's memories - altering their lives by holding it still.

I'd be honored to capture yours.

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