Fun Fact: I’m also a photographer!
Finding Beauty Through a Lens
My love for photography started back in high school, before digital cameras were the norm. We shot on 35mm film and developed prints in a darkroom — the smell of developer and fixer still takes me right back. My first job was at a local camera shop, where I processed film, printed photos and giclee art prints, and learned the ins and outs of color correction. Every roll that came through taught me something new about light, composition, and patience.
Using the money I earned, I bought my first camera — a first-generation Canon Rebel Digital SLR. That camera went everywhere with me. I’d spend hours in my backyard chasing the light — photographing autumn leaves glowing in the sun, the iridescent shimmer of butterfly wings, water droplets clinging to purple irises. It taught me to slow down, look closer, and appreciate the small details that often go unnoticed.
A few years later, photography became more than just a hobby. I started second-shooting weddings alongside the photographer I hired for my own wedding (we hit it off instantly!). My focus was on the details — the rings, the dress, the shoes, the cake, the little things that tell the story of the day. I also captured candid, in-between moments — the ones that feel the most real.
This experience was invaluable. It wasn't just about documenting a scene; it was about styling and composing under pressure, transforming ordinary items into stunning visual narratives.
It honed my ability to find beauty and to capture the emotional significance of an object.
Today, the camera is an indispensable extension of my work as a designer. That foundational knowledge from the classroom, the precision from the camera shop, and the styling instincts from those wedding seasons all come together.
Whether I'm in my studio shooting a client’s products for their e-commerce website and social media feeds or shooting abstract nature elements to use as evocative textures and backgrounds in a project, my process remains the same: I look for the light, I compose for impact, and I search for the small, beautiful details that tell the bigger story.
