My Mission

It's easy to identify myself and my work by saying I love to connect with my clients, to capture their moments with vibrant color and stunning quality, and provide the most transparent and attentive level of customer service out there, because that is definitely true. But it goes so much deeper than that. Something that has helped me define my work was the moment when someone asked me not what I intended to use my passion for, but what I would use it to stand against.

As my daughter has grown up, I've taken notice of the shortage of strong and positive female imagery in everyday media. My motivation to raise a teenage daughter with a positive self identity has strongly influenced my work. I find the photography industry can be rampant with risque imagery and young girls dressed and posed in ways that are more suggestive than they are "empowering." The mixed messages this type of imagery conveys is what I use my art and my perception to influence or fight against. Although my opinion may seem a bit conservative in this day and age, it is one I feel strongly about, and something I won't dissent from.

It is because of this that my mission as a photographer has evolved from simply taking pretty photos into creating stylish and sophisticated images of young ladies and women that represent their strength, intelligence, independence and TRUE empowerment! 

My Specialty

I specialize in portraits for business professionals, as well as portrait sessions for teens and high school seniors.

What does it mean to "specialize" in a specific area of photography?

This means that I have invested heavily in the education, research, time and specific equipment that it takes to get thee perfect images for such sessions, all while crafting a unique and distinguishable identity in regards to technique, quality, customer service and creativity. Years and frequency of experience in these types of sessions also lend credibility to my expertise in this area.

Why did I choose to specialize in these areas?

My work as a corporate executive frequently put me in the realm of marketing and brand awareness. Working with other business professionals and assisting them in enhancing their own online presence was something I loved, so moving into the business headshots & portraits area of photography was completely natural for me. And as my daughter has grown into a young lady, working with other teens and young ladies that are developing their self identity and preparing for the "real world" is something I strongly relate to. All of this has tied into my mission to provide a positive influence by creating strong and empowering images of women and young ladies, and showing them a broader spectrum of what it means to be powerful and beautiful.

My Specialty

Does this mean you don't shoot other types of sessions?

Absolutely not!

Although it may not be my primary focus, I do spend a considerable amount of resources on workshops and education in other areas of photography, such as newborn portraiture, weddings and special occasion photography.

The early years of my photography career were spent photographing what I was familiar with in my own life as a mom and corporate exec, which were business headshots, families with toddlers and young children, and newborn photography. I spent a few years working for a photography company that contracted with El Paso area hospitals to photograph newborn babies within their first 2 days of life. This helped me immensely in understanding how to safely hold and pose a newborn, and the importance of providing a sanitized and clean shooting environment. This also included keeping up to date with my own vaccinations to ensure baby's safety (something I think is really overlooked in the industry). 

At times I will need to buy special props that are not immediately on hand, or rent specific lenses to ensure I get the shots I know my clients will want, but I always make sure my images are on par with the quality and consistency that is represented in the images through-out my website.

My Style

My Headshots and Career Portraits are crisp, clean and SHARP SHARP SHARP! You will have no trouble using your images in any print or web based application, whether it's business card sized or billboard sized! I refrain from using current editing trends and filters to avoid "dating" the image; I keep it consistent by using classic tonal and lighting enhancements, so the image you see today will still look great years from now. I also photoshop these images with a technique I refer to as "natural-look retouch" which means you will look like you on your best day! Advanced editing is offered, but I like to emphasize that the goal is to capture your authentic self, thus establishing a relatable and recognizable face that your current and potential clients can easily connect with. 

My senior sessions and boutique portraits are all taken with a mixture of candid, activity based and classic posing with an emphasis on comfortability and natural movements. If you would not likely find yourself with your body facing a wall and looking seductively into outer space, then I will probably not photograph you that way! I always welcome parents to come along, especially if they are the best at making their kids laugh (man, I've worked with some freakin' funny moms!), and we may dance, we may sing, we might go get coffee in between piggy back rides and blowing flower petals in the wind - it's ALL up to you! My edits for these sessions are full of bold classic colors, softened with deep matted shadows to give the images a bit of a dreamy feel, while maintaining the image sharpness and clarity. Natural look retouch techniques ensure that you look like the best version of you - no crazy colored eyes or overly smoothed doll skin here! My motto for these sessions is to "shoot how it feels" and make sure we capture the feeling of your occasion in action. When you look at your images years, even decades from now, I want it to bring back all of the sights, sounds, tastes and exciting emotions you had during this time!

What's In My Bag

• I almost always shoot with a tripod. This assures me that I am getting tack sharp images every time.

• I use a professional level full-frame Canon DSLR and a variety of Canon L-series and USM lenses. My go to portrait lenses are my 85mm and 100mm because they have little to no distortion and have always given me amazing results. 

• I will occasionally use a speedlight (flash), reflector, or light diffuser during outdoor sessions, but mostly rely on the beauty of soft, natural light.

• My studio shots are taken using several continuous light soft-boxes and seamless paper backdrops. My lighting set up is specifically designed to soften wrinkles, structure jawlines and highlight the eyes.