How I Started

Hi Friends! I am SO incredibly excited to share just a little with you about how I got started in the photography industry.

The first camera I ever had was a tiny little canon rebel. I was in “heaven” the first time I had that thing in my hand! I didn’t really know how to use it, but I loved trying to take “cool pictures”! 🙂

I started out at a local community college, here in Delaware and learned simple basics about photography, design and branding. Boy have I learned a lot since those days! I am so grateful to my instructors there at DTCC who helped plant the roots for what was to come down the road. I graduated from there, but little did I know at the time, that there was much more to be discovered!

One night will searching online, I came across a photography school in Massachusetts called Hallmark Institute of Photography. My parents and I drove up one weekend to visit the school and I was IN LOVE!!! The facilities were amazing and I was in complete awe of it all! On top of that, it was only a ten month program! “I can SO do that”! The ten months I spent in Massachusetts were probably the hardest but most rewarding ten months of my life! There were many days/nights when I cried and thought…how can I do this?! BUT, the love I had for photography and my faith in Jesus helped me persevere through and I came away from Hallmark humbled by all of my experiences, and grateful to all of the staff who put forth so much effort into helping us students succeed!

Since then, I have come to terms with the fact that I will never stop learning or growing as a photographer. Thats what makes photography so exciting! The industry is constantly evolving and changing. Its in a whole new place from where it was 15-20 years ago. All in all I would say the last 8-9 years have been a wild ride, to say the least. I have learned so much and grown so much over the years.

The biggest lesson I would say that I learned (and am still learning) is that all of this takes time and it takes dedication, perseverance and PATIENCE! 🙂 Never give up on your dreams….it may take a lot of patience and A LOT of faith, but in the end it will be worth it! I want to say thank you to everyone who believed in me, helped me a long the way, prayed for me, supported me, and encouraged me. It means the world to know I have those people in my life.

Some of my favorite instructors at Hallmark!

And here is my final portfolio from the end of the year. We were required to submit 27 photos for the year end portfolio review.