I'm a mom of 5 sons (the wolves) who currently resides in the Grayslake, IL area. What’s the saying though...Have camera, will travel. I'm a grounded wanderer, out of the box creative visionary, ginormous hearted goofball, and, well, kind of an anomaly...LOL. I’m always actively trying to grow as an individual and better myself, so I'm constantly learning, studying, evolving, and creating.
It feels as though my photographic journey has been a lifelong one. Since childhood, I’ve captured everyday life around me, deliberately. People, places, things, … they all come and go, as do both good times and bad. I wanted a way to remember the moments and the stories that went along with them. A way to hold onto what’s not permanent, be it physical “objects” or recollections from days past. I also wanted a way to keep the positive and joyous memories of life in the forefront, as it’s easy to get lost in “the dark”. I found I could accomplish that, even if just a little, with photography.
I was born with a love for the great outdoors. The deep seated connection I have with it brings me much needed peace and clarity. Within it, I find myself and develop a clearer understanding of who I am and what I’m capable of. It moves me to my core, and its soothing embrace reminds me/helps me to understand what's important in life. This fondness and respect has not only helped fuel my passion for photography over the years, but nature has become my primary focus.
Nature is ever changing and offers an opportunity for great photographs at any time. Many of those times it takes meticulous planning and tenacity on my part to capture a magnificent scene or creature. Other times, it’s complete serendipity. Every time though, it takes observation, inspiration and a vision. Truthfully, my visions don’t always turn out as I desire. That’s something I continuously work on being okay with. Not returning home with an image I’m satisfied with is an opportunity for me to grow; for me to not only learn new techniques, settings and skills, but to build upon the ones I have.
Each image I create is a reflection of my journey in not only a professional manner, but also a personal one, and an expression of my development as an artist. Every tear, win, struggle, effort, fail of mine is fused to every image. I share them with others in hopes of evoking emotions that inspire them to slow down; to look longer and find the beauty and value in a world overlooked. I share them because I dream of telling epic stories from captured moments within experiences that will never be repeated; stories that can be passed on and learnt from. I share them as a way to interact and engage with people that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
Award Winning
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Published
