A Few Words About Me

OK, maybe more than a few words. I feel as though my interest in photography needed a little more explanation, so I created a biography of my photographic journey.

I have been a photographer since I was seventeen years old. Since the first time I picked up a camera with the intention of documenting an event, and capturing a moment in time. And, even twenty years later, I am still in love with photography. I have dedicated my time to understanding the intricacies of exposure and composition, so that each session flows naturally. I have studied the use of flash to achieve studio quality portraits with or without a dedicated studio. I have become more experienced controlling light in my photography sessions to achieve a wide variety of effects. I know how the light works from different angles, and which modifiers to use to create the outcome I desire. I have been an artist longer than I have been a photographer and I still find joy in many other art forms. Through my college years, I studied figure drawing & painting, color theory, sculpture, and film photography with the darkroom as my playground. I found a passion for the process and a lifelong drive to create.

  

My style of photography is different from many others, in that I like having shadows in my pictures. I prefer when shapes are described with light playing against shadows. A single light shining from one side, leaving the far side in complete shadow is one of my favorites (content warning NSFW). Or a full silhouette with just a rim of light coming from behind to amplify the edges of a person. I also like combining the two concepts into one image. By directing one light toward the side of the face and a second light from behind on the opposite side aimed on a person's hair, I can get a beautiful portrait that glows against the background. I am not exclusive to this technique either, there are many occasions where a brightly lit portrait is just as flattering as a dramatically lit portrait.

Light is the paint I use to illustrate my portraits.

Natural expressions are more important to me than forced poses and fake smiles. I find more beauty in a natural straight face than a forced toothy grin. Some people are naturally smiley and automatically put that forward for the camera. I will not discourage a natural smile, or a laugh that is genuine. But I will not encourage a forced smile that will be obvious in the final photo. There are moments between photos where I watch people's expressions when they aren't posing for the camera. And sometimes I will snap a photo when they are looking away from me. 

I operated my own portrait studio business for three years. I enjoyed my time there, and had many wonderful sessions with old friends and new clients. I loved having a dedicated space where all my equipment was waiting for me. I invested all my free time and money into improving my space with new props, backdrops, and equipment. It became a true passion for me. I was constantly tinkering with the layout and adjusting the placement of different structures within my studio.

In 2007 I suffered a debilitating, falling injury. After many years of pain I was diagnosed with herniated discs in my neck and went through several more years of physical therapy, injections, and other non-invasive treatments. All of these methods failed to help me  heal. In 2011, I required surgery on my neck, and in 2013 I required a second surgery. Being the creative type, I wanted to document the result. I still suffer from the residual nerve damage from the delay in my treatment, but it doesn't stop me from continuing my passion for photography.

I closed my studio for two reasons: 
ONE:  The cost of operating a studio versus the income it produced were too far apart to be viable source of income for me, and
TWO:   The stress of acquiring new clients took the enjoyment away from my photography sessions.

When I packed up my gear, and moved out of my studio, I did so with one thought in mind:

I still want to take beautiful portraits of people. I have stored my equipment, but I kept the most important parts in two small cases that are easily accessible and held the necessary parts of a portable studio. I can set up a working studio and be ready to start a portrait session within a few minutes of arriving at a location. 

I have not given up photography. Several people have told me they thought I gave up and stopped doing photography all together. Quite the opposite, as I have continued to take portraits for friends and family. There are many photos I have taken that I simply will not share publicly. 

Since I closed my business, I have taken many beautiful portraits for my friends and family. I have photographed them in their homes, in living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, and even outside at the park. I bring my skill with lights and camera settings to help achieve beautiful portraits anywhere I may be. I have dedicated myself to improving my photography, and I am willing to share that talent with others.

:::UPDATE 2019:::

I now live and photograph in Aztec, New Mexico and have a small studio space in my living room. Individual portraits can be done beautifully in my home, but if you would rather use your own home, I am willing to travel in the surrounding areas for a small travel fee if you would like me to come to you. I can set up my studio indoors, complete with lights and backdrops or by using my lights outside I can add extra dimension to your images.

It is more important to me to keep taking pictures for fun than it is to produce income. I don't work for free, but I am willing to trade services and barter for photo sessions. I am willing to work with you to create beautiful photos. I love photography. And if you have an idea that I think will look great in my portfolio, I will happily do a photo session for trade, which is my time for your time. I am always looking for people to photograph, whether I have photographed them in the past, or they are people I just met.

Maternity photography can be tricky to shoot, especially when the health of the mother is paramount. I have had the good fortune to have helped several different women over the years to document the progression through their pregnancies and capture this limited opportunity as their lives change forever. I have gathered advice based on my experiences in the studio (and with my own children) for planning a maternity photo series in my blog post here:

  When Is The Best Time To Take Maternity Photos?

Below is a small sample of some of the portraits I have taken since closing my business and moving out of my studio. Can you tell which of these photographs were not shot in a dedicated studio? What is a studio, but an open space where I can control the lighting and exposure. Many of these were shot indoors in the homes of my friends, but others are setup in various locations, complete with lighting and backdrops including the great outdoors. I will continue to update this page with new images throughout the years as I work with new and amazing people.

If you are interested in boudoir, glamour, pinup, or fine art genres; I have started a second page dedicated to my work with models in a more artistic and creative vein. Below are a few samples from that page:

Eden's Edge Studio

Thank you for taking the time to view and appreciate my photography

I am always looking for models to collaborate on new ideas

I am currently locate in Aztec, NM, USA