How I Became a Photographer (And All the Wild Stories Along the Way)
If you know me today, you probably know me as the newborn photographer who spends her days photographing sleepy babies, proud parents, and first birthday cake smashes.
Very calm. Very sweet. Very wholesome.
But my photography journey did not start that way.
Not even close.
The Darkroom Days
My love for photography started in 11th grade when I took a photography class in high school. Back then we shot film and developed our photos in a darkroom.
Watching a photograph slowly appear in the developer tray felt like magic.
After graduating, I continued studying photography for two years in night school while photographing my friends and experimenting creatively behind the camera.
At that point I had no idea photography would become my career. I just knew I loved it.
Eventually I moved to Florida… and that’s when things really started getting interesting.
My Creative Era
When I first started out, I worked with models and did a lot of creative concept photography through Model Mayhem.
This was the era of fashion shoots, body paint, nightlife, and a whole lot of chaos.
One time I photographed a girl wearing antlers in the park who suddenly ran into the woods claiming she was a deer. Oh also she got topless..
Another time a model glued Skittles to places I definitely did not expect Skittles to be glued.
That was around the time I realized I might need to start setting a few boundaries as a photographer.
The Yacht Shoot
At one point I photographed a shoot on a yacht full of models.
It was over 100 degrees outside and I had made the rookie mistake of going out the night before.
Let’s just say the combination of blazing sun, heat, and a rocking boat did not go well.
I spent a good portion of that shoot leaning over the side of the boat throwing up while still attempting to look like a professional photographer.
Ah yes… the glamorous life of photography.
Concerts, Nightlife, and Creative Chaos
Photography eventually led me into concerts, nightlife events, fashion shows, branding shoots, and all kinds of creative work.
Through a friend with a blog, I got to photograph Dashboard Confessional and Third Eye Blind, which was one of the coolest experiences ever.
After moving to Nashville, I also photographed artists including Craig Campbell, A Thousand Horses, Kelsea Ballerini, Lady A, Dierks Bentley, and Thomas Rhett.
I also photographed a lot of branding and commercial work over the years, including a shoot for Dr. Josh Axe, and I worked events that ranged from chef competitions to a really cool Oribe hair event.
The Hulk Hogan Story
One of the funniest memories from my career happened while I was photographing an event for Hulk Hogan.
My mom came with me and somehow ended up in the VIP section.
At some point she proudly told Hulk Hogan that I was the photographer, and he ended up talking to her about his kids. It was honestly really sweet.
Later that night… not so sweet.
She got very drunk, I had to put her in my car, she peed in the seat, and then demanded IHOP.
That story will absolutely live forever.
The Vanilla Ice Camera Disaster
Another event I photographed featured Vanilla Ice.
At one point he started throwing water bottles into the crowd.
I didn’t think much of it at the time.
The next morning I arrived at the park for holiday sessions, turned on my camera… and it wouldn’t turn on.
Turns out my camera had gotten soaked the night before.
So I told my clients, “I’ll be right back,” drove straight to Best Buy, bought a brand new camera, and came back to finish the session.
Just another normal day as a photographer.
The Random Jobs That Taught Me Everything
Over the years I photographed just about everything imaginable.
I photographed:
models and editorial shoots
concerts and nightlife events
body painting competitions
dance studios
senior portraits for Lifetouch
preschool portraits
magazines and local businesses
and even fish and coral for a tropical fish store
Yes… photographing fish through aquarium glass is harder than you think.
I also worked for Teddy Bear Portraits, photographed dance photos under another photographer, and even did holiday pet portraits for Very Important Paws in South Florida.
Every single one of those jobs taught me something about lighting, efficiency, working with people, and keeping calm when things got chaotic.
The Magazine and Commercial Years
I was published in magazines, photographed for local businesses, and even created a swimsuit calendar under my old brand, Vixen Photography.
I shot a consignment ad for a magazine, photographed for Bellevue Lifestyle, and one of my drink photos became a cover image and was one of the most requested issues in the area.
I also photographed at places like Brazilian Court Hotel and Frédéric Fekkai in Florida, and I did branding content for all kinds of businesses, from jewelry brands to tanning salons.
The Preschool Years
At one point I even ran my own preschool photography program and had four preschools on my own for a few years.
Photographing hundreds of toddlers teaches you two things very quickly:
patience and efficiency.
Those years helped shape the way I work with babies and children today.
Finding My Niche
When I moved to Nashville, I continued photographing businesses, magazines, musicians, and events while slowly building my portrait business.
Over time my photography naturally evolved into what I love most today:
newborns, families, and first birthdays.
After years of concerts, nightlife, celebrities, branding shoots, body painting events, and all kinds of unpredictable creative work, I found myself in a quiet studio photographing sleepy babies wrapped in blankets.
And honestly…
I love it.
Writing My First Book
Somewhere along the way I also wrote and published a children’s book called Click! Click! Click!.
The book explores why we take so many photos today and how photographs help us remember the moments that matter most.
I even created a coloring book version.
Seeing something I created available on Amazon was a really special moment, and a lot of my clients bought copies too.
Looking Back
When I look back at my photography journey, it’s amazing how many unexpected paths it has taken me down.
From a high school darkroom…
to Model Mayhem…
to magazines, concerts, branding shoots, and celebrity events…
to preschools, newborns, and thousands of family sessions over the years.
Along the way there were deer costumes, yacht hangovers, emergency camera purchases, VIP disasters, and a lot of unforgettable stories.
Today my days are much quieter.
They’re filled with newborn snuggles, proud parents, and first birthday celebrations.
And I wouldn’t change a thing.
But one thing I’ve learned is that creative journeys rarely stay still for long.
And just when we thought we knew the ending…
The New York City Photographer.com was recently purchased.
So who knows what chapter comes next.
Stay tuned.
