FOUNDING STORY

I want to paint a picture for you…

It’s June 2, 2020 and thousands of people - black, brown, white - are marching down Hollywood Boulevard holding signs, wearing masks, chanting, and singing. There is a mix of emotions in the air as wave after wave of protesters pass lines of armed National Guards: anger, sorrow, pride, hope. And there I am, in the center of the throng, with my sign, my voice, and my camera. As a 31 year old native of Los Angeles, I’m no stranger to the pain of injustice, the disregard of those in power, the policing of black bodies - I have lived and loved in this city for decades and seen first hand the challenges facing my community. But this… this was different than anything I had experienced before. The energy was electrifying, the passion almost tangible. And every person that showed up that day, showed up in solidarity for a better world - to support the family and legacy of a man murdered in a different state, to take a stand against the historical transgressions of crooked cops against people of color.

This wasn’t my first march, so I knew as I took in the media crews surrounding us and flying in helicopters overhead what the headlines would say - and what they would leave out. Violence, looting, policing, dissidents, arrests, violation. These seemed to be the only keywords major news outlets cared about at the time, and depending on the station, the narrative got worse and worse. But here I was, in the midst, eye-level with the people marching instead of standing on the sides as a bystander. And I had my camera - I had my voice. There was a need for authenticity that I thought I could provide, and the stakes were high enough for me that I could no longer bow to my fear about starting my own business.

My journey to photography started 10 years ago when I got a track scholarship to attend Briar Cliff University in Iowa. I bought my first professional camera for the sole purpose of showing my mom exactly what Iowa - a place completely different from LA - looked like. My first attempt at photography was an all around fail, and my mother probably still couldn’t tell you what Iowa looks like.

I would take pictures, and they’d come out horrible, and it created this hunger to learn how to produce better pictures. That’s a hunger that - even now as a recognized photographer - I’ve never satisfied. I always want to learn more. So while I was in college I used YouTube to teach myself how to take sharper photos, how to use shutter-speed, aperture, and ISO. I had a lot of misconceptions, especially about saturation, and I realized there was a lot that you can only learn after putting in your 10,000 hours of being a photographer. But I absolutely fell in love with photography, with the ability to truly capture the moment.

When I graduated with my business degree, I went into the corporate world, but I never lost sight of photography. I spent five years in the corporate world because I didn’t trust myself enough to branch out on my own. I was working so hard for other people, in roles that didn’t allow me to be creative, and I stayed there because it felt more stable than entrepreneurship. I had been taking photos as a hobby and for a small list of clients, but it wasn’t my focus like it could have been. But as I got more and more dissatisfied with the industry I was working in, I leaned into developing my skill set in mixed media. In 2016 I took a photo editing course and a video editing course at Santa Monica City college. This was the best thing I’ve ever done. Investing in myself helped launch me into a new level of artistry and I’ve been increasing my clientele (and my prices) ever since.

To define myself in photography terms I am a portrait photographer, but I would say my artistry goes beyond that. I see photography as more than an art form - it’s the art of observation: finding something beautiful in an ordinary place. Whether that beauty is in the raised fists of a protester, the smiling face of a bride, or the power stance of an up and coming entrepreneur, I aim to capture the essence of the moment. My specialty is people. I love being able to capture their truth in my work. When I edit I’m careful to enhance, but not alter my clients so that their individuality always shines through. One of my greatest strengths as a photographer is that my client list is as diverse as the city of Los Angeles. I know how to make the right environmental and editing decision for my clients, and you’ll typically see a soft contrast signature in my work.

Today, I’m a full time entrepreneur using my degree and corporate experience to power my own suite of business ventures, which starts and revolves around photography. I have to give credit to every single person that has supported me by sharing my work. A solid 95% of my clients have come to me from word of mouth - people that have re-posted me on social media, shouted me out, booked me, purchased products from me just to post about it - they’re the reason I have the momentum I have with my work and my client list. I am forever grateful to my support system and to the experiences that pushed me, shaped me, and encouraged me to birth Blacklight Imaging.