Almost eleven years ago, right before our first child was born, my husband (Quade) surprised me with a DSLR camera kit and lens. He knew that I would be excited and that it was the perfect way to capture memories and photos of our new baby.
I’d always loved photography. When my little brother and sister were babies (they’re twins, ten years younger than me), I would set up small “photo shoots” with a disposable camera.
*insert picture of twins*
On every family trip or school field trip, I’d get a disposable camera and take pictures. I loved capturing memories, even pictures that you could barely see because they were too dark or washed out.
When I got this “high-end to me” camera (ha- to us it was a big investment!), I was excited! I thought my pictures would instantly look amazing… and sadly, they didn’t.
Some were okay, but they weren’t the flawless, professional-looking images I imagined they would be.
I left my camera on the little “A” setting, not realizing that switching it to “M” (and learning about manual mode) would change everything.
I tried YouTube videos and photography blogs, but it was difficult for me to understand and pick up on for some reason.
After having our third child, I found a course with a free lesson, and after taking that lesson, I really wanted to buy the course because it was explained so simply.
People in the group said they were juggling kids and jobs but still making it work, so I thought, “Why not me?”
With three kids under three, a brand-new landscaping business for my husband, a move to a new state, and leaving behind all my friends, I decided to buy the course when it was on sale.
What I didn’t realize: learning photography isn’t just about watching lessons and “learning,” but you actually had to practice.
And at that point in my life, practice felt almost impossible.
Between raising kids, helping with the business, and just surviving, I’d start and stop courses over the next six years (hello five kids in six and a half years!) and it was difficult to ever fully get into it.
I finished some, but never felt like I had the time or focus to truly implement what I was learning.
I felt as though I couldn’t even seem to grasp the simple concepts they were teaching, and it was very frustrating.
Fast forward, and once I had a few of them in school, I was finally able to carve out time to practice and felt like I was actually learning.
I bribed my kids into being models (some didn’t need as much bribing, ha), brought my camera on hikes, and even battled the awful light in our front yard.
I was happy with how my photos were changing and turning out. I mean, they weren’t the best, but they were a lot better than how they used to be!
Then my sister got engaged. She asked me to take her pictures, and I was very nervous. I’d only photographed my kids before, and they didn’t care how the pictures turned out; they just said, “Mom, can I see?” and smiled to see themselves in the camera. It didn’t matter if those turned out imperfectly.
She told me that they had another photographer booked anyway, and this was just for practice for me (so they said… ha). It eased the pressure.
I tried my best, and when I sat down to edit, I was actually surprised and proud of how they turned out. Not perfect, but better than I expected.
Then my other sister decided to go and get engaged, and asked me to take her pictures too. This time, I was a little more confident and also reviewed some of my course material to come more prepared.
We shot up the canyon, and tried my best to take the best picture in camera as it saves time in the editing process later. I could even show them previews on the spot, and I was thrilled with the results.
So here I am. I’m still learning, still building my portfolio, still figuring it all out. I don’t have a massive following or hundreds of sessions to showcase, but I am excited.
Excited to keep growing, to capture memories, and to share the journey.
Whether you’re here to follow along or you eventually become a client, I’m glad you’re here. Thanks for joining me at the beginning of this story.