What sparked your interest in photography?

Art.  I’ve always had a passion for art.  In fact, many of my childhood memories are inside art galleries and museums across the globe.  I studied art in college and traveled to Florence and Paris to study my two favorite eras of art:  Renaissance and Impressionism.  Up until I graduated from college, I spent much of my time painting. It was from this background that I purchased my first SLR camera – and I haven’t looked back since! My background in art plays an inseparable role in my photography. As I compose images, I can still hear my art professors instructing me to think about the direction of light, negative space, leading lines and so many other fundamental aspects of art and photography. I love capturing intimate moments in an artful way.

Tell us about In A Frame Photography.

I am the main photographer and owner of In A Frame Photography. I specialize in weddings and many of the portrait sessions I do are of previous wedding clients.  In A Frame Photography’s mission is to deliver a consistent set of timeless wedding images and products to our clients.  I shoot about 30 weddings a year, each of which invites fond memories and often lasting friendships.  This will be my fourth year shooting weddings professionally and I have enjoyed every second of it. I started SWIP to help other professionals in the wedding industry and give my clients a better experience.

What is your most memorable wedding?

Each and every wedding has contributed to my style and left an impression with me one way or the other. However, one of the first few weddings I shot especially inspired and shaped the direction I would take my photography.

Melissa and Adam were a wonderful couple that planned an elopement ceremony on San Juan Island. I remember how special it was for me and my husband to act as their witnesses.  The ceremony itself took place on a rocky edge against the beach with numerous sailboats relaxing in the background.  At many weddings there are cousins, friends, bridesmaids all snapping pictures and enjoying the moment, but here we were, just us witnessing a wedding of two very-much-in-love individuals.  It was truly up to me to ensure that this moment was captured in an intimate and timeless fashion so their friends and family could take part in the moment. 

I realized that while capturing all the details and events of a wedding are essential, the most important image a wedding photographer can capture is the emotional connection and love between a bride and groom.  I am open and genuine with my couples and in return they share a glimpse of their love with me.  

Weddings should be captured in a way that everyone can see this connection by looking at a photograph like Melissa and Adam’s below, whether or not they were present. 

Outside of doing weddings, where would we find you?

I do a lot of graphic design work and branding for my husband’s web development company. I run/manage SWIP too.

Outside of work, I often go for long walks (rarely on beaches), travel, and wish I could do more hiking/camping. I am also known to many as a blog stalker and I have recently got caught up in social media (cough).

When you have an hour of free time, what do you like to do?

One of the pleasures of owning your own business is you can set your own hours.  Ha!  As long as it’s 24/7.  I find that working on various photography and work projects has become the “hobby” I enjoy doing in my free time.  Some might think that’s weird.

However, I do love to read, especially with a cup of hot cider on a crisp Fall day. I love non-fiction histories and biographies, business, and cookbooks mostly, but I also love to get lost in a good novel from time to time.

I enjoy cooking gourmet foods but detest day-to-day cooking. If you’re ever over for dinner, I’ll make you my favorite, French Onion Soup and Coq Au Vin with garlic potatoes.

What’s Your Vice? … that nasty little habit you just can’t seem to kick.

Oh…. what self-respecting woman doesn’t have an addiction to fine chocolate?  And as my bookshelves will attest to, I am strangely addicted to ordering books off Amazon.com. I am attempting to remedy that by frequenting the library, but I just love adding new books to my collection.