My Story

I found my love of photography 30+ years ago when I was a sophomore at the University of NC at Chapel Hill. I dreaded taking a mandatory physics class but when I found the "physics of photography" class, I struck gold! From that moment until I graduated, I lived in the darkroom. I graduated from UNC-CH in 1991 with a degree in photojournalism. I was fortunate to recieve many honors while earning my degree. I was awarded the Kodak full tuition scholarship, a spot at the prestigious Eddie Adams Workshop- where I recieved an award in the form of an assignment for People Magazine- and my senior year I was awarded the Outstanding Senior in Photojournalism Honor. I also attended two summer school adventure abroad classes on very small Carribean islands where we studied and photographed the local people.

After graduation, I worked in NC and SC as a newspaper photographer. Although I had planned on being a photojournalist and traveling the world, I chose to instead marry my college sweetheart and move to NY. In NY, I worked for a wedding photographer learning the trade as a portrait and event photographer.

But then we had 4 children in 5 years so needless to say the photography was on hold for a few years! As my children were older, I started to take portraits of them and of my friends' children. Then I remembered what I loved so much about photography...capturing moments.

Could this hard-core journalist really develop into a family photographer?? It suited my lifestyle, so the answer was yes!!

For the last 14 years I have been photographing families in the AtlanticBeach/Long Beach NY area with beach photography being my specialty. I feel that's one of my advantages as a family photographer is that I have been on the other side of the lens. I know how hard it is to get family photos. I pride myself on making kids and their parents comfortable and relaxed so their true smiles shine through the images. 

After all these years I still love capturing moments.
And I love tall grass!!!
Tall grass... My favorite place to shoot. Whether it is on the beach or in a country field. When the light hits it just right, it's golden magic.