YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

Hello My Loves,

Here is an attempt at introducing myself, speed dating style. Other than running around in the woods with my camera you will find me watching my children explore the world, loving & being loved, or out thrifting my newest treasures, and doing my best to remain present and conscious.

How I show up in the world matters, especially in these times. I am a seeker. Intersectional Feminist. Spirit guides me. Ancestral knowledge informs my decisions. Choosing a path of listening, learning and healing has always kept me inspired and moving forward. I am a ex-evangelical/missionary, cis-womxn, proudly part of the colorful LGBTQ+ family, healing from religious and sexual trauma, learning the plant path of healing that resonates with my soul.

I am a flaming Anti-Racist doing the work to dismantle the 'White Supremacy' that lives in my DNA. Waking up to the realities that have been shielded from me and benefited me and my cis-white existence in this country. Imperfect on my path but stubborn as hell in creating a world without Racism. Raising my children to be better humans for the future success of the planet. I am here to listen and learn and promise to show up to the table with an open mind and heart.

I am LGBTQ+ friendly in all that I do. I do not discriminate against your orientation, preference, or interests. You're safe to be yourself when we are together. I am still learning so much about the vast variety of human-beings and the ways in which we are able to express ourselves. I am here to listen to and see you in your truth.

The environment was my first platform for injustice. Capitalism has destroyed our planet and continues to bleed it dry. I am doing my best to make changes that are sustainable with my wallet, my belly and my actions. In my home you will find that at least 90% of my belongings are thrifted/free boxed/gifted/or ethically sourced. I have a bidet (@hellotushy on IG) to lower our carbon foot print with recycled fabric reuse-able wipes. My body products do not have toxins or harmful chemicals in them, instead they are small batch made by a marvelous Herbalist (check her out on IG @houseofyore) who honors the earth in their practices. There is still a lot I want to do to change in our lifestyle (homesteading/self-sufficiency) one day! Taking it all on stride and one step at a time.

My goal is to show up as the truest version of myself in both my life and my business. If this stuff resonates with you, I'm pretty sure we're going to vibe and capture authentic moments.

All The Reasons

Since you are hiring me to be your photographer... I thought I might tell you a bit about how I came to be what I am!

I grew up with an award winning photographer as a mother! I was twelve when she began her journey and I was naturally drawn onto the path of portraiture. As her assistant I would help pose and primp her clients. I began to fall in love with the dynamic between client and artist. The intimacy that was created. The unexpected moments that left us belly laughing or tearing up. I began to study people and the way they engaged with themselves, each other and the photographer. It was a way to dive deeply into the hearts and souls of complete strangers or dear friends. I was hooked. I was photographing all of my friends by my senior year '08 and dreaming of being a major fashion photographer with big sets and budgets photographing broadway stars and famous musicians for VOGUE.

Flash forward to 2011 when I finally found to program that fit my dreams after a few years of travel. The New York Film Academy. Oh honey, I felt like I had arrived. I was attending their L.A. branch and feeling like a real adult. 20 years old and beaming with ignorance and sheer will power. I hated school. I hated L.A. I hated the program. I realized I hated artificial lights, product shoots, pitching big productions. I was craving the simplicity and purity of working one on one with real life people who value what they are receiving.

I got the piece of paper, dipped out of L.A. as quickly as I could and came back to AK to rethink my life. After a year of "figuring it out" in Seattle, I realized I would not be settling if I became a portrait photographer. I would in fact be aligning myself with my values in a deeper way. Connection is what drives me. The time with clients fuels me. The art we create inspires me. And the way people value their images grounds me. I came back to AK and stayed in 2013. I began working with my mother again in her booming business and when she left AK in 2016 I began to plan my own.

January of 2017 FERA PHOTOGRAPHY was born. I had 1 year old twins and was a single mother on welfare. I was so stubborn and failed so often these past few years. Late deadlines, sick children, disappointed clients because I hadn't figured out how to communicate my packages clearly, etc. I fought hard through some major "Imposter Syndrome", custody cases, and the realities of being a low income single parent and I can say that every year I have grown immeasurably from the year before and learned endless lessons on resilience and commitment.

As far as what makes my photography stand out from the crowd?

I chase the raw and the gritty, the heights and the depths, and all the amazing, authentic pieces in-between. I am not scared of going to the deep places with my clients. If I hadn't become a photographer, I would have definitely been in the mental health industry because I want to help people find their truest selves in this lifetime. Instead my tool for that is my camera. In fact, I sat with a client after a boudoir shoot recently and they giggled through their misty eyes and said, "Wow I feel like I just got out of a good counseling session". This is my 'WHY' because if the work is not meaningful then it is not worth doing!

You will learn very quickly in our time together that I am after whatever your core truth and purpose is for your shoot. It is not about me, it's about you; your love, your pain, your depths, your triumphs. As someone who pursues personal growth above all else, I can pray witness to the work that is done in each of these shoots. I watch people come in feeling insecure, unsure, and worried that they do not know what to do and see those same people walk away with the walk of a model and the most authentic smile a person could have!

I do this all for you and the process that it allows you to uncover. Which is an unbelievable privilege that each and everyone one of my clients offers me.

So if this excites you and doesn't make you run for the hills. You may have just found the photographer for you. The one who wants to celebrate you and all you offer this world.