About me..

This is the part where I tell you that photography has always been a passion for me - this is true. Another truth: I never intended to make a career out of it - afraid that if I did that my love for this craft would be altered. I did make the plunge, though, once I realized that making a career out of something I love to do was just a natural progression for me. The result did not diminish or taint my love for this medium -- in fact -- it only increased my passion and respect for the art of photography.

This leads me to why I decided to include "the art of" in the name of my business. I don't have haughty ideas of what art should be, because everyone's definition of art is personal and subjective. That said, I aspire to create art in my photos. The art of emotion, composition and design.

Some random facts about me and my thought process:

I have taken several black and white film classes at Case Western Reserve University. My favorite subject was "the simple life" - about the Amish Culture in Berlin, Ohio. A close second was "Cedar Road" - which was the complete opposite of the farmlands of Berlin, focusing instead on urban street scenes.

I will hide if the camera is pointed toward me.

I chase the simple life - which is probably an oxymoron.

I am a young 50-something with three 20-something kids and one gorgeous granddaughter. My kids keep me laughing every day and I really enjoy being around them.

I'm fascinated with the life, history and photographic art of William Mortensen - a photographer who was despised by Ansel Adams. I'm fascinated because he didn't conform in order to be accepted.

I am not a cookie cutter flash website kind of a person.

I like it when there is an emotional connection in a photograph, which is why you will rarely see (never see?) a photo from me where a man and a woman are holding hands, standing apart and staring straight ahead into the camera. And I promise you I won't "push the envelope" at the risk of your dignity and make you sit inside of a shopping cart -- and try to pass that off as cutting edge and fun. That said, if you see a shopping cart and decide to jump into it, who am I to say no? If that's who you are, we shall embrace it :-)

I do promise you that I strive to capture honest moments of happiness. And love. I don't much care for the formal "look at the camera and smile" portraits, but you will always get one, in addition to the many "moment" shots that I love and prefer to take.

Not a smiler? Not comfortable in front of the camera? Hah! I love you already. You're a goofy, happy, silly, ham who loves to get your picture taken? Awesome - I have lots of memory cards and I love to take photos - we are a match made in heaven :-) I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm a go-with-the-flow, easygoing sort of person who will "read" your personality and endeavor to capture who you are. And. I can get a real smile. I have my ways.

I know how to shoot in manual. I know how to manipulate depth of field. What an F-stop is. And what shutter speed to use. How to set my ISO for low light and sunlight. What it means when someone says, "you need a fast lens." Yep.

Lyrics, paintings and old magazine covers inspire me.

I carry 3 cameras with me to every wedding. 2 cameras to every portrait session. My main cameras are a Canon 7D and a Canon 40D. I primarily use Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM, Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM, and a Canon 85mm f/1.8 lenses.

I can write backwards in cursive as fast as I can write it forward. This may come in handy someday.

Before I became a professional photographer, I edited photos and designed albums for a photographer in New Jersey who was voted best photographer on the Jersey Shore. This experience was invaluable -- teaching me that the "digital darkroom" is an important component to the whole process. Editing a photo so that it doesn't look edited really does take skill.

If I give you a photo that has an "action" applied to it (whatever the latest trend is), know that you will also get the original. I really don't want your kids to be laughing at your photos 20 years down the road. Which, of course, they will anyway (I can't do anything about hairstyles or clothes, but I can make sure it's not accentuated by diffuse glow).

I love black and white. Simplicity in photos. I love to shoot landscapes too. I have a fondness for quirky as well. My gummy bear pictures are still favorites of mine. Although my "300" set up made from little green army men and cookie crisp cereal rank right up there.

Speaking of 300 -- that's one of my favorite movies, along with Braveheart and Sense and Sensibilities.

My favorite book of all time -- "What Dreams May Come" by Richard Matheson.

Another photographer that I have admired -- Jerry Uelsmann. I often strive to emulate his work digitally (and have done so with film, although that's really really really really hard to do!!!)

The colors chosen for my website are color codes that correlate with my family's birthday and initials. I think it's good luck.

I am a member of PPA (Professional Photographers of America) and am insured.

This work -- it's a labor of love -- and my dream come true. As your photographer, I will take the time and energy to create your art, because it's also a reflection of me.