June 10, 2020: How the journey began

I was asked the other day, what got me into photography and why do I like it so much. 

I can vividly remember my first camera – it was a blue Kodak Micky Mouse 110mm camera with the flash that punched out after it was used. I remember taking pictures of everything from my dog to my sister to anything that caught my eye. Ever since then, I have always had a camera. My first digital camera was a 8mp HP camera that I bought at Circuit City! Then I kept upgrading from there! WIth each upgrade, I challenged my self to captured different things, people, places, etc. 

A few years ago, after I bought my first DSLR, I attended a class by 

Heather Lahtinen with Weddings by Heather. I learned how to use that fancy camera and I fell more in love with photography. I started to follow Heather and soon joined the Flourish Academy’s free camera club. Camera club is a meetup for photographers in the Pittsburgh area where Heather has different topics to talk about and all the photographers learn from each other.

Last year, I went to a camera club where Soozie Harrison of Photography by Soozie/Studio Soozie and Heather hosted a special styled shoot with models and vintage Volkswagen’s.  We practiced different poses with the models and Volkswagens. The images below are photos I took with their coaching assistance. Capturing these images really pushed me to take things a step further. I also joined the Flourish Academy’s Members Only group, where photographers have access to learning content, other photographers, and much more.

This year I started a photography business with a focus on small, intimate weddings. I couldn’t have done this with out the Flourish Academy Elevate group. This is an elite group of photographers who start, grow, and learn how to create successful businesses.  I can’t even believe how far I’ve come in my photography business. I would have never thought I would be in this position, but my mentor Heather from the Flourish Academy always tells us that our success is inevitable, and at some point, I started to believe her! 

So my answer to what got me into photography and why do I like it so much? I have been in love with photography since I was a kid and I love capturing moments to look back upon and treasure. 

“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… It remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.”  — Aaron Siskind