Here's My Story....

UPDATE:

I've moved to Florida and am now located in Bradenton.

I was born and raised in Chicago and after living my whole life in IL I have moved south to Florida. Needed to update this bio since I am a newly empty nester and live with my rescue dog Cooper! I have three kids that are now living their best lives all around the US. One thing people usually think is that I am from New York City. The truth is, I’ve only been to NYC once. Nyc is actually my last name. It’s cool but definitely leads to some confusion. I mostly shoot in the Chicago land area but have traveled to other states for events. I spend the majority of my time here but do go to Florida a few times a year and take sessions there as well mainly in the Sarasota/Tampa area. I do like to give back and work with animal rescues as a photographer and foster home.

The road to being a photographer hasn’t been a straight one. I graduated from NIU with a BS in Nursing and Psychology. After years of working as a nurse, I took a break to raise three very active kids. In 2010, I got a new Canon DSLR and my life changed. Quickly, any free time I had I spent learning as much as I could about everything related to photography. I always loved the art but became fascinated with the science of light. I have been published both nationally and internationally for a variety of magazines. I tend to photograph High School seniors the most and have numerous photos published with them but my interior photography has also been printed in magazines like Luxe Interiors +Design Chicago and Modern Luxury North Shore.

What I noticed at an early stage of my photography, was that my photos had a voice. There was an emotional connection that I was able to capture during a session. Being able to connect with my clients is what sets me apart. That human connection is why the majority of my photos have people as the main focus.

My approach to photography is based on my belief that you can always find the beauty in life if you just look for it.

I truly believe that photography is both an art and an experience. My goal is to make sure the experience during the session is just as valuable as the photos we create.

My work has its own style that evolves just as I grow and evolve as a photographer. What doesn’t change is that I love to create simple moments that are painted with light.

I am inspired by my surroundings. Finding amazing beauty in the locations that are often overlooked challenges me to think outside of the box.

Things I Love

my family: Nothing is more important to me than my kids and my family.
adventures: I often take the road not traveled because it seems to always have a better story. I love seeing something for the first time. I eat my way through towns because I find the best way to truly understand a place is through it’s food and people.
animals: I am a huge animal lover with dogs being number one. It’s the best feeling when you are at someone’s house and the dog comes to sit by you out of all the other people in the room. I do a lot of volunteer work with animal shelters and am a foster. My new pup Cooper is a rescue dog and I'm so lucky to have found him.
coffee: Nothing happens before coffee. Nothing.
laughter: Being able to laugh at the craziness of life has gotten me through hard times. Laugh lines are worth it.
cooking: I’m always on Pinterest trying to find a new amazing dinner recipe. Will go to 4 separate grocery stores so that I can get all the ingredients.