my style | southwestern, pa photographer | personal

I don’t want to take your picture….I want to document your life!

This has always been my motto that I’ve kept in the back of my mind while I’m out shooting-weddings, portraits, family, etc. It wasn’t until recently that I was asked to describe my…dun dun dun…STYLE that I felt stumped, I mean REALLY REALLY stumped. I had never really be asked that before and although I’ve always struggled internally to answer that question, here I was being ask in real life by another photographer for an interview they were doing.

Our Style: It’s not in “what’s being said”,but “the way we say it”. It’s not the subject but the way we capture the photo, show it, make our own definition of it. If you put a group of photographers in one scene, all having the same cameras, these same lens, the same lighting scenario, you will still get many different photos. On the other hand, you can tell which photo is who’s just by looking at them – recognize the style. I don’t think finding your style is not a process you are aware to-just like in my case-until you’re asked to define it. It happens during your learning process and you suddenly find you have your own “trademark”, if you will. I think as artists/craftsman, etc, we are always seeking “our style”. I feel like I’ve been trying to find it for quite some time now….and on some days, I feel like it’s no where to be found! I guess, for me, it’s difficult to “define” my style when it’s always changing depending on what mood I’m in or the energy that I’m feeding off of during the shoot/wedding/etc, what music I’m listening to while I’m editing, or hell, even what the weather is like that day…

…but I do believe that the experiences we’ve had, the struggles we’ve experienced and the joys we’ve shared, mold us into who we are and how we see the world. I’ve had my fair share of heartaches (parent’s divorce, loosing my sister , just to name a few) and my fair share of things to be thankful for in my life (my miracle child) and I pack those up and take them with me to every shoot-it’s become the way I view the world. In order to think outside the box, you first have to FIND the box. For me, that meant remembering the happiness and pain I’ve experienced in my life. I realized after loosing my sister at the age of 17, and ALMOST loosing my daughter at birth, that life is more than just a box of pretty pictures. I vowed to photograph people’s lives the way I WISHED someone had photographed ours. THIS is what I keep in the back of my mind while I’m shooting. Although I can’t put my finger on WHAT my style is, I can tell you what it is NOT.

My photography isn’t about the latest fashions or the coolest trends-it’s about being yourself, even if you aren’t a fashionista! Sure I’ll give you suggestions on things you shouldn’t wear, but really, I want you to be you. If that means you’re not the trendy type-then don’t try to be. Be You….whoever YOU is!

My photography isn’t about being flawless-it’s about being perfectly imperfect-it’s about being REAL.

It’s not about smiling at the camera, it’s about the belly laugh..and emotion.

It’s not about props, presets or actions, it’s about being genuine!

I want you to say “that’s just the way I remember it”

I don’t want to take your picture….I want to document your life!

ohhh and every post is better with a photo, here’s a pretty iPhone Instagram photo for you’all! My miracle baby I mentioned earlier-the one pound 12 ounce baby that wasn’t expected to live…….yep, that’s her…my daughter Mallory and SHE has her VERY OWN style!!!