Why I Started My Photography Business (And Why I’ll Never Stop)
I didn’t know I was building a business the day I stole my mom’s phone.
All I knew was this: light made me feel something.
So I followed it.
(I carried my camera everywhere and this particular image reminds of the power of light and perspective. Taken in Bartow, FL in 2014.)
My Purpose/Where It All Began
I’ve always been drawn to light. The way it shifts throughout the day. How it changes a room. How it changes people.
As a kid, I’d sneak my mom’s phone just to capture that feeling. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I knew something inside me lit up every time I snapped a photo. I filled her phone with memories—sunsets, smiles, movement, blur—because it helped me see the world differently. It helped me feel things that were hard to explain.
Eventually, I realized this passion wasn’t just about me. It was about the people in front of the lens. Their truth. Their story. Their magic.
That’s why I named my business after the street I grew up on—not because it sounded cool, but because it was where I learned to see. That place raised me. It shaped my point of view. It grounded me in realness.
(One of my first cameras plus the setup that made me feel like I knew what I was doing)
My Process/Learning to See Through a Lens
I didn’t wake up and just know how to be a photographer. I learned it the long way.
In high school, I took my first photo class. I learned the technical side—composition, aperture, shutter speed (that was my favorite). I remember being fascinated by how a photo could be clear or blurry depending on one tiny setting. That’s when I realized: emotion is what matters most. A perfectly blurry photo can say more than a sharp one ever will.
College gave me access to all kinds of photography: sports, events, gallery nights, podcast setups, and professional headshots. I was in the marketing department, surrounded by other creatives who saw the world in color and angles and possibility. That time taught me how to capture moments with intention.
But even after earning a degree, something in me knew—photography wasn’t just a skill I had. It was a calling.
(During my college years I attended many sporting events that taught me how to be ready at any moment. )
So I learned the business side. How to serve people. How to help them see themselves.
What I Do/Where Passion Meets Purpose
Today, I’m a personal brand photographer who helps entrepreneurs show up online as their real selves.
Not the version they think they’re “supposed” to be. Not the curated, filtered highlight reel. But the raw, real, resonant version of who they are and what they believe in.
I use my camera to reflect that truth back to them—and to the world.
Because real connects.
Real sells.
Real lasts.
And no matter how much time passes or how many people I photograph, that little girl inside me—holding her mom’s phone, chasing light—still leads the way.
(After graduating I came back home and began collaborating with other creatives in my area and started to connect with other models to practice my skills. In frame: Mariana)
If this resonated, we’ve got more to talk about. Let’s stay in touch.
If you’ve ever wanted to be seen for who you really are, I’ve got a camera and a whole lot of heart.
Let’s keep this conversation going.
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