Creating Space for Real Connection
First and Foremost, I’m an Aquarius… to the T
If you don't know what that means, I dare you to Google it. Actually, still do, but here are the sparknotes — I was born an open-minded boundary-breaker, rule-bender, and soul-driven creator. If you tell me things just “are” a certain way, I’ll challenge it. Well… why does it have to be that way? ... Never an argument, always a discussion.
In my college days of wandering the UCONN bookstore, passing time between classes and reading the backs of books, I stumbled upon one entirely about being Aquarius and read it front to back. Pretty sure I even skipped a class to keep reading it. I’d never felt so completely understood in my life. So much of me, put into words, and it all made so much sense. Game changer, for real.
A Free-Thinking Rebel (And Why That Matters Here)
Basically, you can consider me a free-thinking rebel, particularly when it comes to staying inside the lines or the boxes that society and people throughout my life have tried to place around me. My journey into boudoir photography is a reflection of that.
With a background in sociology (a four-year deviation from photography, if you will), I’ve always been fascinated by the ways we generalize and oversimplify people — especially women — when in reality, we’re a mosaic of individuality. While we do objectively share a lot of similar experiences in our families, relationships, careers, and motherhood, one woman can be so completely different from the next. The way we grow from and internalize those experiences shapes us, and while there’s so much beauty in that, we can also easily and dangerously limit ourselves (and let others limit us) while letting unwelcomed shame seep in without realizing it.
This is the spirit I bring into my shoot experience. I’m here to help women break out of the various boxes they find themselves defined by, find their voices, and celebrate themselves exactly as they are—my camera merely my tool.
Where Vulnerability Becomes Power
The true beauty of this experience comes from vulnerability and trust. Over time, I’ve come to embrace my ability to create a space that feels safe, open, and welcoming— where women can show up fully as themselves, unapologetically.
My camera is the tool I use to help women see what they may have overlooked in themselves, but at its core, this work is about connection— about understanding and witnessing one another on a deeper, more vulnerable level. There’s something magical in seeing a woman recognize her own beauty, exactly as she is— flaws, quirks, and all— and feeling the quiet transformation that emerges from that moment.
That moment— that realization— is the heart of what I do. It doesn’t happen in an instant, during or after the shoot; it’s a process that starts at the initial booking, and each part that comes after feels essential to me. It starts with committing to something that feels scary, following through with it, and becoming comfortable with letting go of the need for perfection. Being able to stop using her “flaws” as a measurement of her value means that she can move forward in life with a renewed sense of how she fits into the world, what she wants out of it, and what she deserves without condition. That confidence is not something she needs in order to feel ready; confidence is what she will find through the process. It will help her tackle her fears with a newfound perspective and voice, and the resulting power in that is contagious. Everyone benefits from being surrounded by strong women, especially ones who are able to know their worth.
A Personal Note
This passion of mine feels as though it's come full circle, though I know I'm far from finding out where else it'll take me. Without even being aware of what exactly it was, it's been building throughout my almost 40 years, guiding me through uncertain and difficult parts of life that ultimately led to this serene feeling of fulfillment. It has not only led to uplifting, empowering experiences for my clients; their trust in me has allowed me to do the thing that feeds my soul, and that is helping them feel proud and beautiful in the way I’ve always longed to feel when I see myself in photos. We may be on opposite sides of the camera, but we share the same journey of experiencing our bodies—both in real time and through images—and their trust has helped me reconcile how I see myself and the place I hold in this world.
That photo at the top of this page is a self-portrait, taken during a time when I was searching for peace and reconnecting with my voice. Portrait sessions have always felt like a form of therapy for me— not about fixing anything, but about slowing down, being real, and allowing vulnerability to exist. I’ve always turned to self portraits when something inside feels misaligned. Being both the subject and the photographer allows me to hold two truths at once: the part of me that feels messy and unsure, and the part of me that knows exactly what to do when things feel off. When I step in front of the camera, I give space to the side of me that needs to release and exist without having all the answers. When I step behind it, I reconnect with my confidence— my ability to adjust, guide, and shape something meaningful. Holding both roles at once grounds me. It reminds me that even in moments of chaos, I have the tools to create clarity.
Whether a self portrait or a portrait of a client, this isn’t ever a one-sided experience– I’ve grown just as much through the women I photograph as they’ve grown through my process. My clients bring their trust and willingness to open up, I bring my camera and need to keep it real, and we both walk away changed for the better. I wouldn't have it any other way ✨
Thank you for reading, and I hope we are able to connect!
Your Body Is Enough.
Let’s Talk About Why.
And last but not least, more on my perspective as to why, in my opinion and experience, every body is beautiful and deserving to feel so — Your Body Is Enough: Boudoir Photography for All Body Types
