The JOURNAL

It was spring break and my aunt invited Christopher and I to accompany her on a trip to her favorite place on earth, Yosemite. I had seen photos and heard tales of the wonders of the valley, of the glacier-cut giants spilling magical falls into the pristine valley. Seeing first hand, however, was what ignited […]

It won’t be long until the three musketeers add a fourth; life is at such a special place for the Blankenships! For almost two years, it’s been just Billy, Alissa, and Claire… and what a sweet sweet time it’s been. While they’re over the moon about baby number two coming this fall, they asked me […]

The Schneider family began with just the two of them, then Ezra Monkey joined the party, and now with Kolja bear they are four. Though life looks a little different with their two little munchkins than it did when it was just the two of them, there’s still a “sameness” to it. Music still holds the baseline to their […]

“In the flush of love’s light, we dare to be brave. And suddenly we see that love costs all we are, and will ever be. Yet it is only love which sets us free.” – Maya Angelou  As we kick off the holiday weekend in which we celebrate our hard won freedom, I can’t help […]

Growing up near the beach allowed for many a fond memory for my family and I. I remember countless hours of swimming, boogie boarding, sand crab catching, sand castle making, and bonfire enjoying. Some of the most nostalgic photos documenting my childhood took place at the beach. So for me, there’s still a sense of […]

A few weeks ago, I took a trip to a YWAM (youth with a mission) base in Sarasota, Florida. This trip was a BIG DEAL, although I didn’t let myself think too hard about the significance of it all until I boarded the plane. I didn’t let myself think about it because I knew I’d […]

If you’ve followed my blogs for a while, you may have heard me talk intermittently about my beginnings as a photographer. It’s been over 5 years since I began my photography business, but the journey started earlier than that. Back in 2007, I took a hiatus from my studies as a biology major to participate […]

She showed up as randomly as snowfall in Orange County. No warning, no association, no objective other than to join the bible study and make friends. Just like that, their lives were changed forever. He was leading the bible study the night she walked in and her sweet nature, quick wit, and beauty took his […]

The Gamboa family is one of my favorites to photograph and is one of the sweetest families ever! We all met through Horizon Christina Fellowship in Rancho Santa Fe, and I first photographed their family portraits a few years back in 2009 when everyone was a tad bit littler. Well, Noah’s headed off to college […]

A few months ago, I excitedly announced I would be holding my first ever photography workshop in Nuremberg. It was a huge deal for me because I’m totally one of those people who thinks…  “Oh… I could never do that. No one would come!” Aaaaaand So….. Despite that fear, and with the help of my […]