I always told people that I wanted to be an artist when I grew up. As a kid, I was enamored by coffee table books about impressionist painters, and at a certain point I'm sure I knew more about Monet and Renior than myself. For years, I tried out every medium, but nothing stuck. I was 19 when I picked up a camera for the first time, and here we are. As an introvert, I find photography to be the best medium for conveying my love for people and the world around me.

My favorite thing to photograph is real life. I majored in journalism in college, and I completed most of my photography minor while studying abroad in Florence, Italy. While there, I aimed to document the old-world charm and eccentricities of Florence and the small Italian towns I visited. Although usually bustling, I was naturally drawn to the quieter parts of these places—an overflowing community garden run by volunteers, the shadows on the cathedral at golden hour, a small chapel nestled between apartment buildings that I passed on my way home from class, and musicians performing solo on side streets.

Life moves and flows differently for all of us, and to me, that's fascinating. I bring this innate curiosity to every session in hopes that I'll discover the real beyond the complementary outfits and photoshoot jitters.

It's the messy, imperfect, and extraordinary moments that make our hearts skip a beat. My goal for any session is that years from now, you can look back on those moments framed on your desk or wall, in an album, or on a holiday card, and recognize the reality that you've lived. That's true authenticity, and it's what I strive to capture in every photograph.