05/15/2026
A whole decade. 📸
This post is several weeks late, but around this time 10 years ago, I received a simple DM that turned a new hobby into a side business:
“What are your rates?”
I was confused, and honestly, I thought they were confused too. I wasn’t advertising photography services. I was just posting portraits from meetups, learning, creating, and having fun. I had a full-time career, and I still do. Starting a photography business wasn’t even on my mind.
But 🤔 …. people would pay me to do something I genuinely enjoyed? The choice was easy.
I remember scrambling to figure out pricing, packages, contracts, and the basic business side of things. That first inquiry didn’t go anywhere, but it made me get ready for the next one.
And the next one became my first paid shoot. That client still books me to this day, and I don’t even think she knows she was the first.
From there, things started moving.
It’s been a real journey. A great one. I’ve learned a lot, worked with some incredible people, built relationships, and made a few close friends along the way.
But I can’t leave out the hard parts. The grind, the pressure, the difficult clients, the burnout — it all catches up to you. I’ve “quit” for five minutes more times than I can count.
But I’m still here.
Ten years later, still creating, still growing.
Thank you to everyone who has booked, supported, shared, trusted me, or even just watched the work evolve.
A decade in. More to build. More to create.
