Why is this one of the difficult questions?
I am a mother to two amazing young women. Step-mom to three terrific young adults.
I love my work and I also love to step away from it to enjoy the great outdoors. We camp, hike, kayak, sit by a stream, and do nothing. I love to garden and have recently developed an indoor plant habit that has my husband nervous every time I leave the house. What will she come home with this time? I love to rescue plants from the garden center almost as much as I love to rescue dogs. Both make amazing photography subjects!
There are times I am intensely organized, others not so much. Most days, I spend an embarrassing amount of time wondering where I left my phone or my coffee.
I thrive on creativity. Whether it is nature or nurture, I do not know. Raised by my grandmother, it was a way for us to connect and a way for her to keep me entertained. Keeping up with a small child was not something she was physically capable of. Her life lessons and creative activities have served me well.
Hobbies
I started taking pictures regularly years ago. My philosophy was point, shoot, and hope for the best. Thousands of pictures for a small number of useable images. At the start of Covid in 2020, I completed a learning series and Capstone Project to encourage me to adjust settings, eventually shoot in mostly manual, and delve into editing RAW images. I have successfully become intentional about framing, exposure, and seeking to capture inspired moments instead of simply hoping for the best as I take shot after shot.
I sought to document the natural places I enjoy, frame the landscape, and capture an inspiring moment. As cities grow our neighborhoods expand. New building projects are implemented for houses, apartments, and storage facilities, and another gas station or car wash is added to the corner. Finding a relaxing natural space can be difficult in larger cities. Greenways offer an escape to nature. Nature preserves offer some protection. As with our changing cityscapes, natural landscapes change as well. During my photography learning I sought to preserve the space in the moment both for historical documentation and to observe the changes of my favorite places over time.
Now, I mostly take pictures of my other hobby…the puppies!
Animal Rescue
I’m a really bad doggy foster. I just can’t resist an animal that needs a little extra love.