When I was little, my mom and I used to take summertime walks along the beach in Stone Harbor, NJ. With a small bucket in hand, I’d gather up little trinkets and treasures I found along the way. I remember collecting endless shells, pebbles, seaweed, and the occasional Kool-Aid Burst Bottle Cap, adding each one to my bucket to dump out later and sort through to find the real keepers, like the summer’s most flawless conch shell. Particularly because of my background in photojournalism, this is how I view photography—like I’m traveling through a day collecting little treasures you’ll be able to enjoy for a lifetime. When I unload a fleet of camera cards at the end of a wedding day or session—backing them up in a million different places as I go, don’t worry—the excitement of discovering what I’ve collected is always just as fresh as it was years and years ago!

My journey to photography was a long and winding one, but I should have known this was the path life was heading down all along. As my natural inclination for storytelling through imagery continued to grow, even little moments of self-doubt couldn’t keep me from where my heart was leading. In fact, it helped me refine my skills both behind the camera and behind the scenes, clarifying a process I’m proud to share with you today!

like TREASURE-HUNTING FOR THAT PERFECT PHOTO...