Have you ever surprised someone? Or has someone ever *really* surprised you? Here’s my story… On 3 Christmas Eve’s in my life, I made the 4+ hour trip from Michigan to Ohio and showed up (without warning) on my Auntie Deb + Uncle Gary’s doorstep. “Surprise! Merry Christmas!”⠀⠀ It happened as a newborn with my […]

“I’m a photographer. How do I NOT have pictures of my dad? I had plenty of posed photos, but nothing that captured HIM as I know him. It was a sick feeling,” said Lora Wallenstein, participant of The Preservation Project. If you’ve ever experienced loss, you’ve feared the strong feeling of your bond weakening over time. […]

Photographer Dreama Spence said, “In the work of photography, it’s easy to get bombarded with ideas from everyone else. My goal has always been to be my own self. DOCUMENTARY IS VERY PERSONAL. To dig deep and think about a feeling or story, THEN choose when to click the shutter has been very freeing + […]

This group of mothers wanted their story told and asked me for help. They want to show health professionals in Ireland that: It’s possible to breastfeed babies and children with Down Syndrome. A few statistics on breastfeeding in Ireland: “Current exclusive breastfeeding rates in Ireland on discharge from maternity hospital are 46.3%. (Sourced: Breastfeeding in a […]

It all started in January 2017. My husband and I were in Encintas, CA, walking along the beach. We were both so incredibly happy to be close to the ocean, for the change of scenery from the mountains in Colorado. We were so happy to be warm, to have the time to walk next to […]

I’ve been using the phrase “simple pictures with big backstories” for a while now. Those 5 words were a 2017 divine download and could not sum up the MARIE in my work better. This has meant less emphasis on well-rounded technical skill and has anchored me in the best way. I’ve let go of trying […]

Yesterday at 11am I got a call from my brother in law, Pasquale Mastantuono inviting me to document some of the story at Safari West. Located in the hills of Santa Rosa the 400-acre private wildlife preserve was in the direct path of the destructive and deadly Tubbs Fire that swept through the area on […]

I want to share a story with you. A special one. Special. Special needs. Special needs family. What does this mean? Why is it important to share the stories of special families? Well because they are among us. They’re our family, friends, neighbors, and classmates…. By sharing their stories it helps bring awareness to their […]

Balancing being a mom of three girls and growing a business makes for a pretty busy life. But this summer I found myself with a unique opportunity – all three of my girls, 10, 12 and 14, were going to be away for 3.5 weeks at sleepaway camp. This was going to be the longest […]

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. They say you can learn a lot about someone by what they photograph. They also say that everyone has their own unique perspective. I couldn’t agree more. I’m a documentary photographer. I’m also a mom of three kids. I love both jobs immensely. I spend the majority of […]