Basics

Channel:
Photography
Genres:
Abstract, Architectural, Black & White, Cityscape, Color, Fine art, Journalistic, Landscape, Macro / Close Up, Nature / Wildlife, Night Scene, Portrait - Environmental, Portrait - Self, Time Exposure
Role:
Photographer
Specialties:
Urban/City/Street, Candid Portraits, Self-Portraits, Fine Art, Macro
Hometown:
Thousand Oaks, CA

Biography

I was born outside of Los Angeles nearly 40 years ago & spent my childhood moving around a lot. From SoCal to the central coast, to the Midwest. You'd get bored if I started listing all of the cities I've lived in.

I first became interested in photography while attending an alternative school in L.A., where I took a B&W darkroom course before I reached junior high. My aunt Koko gave me my first camera, a tiny Japanese instamatic, and my grandpa Vince was always taking photos with the Brownie Starflex I now use for my TtV shots.

I didn't get back into the darkroom until high school, but by then I was over school & kept my photography to myself. I dropped out my junior year & got my G.E.D. I then tried college, entering a graphic design program, thinking it would be different. It wasn't. I don't learn that way & I've lived my entire life with mental illnesses & disorders that severely affect my ability to function in "normal" ways.

Because of this I pretty much kept my photography to myself for years. Everyone took it for granted that I would be taking pictures, no matter what we did or where we went, but the results were kept to friends & family.

It wasn't until I married my second husband that I found the confidence to begin sharing my work. He's been incredibly supportive & encouraged me to get back into the darkroom as well as to show my work & sell it. His own interest in photography has made him the best teacher & peer I've ever had. Though we have been together 10 years I have only started putting my photography out in the world for the past two years.

A special shout-out to my mom for being financially supportive, allowing me to prepare for new shows/events. With any luck I can someday repay her for her generosity.

I shoot film & digital & do not see either as better than the other. I fully enjoy both. I love toy cameras, too.

Creative Tools Used

cameras, chemicals, photographic paper, enlarger, photoshop, lightroom

Techniques

TTV

Achievements

Okkervil River "The Stage Names" CD booklet; featured photographer in the premiere issue of MetroMagazine; "Closing The Food Gap" by Mark Winne, book cover; Twin Cities Luxury & Fashion magazine

Exhibitions

Starbucks Cafe, Mpls (2006-2007); Sebastian Joe's, Mpls (3/2007-8/2007); Target Financial Services Cultural Bazaar, Mpls, featured artist (7/2007); Corner Coffee, Mpls (1/2008); The Beat Coffee, Mpls (1/2008); Pizza Luce, St Paul (1/2008); Corner Coffee, Mpls (3/2008)

Specialties

Urban/City/Street, Candid Portraits, Self-Portraits, Fine Art, Macro

Inspirations

The gritty city & vibrant color.