Have you ever felt the desire to make more meaningful photographs? 
Have you ever wanted to feel more confident and comfortable with your camera?
Do you not have any idea what the heck your doing and desperately want to get out of Auto mode?
Do you just need some help?

Que The Beatles music.
"Help! I need somebody!
Help! Not just anybody!
Help! You know I need someone!
​Heeellllllp!"

I'm offering in person mentoring sessions to help you do just that. I'm here to get you off Auto mode and get you into Manual so that you can start controlling every aspect of your images. 
For beginners, we will go over all of the basics. Exposure, Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO, and basic composition. You will get 3 hours with me- one hour of instruction and two hours of practicing shooting in the field on a photo walk.  You also get a printed copy of my book, The Brave Storyteller: A Beginner's Guide. 
For more intermediate shooters- we will go over more advanced techniques like composition, storytelling, and learning how to navigate trickier lighting situations. These sessions are also 3 hours. 
*Please note these do not include editing and post processing instruction. 

So if you're local to Hampton Roads or maybe you're here on vacation (and want to do something just for you)  and you want to schedule a mentoring session with me,  get in touch with me! I would love to help you get on your way to better photographs.  You can contact me here and view more information about The Brave Storyteller Mentoring here. 

Did you know each Storytelling Session I shoot comes with a beautiful set of 10 5x7 prints for you to keep or share with loved ones?
It's true! I believe in the power of prints (and here's a blog explaining why- check it out, it's been one of my most popular to date!) and I believe that your photos shouldn't live on your hard drive.  But the sad thing is, in this day in age, sometimes life gets in the way and we simply put it off. And we keep putting it off (no judgement- been there, done that!) and then they sit there some more. Here's the thing- we are not enjoying them if they are sitting on a hard drive. They aren't sparking joy on our walls or in our home.  They are collecting digital dust. 
So, to help combat that and to bring a smile to your face,  each 1.5 hour Storytelling Session with me comes with a set of 10 5x7 prints for you to share or keep for yourself. They can all be the same, they can all be different, or in any combination you want. 
These are printed with high quality inks on archival paper that is meant to last many, many years. These would be a wonderful addition to your Legacy box or a keepsake for your children years from now. 

What's a Legacy Box, you ask? A Legacy Box is a box I keep for my children that has special treasures in it. Handwritten notes, photos, mementos and the like. Here's a picture of ours. It's such a fantastic little keepsake to be building for your children and family members. 

If you'd like to book a session of your own, you can contact me here or by clicking the Contact tab on the menu above. Time doesn't wait and babies don't keep. These days will be gone in the blink of an eye. Document your life the moments that matter. Build a little legacy for your family. It's an investment you won't ever forget. 

I am so honored (and so proud!)  to announce that my image "Beyond the Dirty Glass" was chosen by New York Times photo editor Tiffanie Graham to be included in the Documentary Family Photographers  inaugural exhibition , "Transforming Perspectives". 
This picture represents a lot of things to me. When the pandemic first began, I was committed to documenting our 2 weeks in quarantine. 2 weeks turned into 3 and 3 turned into 4... and you know the rest of the story. I remember sitting in our playroom floor and staring out the window wanting to be outside, but inside chores needed to be done (scroll down to see the image and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about). I began thinking of all the things that needed to be done and how I should really be more on top of these things (I think you know how quickly we can get sucked into the mom guilt trip rabbit hole), but I was knocked out of my own head by a shrill squeal of delight outside and the familiar roar of my middle child in the midst of play.  I looked outside, beyond the dirty glass, to see a scene that absolutely warmed my heart and made me smile ear to ear. 
Here's what I wrote about the image:
It's easy to concentrate on our short comings and flaws, but when you look beyond the mess and shift perspective- you'll find a beautiful scene of innocent, barefoot, childhood play and be reminded of life's most simple joys right outside your own filthy window.

I'm including here the Press Release for the exhibit, prepared by Ashleigh Raddatz.

​
​Honest Images of Family Life - Virtual Photography 
Exhibition from Documentary Family Photographers
Worldwide
The organization, named Documentary Family Photographers, elevates 
authentic imagery by providing a supportive and inclusive community for
photographers.
Dublin, Ireland – The organization Documentary Family Photographers Worldwide
is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of its highly anticipated inaugural exhibit, which showcases documentary family photographers from around the world.
Documentary Family Photographers (DFP) is a global community, directory, and 
photography resource and education platform committed to empowering and
connecting families and photographers from all walks of life. The organization aims to transform perspectives and to create an impact on lives through documentary
photography and community. DFP continuously strives to grow its space in order to 
amplify, support, and celebrate the diverse range of photographers in the Documentary Family Photography community and the important work they are doing. 
In the organization’s most recent news, DFP is hosting a virtual photography exhibition, entitled Transforming Perspectives, showcasing images from documentary family photographers from around the world on April 5th, 2021. The imagery highlighted in Transforming Perspectives is of true family stories, diverse backgrounds, and celebrates everyday family life - the good, the bad, the funny, and more. 
“DFP aims to champion a more inclusive definition of family by showing honest imagery  with a wide variety of family compositions and experiences. From over 650 submissions, 50 photographs by 44 photographers from 11 different countries were selected by esteemed juror Tiffanie Graham, a New York Times Photo Editor,” says founder of DFP,  Ashleigh Raddatz. “We will be acknowledging a variety of exemplary photographs with three unique awards to recognize the incredible talent of our artists. These photographs, and all of the others, will be featured in an exhibition catalogue and 3D Virtual Gallery, which will be released during the opening reception.”
Transforming Perspectives will be available to viewers online from April 5th – April 
30th, 2021.
For more information about DFP, or to view the exhibit starting April 5th, please visit 
www.dfp-gallery.com. 

About Documentary Family Photographers
Documentary Family Photographers believes in providing people with the ultimate gift of corroboration by connecting audiences with documentary photographers in their area, as well as by encouraging documentary photographers to elevate their imagery and business through guidance and access to insightful education.

Thank you all so much for your support throughout my photography journey. I have been chasing this dream for a long time and it feels really, really incredible to be chosen out of over 650 submissions to be included in this exhibit. 
As mentioned above, the exhibit will run until 4/30/21. If you'd like to visit the gallery and vote for the People's Choice Award before the gallery closes, please visit the gallery page here.