What is my why?

According to chat GPT… Understanding your "why" provides clarity, focus, and a sense of direction, especially in challenging moments.

I’m no stranger to challenging moments. I started my journey as a photographer at the ripe age of 19, armed with a Canon Rebel T2i and a whole lot of confidence, thinking I was the stuff. Truthfully, I had no idea what I was doing. There was no one to mentor me, and back then, there were very few online resources to help creators improve my craft. So, I built my business click by click, lesson by lesson.

Along the way, I experienced the worst the photography industry had to offer—but I also saw the best. That’s a huge part of why I stayed in it as long as I did. I genuinely love the incredible people I’ve had the privilege of capturing over the years, watching their families and children grow.

That said, I’ve flip-flopped through specialties faster than a pancake. Sure, I could blame it on ADHD, but the truth is, as the seasons of life change, so does our work. And that’s okay. What I’ve recently realized, though, is that one thing has always remained constant: my love for helping fellow creatives and my intense desire to be home with my family.

This love for helping others has taken many forms. Restoring old photos has become one of the most meaningful parts of my work. There’s something deeply personal about bringing a piece of history back to life. Every crease, tear, or faded color tells a story, and restoring those details feels like reconnecting with a moment in time that might have otherwise been lost. It’s not just about fixing an image—it’s about preserving the memories and legacy of the people in it.

On the other hand, creating composite photo pieces feels a little like magic. There’s a freedom in blending imagination with reality, crafting images that transport people to a place beyond the ordinary. It reminds me of why I fell in love with art in the first place: to create wonder, to tell stories, and to leave people with a sense of awe.

And then there’s the standard side of things. Helping photographers relieve their editing workload has become a passion of mine because I know how heavy life can feel sometimes. Editing is such an integral part of the creative process, but it can also be overwhelming. When I take that burden off someone’s shoulders, I feel like I’m giving them a little more time to breathe, to focus on what they love, or to just take a moment for themselves. It’s my way of lightening the load and reminding them that they’re not alone.

For me, all of this—restoring, creating, or helping—centers on bringing a touch of beauty and wonder back into the world, all while being blessed to help support the family that God has so graciously entrusted to me.

With that said, the purpose of this blog in 2025 will be to focus on addressing and overcoming burnout as a creative—a topic that I believe we all struggle with at some point. Through weekly challenges designed to reignite creativity, I’ll be showcasing the work of fellow creatives as well as my own, all while sharing the ups and downs of this journey. My hope is that by coming together and supporting one another, we can break free from the burnout cycle and step into a space of inspiration, growth, and renewed strength. This blog will be a place of connection, encouragement, and real talk—because we’re all in this creative journey together, and sometimes we just need a little push to keep moving forward.