How I Became a Branding Photographer

I always say personal brand photography wasn’t something I meant to pick. It just fell into place.

Before I begin, you have to know that I’ve loved photography since middle school. I photographed everything and anything. School events, random leaves, my friends with dirt or paint on their faces so it looked artsy lol. I kept it going throughout high school, and even after having my daughter at 19, I still tried to keep my passion alive with photoshoots here and there. Eventually, life got busy and I picked up a “real” job or two. I had to put photography down, but I always knew it would find me again somehow.

Me playing with Film photography in my early 20’s.

Fast forward. I left my job at Starbucks after six years with no real plan and barely any savings. I slowly started picking photography back up, saying yes to pretty much anything. Weddings, families, headshots, whatever came my way.

At the time, I had a side job that helped me pay the bills. During my downtime, I reached out to a women’s organization and asked if I could provide free headshots at their event. I figured it was worth a shot. It didn’t cost me anything, and I wasn’t exactly booked solid.

I walked into that room nervous as hell, set up in a corner, and suddenly there was a line of women waiting for headshots during every break. The event itself was incredible. It was full of women from all different backgrounds, learning together and cheering each other on. The energy in that room was unreal.

And here’s the part that changed everything. Almost every woman walked up to me with some version of “I hate photos of myself” or “I’m so awkward in front of the camera,” and almost every single one walked away saying, “That actually wasn’t bad” or “Wait, I like that photo.” Seeing their reactions did something to me. It felt familiar. I knew what it was like to hate every photo, to take twenty selfies just to maybe get one, to hide behind people in group pictures.

It broke my heart to realize how many of us feel that way. How our makeup, hair, weight, outfits, and every insecurity in between can determine whether we feel good enough to be seen.

That was the moment things shifted. I realized these women weren’t coming to me just for headshots. They were trying to see themselves differently. Some hadn’t liked a photo of themselves in years. Some were stepping into new chapters and didn’t quite recognize who they were becoming. Some were building amazing businesses but still froze the second a camera appeared.

It made me want to do more than take pretty pictures. I wanted women to feel powerful and comfortable in their own skin. I wanted them to have that “Oh… that’s me?” moment. Not out of disbelief, but out of recognition.

So I kept saying yes. Yes to shoots in offices, coffee shops, and living rooms. Yes to first-time business owners. Yes to women rebuilding their lives after big changes. Yes to anyone who walked in apologizing for being “awkward” and left smiling.

Little by little, I figured out that most women don’t need to be “photogenic.” They just need someone who sees them without judgment, who guides them without pressure, and who lets them relax enough to show up as themselves.

Somewhere along the way, I became a branding photographer. I didn’t choose it. It chose me.

Now my mission is simple. I want women to feel seen and supported so they can show up for their business and for their life with confidence, not fear. When a woman feels good in front of a camera, she starts showing up differently everywhere else. She stops hiding. She starts owning her story. She steps into who she’s becoming.

If I get to be even a small part of that shift, that’s the best part of my job.

If you’re stepping into a new chapter in life or business and you want photos that actually feel like you, I’d love to help you see yourself the way everyone else already does.