This was a life changing year for most people. Personally, between the pandemic and progression of my father’s Alzheimer’s disease life was challenging and I was contemplating the purpose of life.

A friend posted about a photography course by Joy Prouty, that would change my life.

Through that course my self growth journey began. I reconnected with the child within and discovered practicing self portraiture.

Slowly, I started to come back to myself and also shed some layers to help reveal who I am today.

On January 7th my dad, Jerry, passed away.

The grief of losing my father cracked me open in a way I wasn’t expecting or prepared for.

I fell deeper inward and leaned on my love of photography to carry me through.

This was the shift. The turning of the page to a new story. I knew I had to pursue photography on some level.

By August, I began manifesting the vision of myself as a professional photographer

I had brand photos taken for my “someday” website by a friend who was a photographer before I even had a business name.

Then in September, I woke up one day with what would be the name of my business after months of trying to figure out the “perfect” name.

Moments With Merry became a reality when I created an Instagram page dedicated solely to my photography.

The year ended with me flying to California to take family portraits for my aunt, who hired me for the job.

I had my first family session within hours of arriving. The weeks that followed offered a crash course in editing and high end prints.

I am forever grateful to her for seeing my potential long before I could see it for myself.

Another life changing moment.

During that experience I achieved and learned so many things quickly that I could never have dreamed of and the rest as they say is history.

The year began taking a course called Manifest Your Memories from Bianca Morra which would become the foundation of what was to come next.

My manifesto in that course stated “I want to be a photographer”

My next life changing moment happened in February when Moments With Merry became an official business on 2.22.22!

I began photographing small events thanks to friends that hired me and believed in me.

My reach grew to photographing children and families which was in line with my purpose. Capturing the legacy of others, as their true self, so they would always have the memories to look back on is so important to me.

My education and personal growth journey continued side by side with my business.

A monthly membership from Bianca Morra, connected me to my photographic practice on a regular basis, seeing my life as it happened.

I also joined another Collective with Joy Prouty in October, that connected me with like minded women. Reconnecting with Joy was a blessing and the whole experience was a safe space to express myself and be supported.

It was through this course that my vision of photographing and being surrounded with women came to me. At the time, it was somewhat unexpected, but looking back it makes total sense.

My first step toward this goal (vision) was adding a Women’s Empowerment session to my offerings, encouraging women to step in front of the camera.

I do believe the best way to see the real version of someone is to witness them doing what they love.

I entered 2023 finishing the collective and feeling energized.

I put my focus on growing the business, so I began networking and stepping outside of my comfort zone.

I also continued to photograph families and children where my love of photographing children grew towards child led sessions.

Let them be free.. I couldn’t get enough of it. I’m passionate about letting kids show up as themselves. No forced smiles or poses, just kids being kids.

And how wonderful it would be for us adults to feel this way.

Mid year, I signed on for another course from Bianca Morra, and another shift happened.

The idea of capturing women in a state of childlike wonder was never far from my mind.

By the end of the course and the later part of the year, I knew photographing women talking about the story of their passion was where I was heading.

I collaborated with my chiropractor to learn about her story while photographing her for a branding storytelling session.

Through conversation she shared her journey, as we moved around the office for different “back drops”. The photos and words were powerful.

Afterwards I wrote a blog about the experience which was life changing for us both!

You can read the full blog here.

The year ended with so much clarity, which was my 2023 word of the year!

The year is getting started, and based on my vision it will be a wonderful year for us both!