This was a life changing year for most people. Personally, between the pandemic, 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 that would change my life.

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

I started to come back to myself.

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.

And here 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 before I even had a business name.

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

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 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… 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 the purpose of my business. Capturing the legacy of others, as their true self, so they would always have the memories to look back on.

My education and personal growth journey continued side by side with my business. A monthly membership Nostalgia Now, connected me to my photographic practice and seeing my life as it happened.

I also joined a The Empathic Artist Collective by Joy Prouty, that connected me with like minded women. Reconning 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 a vision of being surrounded with women, photographing them doing what they love would come to me.

It was somewhat unexpected, but looking back it makes total sense.

My first step toward this was adding a Women’s Empowerment session which are some of my favorite sessions.

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 engerzied.

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 called Conscious Creator.

Another shift was about to happen.

The idea of capturing women in a state of child like 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!