Sometimes all it takes is one or two people believing in you to completely change the direction of your life, and for that I’ll always be grateful.
If you told me a few years ago that I would officially start my own photography business, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. Looking back now, photography has kind of always been part of my life. Growing up, I watched my mom take photos and videos at mine and my siblings’ sporting events with her Sony a6000. Whenever she would take a break, I would “steal” the camera and try taking photos myself. I was always curious about it.
I also spent an embarrassing amount of time making Video Star edits growing up. I even asked for a green screen and tripod for Christmas one year. Some of those videos somehow ended up getting thousands of views, and one was even featured on the Video Star app. A few of them might honestly still be floating around on YouTube somewhere… mostly because I forgot the password to the account lol!
Even though I loved creating content, I didn’t really pursue photography or videography seriously at first. I went to college at Bemidji State University for marketing and management, and during that time I only really touched photography again when I helped film a women’s basketball game for one of my classes. Then a little before graduation, one of my professors approached me with a job opportunity in Bemidji with Visit Bemidji. That opportunity completely changed everything for me.
Working there helped me reconnect with photography, videography, social media, and storytelling in a way I hadn’t felt in years. I started realizing why I fell in love with creating in the first place. I didn’t just want to take photos — I wanted to capture the in-between moments. The real, raw moments that tell people’s stories. Through Visit Bemidji, I’ve had the opportunity to capture so many incredible events including Unicon 21, rally's, concerts, community events, and so much more.
Around that same time, I told my mom how much I had fallen back in love with photography, and she mentioned that her old camera had been sitting in storage for years. She told me I could have it. A few weeks later, I brought the camera with me to the Bemidji All School Reunion Street Dance just for fun. While I was taking photos of one of the bands, a couple approached me and asked if I was a professional photographer. I immediately explained that I was mostly just practicing and doing photography work through Visit Bemidji. Then they asked me something I never expected: would I photograph their wedding?
Honestly, I was hesitant. I told them I didn’t really have professional photography experience yet, especially not with weddings. But they kept encouraging me and insisted that I should at least give it a shot. After some back and forth, we exchanged numbers, and from there everything started falling into place.
We ended up meeting at Ruttger's Birchmont Lodge to talk about their wedding day, and I remember leaving that conversation feeling more encouraged than I ever had before. They didn’t just believe in my photography — they believed in me. They even talked with me about what getting a business license would look like, and I truly don’t think they realize how much that meant to me.
Before the wedding, I knew I needed to fully commit if I wanted to pursue photography seriously, so I took a huge leap and purchased my Sony A7 IV. The wedding day finally arrived, and somehow all of the nerves disappeared. The entire day felt so relaxed and encouraging. The couple and their family were unbelievably supportive, and the wedding itself was beautiful — right on Lake Bemidji with the beach in the background. Afterward, I followed them to Ruttger's Birchmont Lodge for the reception and captured even more moments there.
A few weeks later, I delivered the photos, and the response I got back is something I’ll never forget. The couple told me how happy they were with the photos and said they believed I had a bright future in photography. Not long after that, they even booked me again for their son’s senior photos. That wedding became the official start of my photography journey.
None of this would have happened without my mom encouraging my creativity growing up, or without one couple deciding to believe in me before I fully believed in myself. Sometimes all it takes is one or two people believing in you to completely change the direction of your life, and for that I’ll always be grateful.
