Back in summer of 2018 we decided it was time to switch things up a bit… we were at the peak of things, shooting wayyy too much. Weddings every weekend, fri/sat.. sometimes sundays. We had just hit the 10 year mark with our business and starting to feel the burn out. Soooooo we took a year off to get re-inspired and try something totally new! We rented out or house in Southern California, hit the road to travel the United States with our kids in our RV.

We spent the following 2 years living our NEW “American Dream”-  wandering and exploring, seeing all there is to see. Each day full of new sights, foods, and adventures.  I will come out and say it, road schooling wasn’t easy… but it was massively rewarding and these kids saw and did more than many do in a lifetime. Instead of reading about it in a book, they were doing it.

Being on the move in the house on wheels brought on a whole new set of challenges and living in 200 sq ft. on top of each other wasn’t always easy… but at the end of the day there’s nothing that cant be solved with a campfire/ game night / or dropping in for a visit with friends / family we hadn’t seen in years. Those were some great days and moments I cherish.

Changing of Times

A lot has happened since we left in 2018… We lived a lifetime in the 2 years on the road and just before the world flipped upside down and COVID hit, we purchased our dream home. A cabin on a river in the mountains of glorious WNC.

Timing couldnt have been any better. Fatigue was setting in from being on the go for 2 years and we were looking for a sign to show us the final destination. After 2 years on the road traveling 12,000 miles through 30 states… we found our new paradise and settled in the most magical of places we saw in the US to begin the next chapter.

Then COVID hit. everything came to a halt. No weddings, no commercial, no “work”. We gladly quarantined on the river. Swimming, fishing and kayaking in the backyard. It was during this COVID downtime that we all did soul searching. The adventure had led us here… now what??

Jess kept on creating and working with her hands during the lockdown period. Crafting jewelry at night and enrolling in massage therapy classes at the local JC during the day. Putting full energy into massage and energy healing in the past year, Jess decided it was time to hang up the camera and no longer photograph weddings or events. She’s found her new love and is putting her healing touch to full use. I’m in the process of building her a beautiful massage studio on the river where she can cultivate her Inner Song and further develop intuitive healing abilities.

The camera will always be a part of me and in even more so in the uncertain times we trudge along through, I feel the need to continue to tell stories and capture the beauty and inspiration that surrounds me in our new home. I’m still pursuing my dreams and inviting the artist in me to bloom. I’m writing and editing a film on our experience over the past 3 years as well as rocking the cam for adventurous couples looking to have the best moments in life captured in creative ways by my artistic eye :)

2022 Brings on the new!

In 2022 I began focusing on shooting photo + video simultaneously.  I took on a dozen special days. That’s it. I’ve learned how to keep balance of family time and living our new dream in the woods AND be totally stoked on each and every person I meet and shoot along the way. YOU are important and your day is special and something I look forward to, not a number!

I strive to keep challenging myself as an artist to try new things with my camera. In fact in 2023 for Christmas I got a new mirrorless cam !! Game changer! With this new camera I’ve committed to fully jumping into the video / cinema game now. I’m now offering complete coverage for my couples by shooting hybrid [photo / video]. Thriving in the moment making films as well as shooting stills simultaneously. Take a look at my hybrid coverage packages and portfolio :)

New Chapter Beginning

Life is full of twists n turns.

Back in September 2024, Hurricane Helene hit our small town of Burnsville and the storm got stuck over Mt. Mitchell and unloaded around 3ft. of rain in a few short hours. The river in our backyard swelled up 30ft. and took with it everything in its path. you dont truly realize the power of water until you witness something like this happening and a the water came cascading down the mountain and the river rose up, it took trees, cars, houses and people with it.

[ CLICK HERE to crazy footage from the flood and that year on my Instagram ]

We got out the night before and went up to my moms house up the hill. I watched from a distance as the river rose over the first floor and took our A frame cabin we loved so much down the street. I wouldnt say Im a prepper by any means but in the day prior we had normal rain and I was unable to sit and watch as the storm rolled in and water began creeping higher and higher. I got ALL of my camera gear, computers and hard drives, important docs out prior to the water coming in. So as bad as it was, it could have been much much worse. Living on the river and watching it come up gradually at first ended up saving us in the end and we weren’t taken by total surprise by a swell.

Its been a long and trying 2 years now since that day [Sept 27th, 2024] but the short version is… We are rebuilding our life and 2026 has been an exciting year of dreaming a new dream and new beginnings! We now have a new home built safely back farther away on our property 100 yards back from the river and up in the air 10ft.  In case anything like this ever happened again, we’ll be out of harms way.

This whole process only solidified that this is our forever home and the community of family and friends we have made are incredible. We couldnt imagine going through what we did without them. They have kept us strong through the most trying times that we have ever faced and we are beyond grateful to have so many wonderfully amazing people in our lives.

I am living these uncertain times with an open heart willing to take on whatever opportunities the universe will throw at me. Navigate by heart! There is no doubt in my mind that when paths cross there is a reason. I don’t know how you found me… but you are here for a reason… so [don’t be shy] reach out, say hi ! <+>