I grew up in the "Beautiful Santa Ynez Valley," where most of my grandparents and great-grandparents either grew up on the reservation or immigrated to Solvang and the surrounding areas from Denmark and the Netherlands. As such, I have close ties to the community and hold a special place in my heart for the Danish Days festival that happens every year in Solvang, CA.

My mother homeschooled my brother and me while my father built his business as a painter. We spent many days outside in nature exploring or riding horseback. This instilled in me my love of the outside world and the capturing and preserving of its beauty.

During high school, I dual-enrolled at Allan Hancock and graduated a year after high school with my Associate's in Arts & Humanities. I was on track to transfer out of state into a nursing program, but decided to take a year off to work at a youth camp that traveled around the South and attend a small bible college in LaGrange, Wyoming. One thing led to another, and I met the love of my life and moved to a small town of 1000 people in western Iowa.

Everywhere I went, I took my camera and shot portraits, events, and weddings as they came.

After a few years of being gone from my home state, and the birth of my little man and sidekick, Stetson Grange, my family of 3 has moved back to my home and enjoys family walks on the beach, bike rides, outings to Pismo pier, and just about every other thing you can do outside.

Thanks for taking your time to get to know me; I cannot wait to hear more about you!