As a photographer and small business owner, I don't like playing favorites... but in this case, I just can't help myself.

Paul and Sarah have been some of the most wonderful people I've ever worked with! From our first meeting to our last few moments together during this engagement session, everything just clicked. They are so laid back and easy going... and they LOVE to laugh (which makes my job easier!)

They also pick incredible locations for engagement photos!

The three of us spent a few hours together at River Bend Park in Virginia last weekend, where the blue bells were in bloom. These tiny, delicate flowers are native to Virginia and grow along the banks of the Potomac. They made the most gorgeous backdrop for Sarah and Paul's photos!

Sarah and Paul will be married next month and I can't wait for the nuptials. These two make such a beautiful couple, and I know they'll be dashing as bride and groom!

I'm absolutely giddy with excitement! This weekend I got to hang with two of my favorite people: Ebise Bayisa, the genius behind Mare Naturals, and Christy Batta, a crazy-talented graphic designer who lives and works here in Silver Spring.

The three of us came together thanks to a project Ebise is working on: A rebrand of her all-natural skin care line.

Christy designed the new Mare Naturals logo, and I helped Ebise create new product images that she'll use on her website and elsewhere. During her last product shoot, Ebise and I worked together to create images that were bright and bold to match her very colorful logo. Because the new logo is much more demure and simplified, we went with natural elements and earth tones.

I'm thrilled with how these brand images turned out and can't wait to share more! In the mean time, be on the look out for some behind the scenes photos from this session!

About-to-be newlyweds Paul and Sarah will be tying the knot in just over a month! To celebrate, they chose to have their engagement photos among the bluebells that line the banks of the Potomac. Our afternoon together at River Bend Park in Virginia was a lovely way to spend a spring afternoon, and I can't wait to share more from this beautiful couple soon!

​It's such an honor to represent our college and our home state of Nebraska at a conference dedicated to helping GLBTQ youth grow and thrive. I can't wait for this experience and look forward to telling you more about it soon!

Two weeks I wrote about the crazy detour I took when I let insecurities take hold and convinced myself I needed to find a better or different style. ​This week, I thought it would be helpful to actually talk about style, what goes into it and healthy ways any artist, photographer or creative can develop a style unique to them.

First, some knowledge I wish I could have bestowed on my younger self: ​

Everything I've read and everything I've internalized talked about finding a unique style -- a style no one else has. The problem with that, at least for me, is the insane pressure it puts on the artist. I kept telling myself my style wasn't unique enough and that led me on a  quest to fix something that wasn't broken.

Art shouldn't have to be that hard or stressful. Instead, I'm rephrasing the statement: Make art that looks like you. We're all unique individuals who have unique experiences and see the world through one pair of eyes -- our own. By definition, that means the art each of us creates is unique. The challenge then, is not about creating something extraordinarily different, but creating an extension of ourselves.

More than anything, I've come to realize that style isn't as much about the end product as it is about the process that gets you there. There's also no magic formula that can lead any artist to their style -- it is something that is developed over time through free flowing trial and error.

If you're a photographer, artist or creative struggling to develop a style that suits you, I encourage you to look at the whole picture. Start by identifying the tools you have to work with, identify which tools you LIKE working with, and then decide which tools will bring you to your end goal -- whatever that may be. Experiment with what you have at your disposal until you find something you feel comfortable with, and that feels right for you. You can build from there. Finally -- and most importantly -- trust your gut and follow your heart. They will not lead you wrong.