I moved to Rochester almost 6 years ago.  Newly married, excited about life and new beginnings but kinda lost as far as a career goes.  I knew I loved photography and I was shooting for fun, as a hobby.  I was on a quest to find “a real job” and simply happy to shoot for family and friends and occasionally the friend of a friend.  As it turns out, I could not find/get hired for “a real job” which was discouraging, disappointing, and frustrating.  Determined to stay positive, my answer to the standard question at age 24 of “What are you doing with your life?” was “I’m looking for a ‘real’ job and doing photography in the meantime.”  Fair enough.  Soon, my answer was “I don’t have time to look for a ‘real’ job.  I’m too busy doing photography stuff and I’m going full speed ahead with it!”  Looking back I am SO SO SO thankful no one hired me.  Throughout the uncertainty of figuring out what to do with my life, throughout the days of shooting every night and weekend possible and never ending hours in Photoshop, throughout the times of making no money, throughout the times of self doubt and throughout the sacrifices that starting and maintaining a small business and chasing a dream require, I had an incredible cheering section.  Most specifically from a great guy named Justin.

So fast forward to now.  I am so happy with life in Rochester.  I love the work I do.  I love our friends.  I love being a part of this community.  I love our little house.  I love my studio space.  (The only part I don’t like is being 5 hours away from my family and 2 hours from Justin’s family.)  So that’s why it’s really hard to write this and why I’ve been putting it off for as long as possible:  We’re moving.

Justin started working for McNeilus last summer and now has a great opportunity with them on the East Coast.  So while he has already started his position out East, I’ll be making the transition a little slower, traveling back and forth throughout the summer and eventually staying out there in the fall.  I’ll be making fairly regular trips back to visit and packing in a bunch of shoots in while I’m here.  Ideally, we’ll be back in the Midwest after a couple years but we are making decisions one day at a time right now.  🙂

This has not been an easy decision.  And it’s been even harder telling people and talking about it because then it’s really real.  But it’s my turn to support my husband.  I believe in him and if I can be even half as encouraging to him as he was to me, that will be a success.  It’s time to open my heart and my mind to new possibilities and time to throw off old ways of thinking (and time cling to Facetime, email, phone calls and plane tickets too…. 🙂

Sooooo.  Logistics.  1.  Any weddings or other shoots that have already been scheduled will not change.  Pricing will not change and your experience with me will not change.  I highly value the people that I work with and will do everything I can to continue to provide high quality service.  I plan on making fairly regular trips back and will be scheduling shoots and scheduling weddings during these times.  2.  Anyone interested in an amazing studio space with fantastic landlords?  I’m so so so sad to give up this beautiful space.  Email me if you are interested in it and I will gladly put you in touch with my landlords.  3.  At this point, I’m booking these dates in Rochester, MN/Minneapolis, MN: June 11-20, June 26-July 2, July 25-August 3. and these dates in Portland, ME/Boston, MA:  July 11-18.  Email me for more specific details.

Thank you all for your continued support.  Cheers to new adventures!

Photo by Sarah Field Photography.