Buckle in because this is a winding tale and a long one at that. This is my first blog. My first writing that will actually be seen by the public. It’s terrifying but I’m taking the leap. I want people to know me. The creative me. The “all in” me that tries for perfection but never gives myself enough grace to ever find it. I’m always seeking to improve. Deep down, I don’t actually believe in perfection because what’s after perfection?! What’s next? In my day job, we call the process Continuous Improvement because you’re never done improving. That’s me…or at least that’s what I try to do.
I’ve always had a creative side and I’ve been told that I come by it honestly. My mom’s side of the family is littered with writers, artists and musicians. When I was young, I loved music(even played the concertina) and would dabble with drawing but nothing was of my own design. Sure, I could copy others well enough but I would freeze when trying to do something original. I just couldn’t do it. I come from a family of writers and poets so one would think that something, anything, would rub off on me. Regrettable, I couldn’t put together a decent paragraph to save my life. My high school English teacher, who was also my volleyball, basketball and track coach, once told me that my writing made him sad. Lol. Yeah, that sounds incredibly brutal but we had one of those great relationships built on raw honesty. I loved it. Why? Because he told me exactly where I stood, what I needed to do to succeed and would guide me the entire way. He was tough but it was honest. Most importantly, he believed in me and told me so. I started to improve under his care and then really blossomed in college. The professors loved my writing. I once wrote an impromptu essay test on the connotation of a yellow light. The professor read it to the class and used it in following years as an example of how you can make something creative and engaging with even the most mundane subjects.
Fast forward to my 30’s…got married, had kids…tons of stories there but that’s for another day. We moved to Watertown, WI in 2006 . My oldest, Donata, became engrossed in musical instruments at the age of 6, playing piano, violin and later bassoon. My youngest, Aveline, decided that gymnastics was going to be her thing. At the ripe age of 8, she started club gymnastics. From that point on, we spent a majority of our time split between running to gymnastics and music practices.
Gymnastics was definitely more taxing though. I didn’t realize just how much time I’d be spending at meets, driving to meets, driving to practices and watching practices. Since I was spending so much time at gymnastics, I thought maybe I should give photography a try. I certainly had plenty of time during her 2-3 hour practices to cultivate the skill. I mean, how hard could it be?!? [turns out really hard. lol.] My wonderful husband, who supports me in all of my endeavors(yes, I am blessed) bought me my first official “sports” camera, a Panasonic Lumix 2.8. Great starter camera. I took a few classes, trying to learn the fundamentals but most of the teachers either went too fast or didn’t really connect the dots so I just played around. I look back now and laugh. The photos weren’t good. Maybe not as sad as my high school essay but pretty close.
Photo of my daughter and one of her favorite coaches from Gymnhawks, using my original Lumix camera. Clearly not a great quality photo but I was just excited to capture the emotion after her best ever beam routine. She medaled that day at a meet packed with some of the top teams. You couldn’t wipe the smile off her face.
As the years moved on, my youngest stayed with gymnastics. My sports photography improved but I was really getting frustrated. I knew that I could do better. That’s when I met Ray, the manager at a local camera shop. He was the person that helped me figure out my Lumix. He showed me tricks but over time he said that I outgrew my Lumix and I would need to consider moving to a semi-pro version. I argued that I would be fine and I even remember saying that there was no way I’d spend that much. One week later I bought my first Canon – a used 7dmkii with a 70-200mm 2.8 lens. I spent 2 months trying to figure out how to use my camera. The photos I took were worse than ones that I took with my Lumix. In time, I worked it out and gradually they really started looking better and better. As my photography mentor tells me every time I reach another milestone, “You did good but a year from now, you’ll look back and see what you did wrong and also how much you’ve improved.”
It was clear that I needed some educational resources. In my search for community, I joined a few Facebook photography groups and that’s where I met my photography mentor, JRD Photography. I would marvel at the beauty, color and depth of both his action photography and portrait work. I didn’t even need to see the author of the post because a simple glance at the photo, I knew it was his. He has his own signature style. When I’d post my questions, he was the only one that really offered up non-judgmental advice.
The photo that launched a mentorship. I was struggling with camera settings and couldn’t figure out why this photo wasn’t as sharp as it should be. JRD provided some much needed education to clean up this photo and he showed what it COULD look like. This is the original, unedited version.
Eventually, I asked if he offered any workshops and there I was, 3 months later, taking a workshop to learn how to get the creative visions swirling around in my head, into the camera. I was so overwhelmed but I learned so much. I wouldn’t be anywhere without his guidance and can’t thank him enough. He’s tough on me and says it like it is but he’s full of wisdom and grace. Kind of reminds me of my high school English teacher/coach.
Once I started getting the hang of the camera, I became the personal paparazzi for my youngest and her teammates in swimming, gymnastics and track.
I will never forget the excitement of the first time my sports photos were published in the paper. Then the first time an athlete used one of my photos for their Facebook and Instagram profile pic. When a parent of a senior came up to me with tears in her eyes, thanking me for capturing all the moments for her daughter…that one really hit me. It was moving. I realized that what I do can be really meaningful for some. At this point, I decided to go for it.
In the summer of 2022, I established my business, Twisted River Photography. With the support of my family and my mentor, I tried my hand at portraits. A few of my daughter’s friends took a chance on me for senior portraits and I will never forget that. I made mistakes but I recovered and delivered some nice photos.
Below is my first senior portrait session. She was wonderful to work with and let me try new things without judgement. I’ll forever be grateful to Lucy.
In 2023, the craze of sports portraits came to the forefront. I had those dramatic styles in my head for a few years and it was humbling to find out that that they were not actually original ideas. Lol. I didn’t care though. Thankfully my daughter’s friends and teammates again supported me while I tried new techniques and spent hours waiting for me to get the settings right. Eventually I did, but not without a frantic “mayday” call to my mentor! (pretty sure he regrets giving me is cell number.)
This adventure I’m on has been so fulfilling. I’m blessed because my family fully supports me. My daughters, now both out of high school, give me advice on all matters of importance, like website layout and how I’m not allowed to say “Slay”. Word on the street is that this Gen X’r is waaaaayyyyy too old to be saying that. Whatever. Lol.
I’ve made new friends on this journey that are very dear to me. My mentor. The parents of Aveline’s teammates. The athletes themselves. The parents that trusted me with senior portraits. The coaches that allowed me access. The seniors that thought they weren’t pretty enough but listened to my encouragement and let me capture their beauty. The local photographers that collaborate and share stories. All of these people make up my photography world and it’s been amazing.
A friend asked me recently why I decided to start this blog. To be frank, I’m doing this for me. You might even say it’s selfish or self-indulgent. I want to write again, good or bad, and this is me dipping my toe into that ocean. It’s like therapy. My full-time job is challenging, fast paced and stressful and I don’t experience many “firsts” anymore. Photography may currently only be my side hustle but it provides a creative outlet that I need. There’s so much to learn and there are endless “firsts” that I can chase. And what a fantastic way to achieve another first, than by incorporating my love for writing and my love of photography to start a blog and document my journey. So here it is.
This is me. This is my journey. And this is a first.
Quick Shutter Adventures 