Caris-matic: The Origin

Coming of Age

As I entered my Senior Year of high school, I made a drastic shift. I remember swapping a full schedule which included five A.P. classes for one that included a hands on black and white photography course and an open sixth period. It was my Senior Year after all. Looking back I am incredibly thankful for my parent’s support in pursing my heart’s desire. I cannot imagine how different my life would be without photography.

After a successful fall semester I was one of the few students selected to intern and work in the field directly with an established professional. That selection was the catalyst that led to a nearly two decade journey as a student of photography and design. At 20 years old, still in college getting my degree in Finance, I was owner/photographer of Caris-Matic Photography and was running a hopping small seasonal cafe with my fiancé. A year later I married my handsome high school sweetheart and just over a year after that we welcomed our first daughter.

Adulting

Fast forward a few years and we had sold the cafe and I was offered and incredible job opportunity with the federal government. In my small gold county town, not having to commute an hour to get a reasonable salary is an incredible perk. The benefits package was enticing and I looked at my growing business that I started from nothing and had to decide to follow my dream or go the safe route. Now I know you want to hear I took the jump and followed my dream, but I didn’t. Bottom line, I was 26 in a declining economy. We wanted another child and we needed health care, so I took the government job and have been in public service working 40+ hours a week ever since.

Shifting Course

It has been nearly ten years since I decided to change course to the safe route. Now I am very analytical, hence the business finance degree, but for any artists out there you know an art never leaves you. It is part of you. Although my now two darling daughters and this crazy thing we call life pulls me in every direction, I am the captain of my ship and am moving forward with intention.

I am excited to share with you some of what I have already captured and experienced as my journey continues. I have many passions but a few notable themes you will find are: family, friends, food, photography, gratitude, traveling and Mother Earth’s beauty.