A Spoonful of Whimsy

What first sparked your interest in photography?

My mother was a painter so I’ve been exposed to art my whole life. I’ve always had a deep appreciation for color and although I did not inherit her gift to paint, I always found myself chasing beautiful moments. When my son was born I wanted to capture everything so I bought my first DSLR. I felt such fulfillment creating art with my loved ones and I never looked back.

What caused the most growth for you as a photographer?

I am an all or nothing person by temperament and when I fell in love with photography I committed 110%. I took classes and watched tutorials every night while my family slept and every day I challenged myself to shoot. I did that for several years. I tried to challenge myself to hunt out new artists that inspired me and dissect what exactly it was about their images that was speaking to me. I experimented with many types of shooting styles, lighting, post processing techniques until I started to create art that felt right within my soul.

How are you using your photography now?

Mostly I use photography as a tool to remember precious memories of my children. I have a terrible memory and I want to be able to recall exactly how they were at every age. I think that’s why I focus so much on details, the small things that I know will slip through the cracks but are so precious.

What advice would you give to aspiring photographers?

Prepare yourself for a lifelong relationship. Photography I feel is a way of life, It affects your entire outlook and your intentionality in living. You start to view the world through your lens admiring events, locations, and interactions searching to enhance and capture the fullest potential of a moment. Now specifically, I would tell an aspiring photographer to start shooting, pick up a camera every day and make it part of yourself. Before worrying about post processing skills just shoot and train yourself to constantly be aware of your surroundings. You can’t capture a gorgeous moment if you’re too tuned out to notice it, so be present.

You can view more of Chelsea’s beautiful work on her Website and Instagram