11/18/2025
I had the honor of photographing one of my best friends this fall.
People always think photographing someone you love is easier. But honestly? It asks more of both of us.
With a regular client, the relationship starts in the present. They know me through my work, through what I share publicly. I know them through what they show me that day. We meet each other cleanly, without history or assumptions.
But when it’s someone who has known me for years, it’s different.
They know the actual me- not the polished version on social media, not the “brand voice,” not the curated presence. They know my flaws, my edges, my tenderness, my real life. And I know theirs.
So stepping in front of my camera requires a deeper level of trust from them. They’re letting themselves be seen by someone who sees the whole story… not just the pretty version. Someone who holds years of context.
And it asks something of me, too.
I have to gently put down the history I carry of them. I have to see who they are today.
I have to meet them fresh.
For a moment, we both set aside the relationship as it has always been.
They trust that I will hold them softly.
I trust that they will let me see them without performing.
And in that space- that honest, unguarded, almost sacred space- the images become something more than just photos. They become a reflection of who they truly are right now, captured by someone who knows them deeply but still chooses to see them clearly.