Hey y'all, thanks for stopping in!

I’m sorry to say it but, my origin story is the same one as every other photographer in town: Girl becomes a mama, girl gets a camera to document family moments, girl falls in love with the creativity and control of memory & perception, things snowball...girl takes classes, girl buys gear, girl must find a way to fund her hobby, girl opens a business.   

That's what started all this for me.  The journey has had its ups and downs, but the ending of this story is where things start to get exciting.  Stick with me and I will tell you everything...... 

The excitement of learning new things, the imposter syndrome fueled by giving other photographers free rent in my head, the validation of being chosen by clients, the defeat of going weeks between paid gigs, and the constant inner dialogue in my head...” Am I causing my family more expense and harm or am I blooming into my true self and on the verge of success?”.  

It would be easier to work a 9-5, get a W2 and have a “normal” work/family life. My soul feels like it's dying just thinking about it.  My mama didn't raise no quitter, and my competitive nature and foolish pride refuses to let me give up! 

Over the last 10 years, I have worked 2-3 jobs simultaneously, just to fund my dreams.  When my family is sleeping, I am learning how to run a business, marketing myself, networking, editing pictures and dreaming of owning a brick & mortar photography studio where people chase me instead of me chasing them.  

(long dreamy sigh)  That is my dream. 

I have always said...life is what happens while you are busy making plans.   My 2 kids grew up.  I thought I was in my empty nester era. I was 100% focused on my photography career.   Then my son became a father...making me a grandmother...and suddenly I lost my focus.  Everything I thought I wanted came into question.  

Now the only thing I can think about is my grandbabies.  My lifelong dream has always been to follow in the footsteps of MY mother...and be a stay-at-home grand-nanny so my grandkids didn't have to go to daycare, and my kids could save money and have less stress. 

 I am pleased to tell you that I am living that dream.   

I am the grand-nanny I always wanted to be.  No regrets.  But now I have to figure out how photography fits in this new life.  I don't have the availability to open a business with a storefront or work a 9-5 elsewhere.  I need the flexibility that being my own boss allows, and I need a little cash flow to make life enjoyable.    

 I no longer have the time or energy to compete with the other 300 family photographers in Charleston. 

I no longer have the ability to be a volume-based business. Photography has gone from full time to part time. My availability is now limited to weekday evenings and weekends. 

My home studio has gone from being a permanent set up within my house to now being a multifunctional space that transforms to accommodate my needs.  

On top of all of this.... I still crave creativity and storytelling. I want to make art. I am inspired by fashion magazines, the movie industry, and artists like Norman Rockwell, Annie Leibovitz, and Lindsay Adler. I want to show people something they haven't seen before.  

As seen in my portfolio, I have spent the last decade being a traditional fine art portrait photographer who dabbled in fantasy portraits and legacy portraits when given the opportunity. The fantasy and legacy portraits were my favorite, but I still felt like something was missing. I wasn't creating the work my soul yearned for. 

I want to create editorial & cinematic work with a focus on conceptual fine art painterly portraits. 

That's a mouthful isn't it?!?! If you are curious, I made a term dictionary at the end of this page so you can understand what all of that means.  

So that's the pivot. My portfolio shows what I've done over the last decade, but I'm currently working on creating a new body of work that I am very excited about.  

Follow me on Facebook for free sessions and modeling opportunities!  

Whether you are looking for traditional portraits (my old style) or are interested in my new style...choosing to work with me helps finance “grandmas preschool” and “Tonya's artistic dreams”, along with helping me pay for vet bills, and other unexpected expenses.   I don't need a lot of income, just enough to fund grandkids, art, and heartworm prevention.     

So if you enjoy supporting small businesses, feel good about funding the arts and children's education, Love dogs, and have a need for wall art or updated portraits.... I'm your girl!   

If that isn't enough to persuade you....I also have a ten year lineage as a respectable Mount Pleasant woman in business, and a flawless 5 star google rating. I have won several awards,and my work has been published in print magazines.   

I'm a Charleston born & raised southern mama and I do my best to be a good person....and I really want you to pick me over all the other photographers in town!   

So what do you say?  Smash that contact button! Let's make memories & art together!