Hey, there. Hi, there. Ho, there. My name is Vanessa and I am a mother, wife, music theatre performer, teacher, sports enthusiast, and, most recently, a photographer and business owner. I’m thrilled that you stopped by to follow along as I embark on this adventure.


I began my collegiate career as music theatre performer stemming from my love of 1940s movie musicals. During my undergraduate time, I dabbled in a variety of second majors, from education to graphic design, but nothing really stuck. I graduated with my music degree and performed a bit but didn’t love the lifestyle of constantly auditioning. I then went back to school and got a teaching certification and taught middle school and high school… not my jam. So, I went back to school again and got my master’s degree in vocal performance from UW-Milwaukee where I am now on faculty as voice professor.

Sports broadcaster wearing blue and white jersey with headset at stadium event.
Dancer in brown performance attire striking dramatic pose under red stage lighting.
Theatrical scene depicting Beauty and the Beast with characters in yellow ball gown and blue formal coat.
Performer in shiny blue dress singing passionately on stage with microphone stand.

How does photography fit into this chaos?! My husband and I received a “nice” camera as a wedding gift and loved taking photos when we traveled. During my master’s degree program, I started using that camera to take headshots for my peers. When I had kids, ages 3 and 10 months now, I took their newborn photos and tortured them as I continue to learn more about the art of portrait photography. I wanted to make this leap into creating a photography business back in 2018 but was always gun shy about doing the darn thing.


So I finally took the plunge in 2021 when I was 7 months pregnant with my son. In the past year, I have met so many incredible families, launched a website, and learned A TON! Which feels amazing for this extroverted introvert. I seriously can’t wait to see where this second year takes me and I hope to see you on the other side of the lens!


An extra tidbit: My favorite number is 4 so it seemed only fitting I would debut my blog on April 4th!

How It all began...

Family portrait with happy couple and their dog sitting among fallen autumn leaves.
Stunning peacock displaying its full tail feathers in brilliant blue and green colors.
A couple sits on a fallen log by a scenic river surrounded by evergreen forest in a mountain setting.
Colorful thermal hot spring with vibrant orange and blue layers at Yellowstone National Park.
Close-up of an alligator's textured skin and head resting on grass in natural lighting.
A family group poses together laying on green grass in an orchard setting.
Young child in denim jacket and floral dress smiling outdoors on grass.
A young toddler wearing a blue gingham shirt smiles at the camera.
Two young children with expressive faces pose together in a wooden crate against a gray background.

follow along as it continues!