Photography Lens Kit
Theory Lens
You probably won’t meet too many photographers with a Ph.D. in the social sciences, but maybe it’s time you did. So much of my community psychology and social justice academic background informs my intentional approach to photography.
Practice Lens
My 10+ years in domestic and international community development work has made me highly attuned to the ethical needs of the humanitarian and photojournalism sector. It’s time there’s a new norm for ethical and human-centered photography.
Storytelling Lens
I’ve worked in personal branding and do freelance web design and copywriting. I’ve also facilitated storytelling workshops for both youth programs and undergraduate classes. Basically, I’ll make sure your images are more than just documentation.
What You Can Expect
Personalization
Whether it’s for your nonprofit branding, next fundraising campaign, or research assignment, I can help you use visual storytelling to its full potential. I’ve worked with a range of professionals: from the not-for-profit and social enterprise sector, to academic researchers in higher ed. We’ll share and align visions before we move forward.
Professionalism
I’ve worked in communications, so I know how frustrating it can be to work with an unreliable and unresponsive person or agency. No more waiting around for the photographer to show up or waiting weeks for the final, processed images – I’ll make sure our communication lines are wide open and the expectations are transparent.
Affordability
Trust me- I know how it feels to work for a small non-profit. My sliding scale rates model is meant to tackle this “equity over equality” issue and make sure that a) the most under-resourced professionals can still gain access to quality services, and b) the most deserving stories can be respectfully seen and heard.
Portfolio
Testimonials
– Julian Cadena, Asheville, NC
– Nghi Phan, Oakland, CA
– Elizabeth Green, Boston, MA
Featured Blog Posts
Research Storytelling in El Salvador.
In November 2017, I took a work trip to El Salvador for a research site visit and a humanitarian photography gig. It was my first research storytelling job based in Latin America for a project very parallel to my dissertation topic. The project, titled “The National Evaluation of Quality of Childcare in El Salvador”, focused on improving the caregiving environments for vulnerable children by effecting changes within childcare centers and orphanages.
Finding My Ikigai While In Santa Monica.
There’s a Japanese concept that I love called ikigai that means “a reason for being” or “a reason to get up in the morning.” According to Japanese culture, everyone has an ikigai. Finding it often requires a deep and lengthy search of self, but it’s usually a sweet spot made from a combination of four things: what you love, what you’re good at, what you can be paid for, and what the world needs.
Marigold Garlands For Healing.
“In the end, only three things matter how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.”
I lost one of my best friends this week. I’ve cried more in the last week than I’ve cried in the past ten years. I’ve hugged loved ones longer and tighter than I ever have before. And yet, throughout this full-on grieving process with our close circle of friends, I’ve also experienced such a healing new depth of love.