I’ve had a personal blog for years but I’ve finally decided to create one for my professional site as well. This will give me the opportunity to share sneak peeks of sessions I’ve recently done as well as snapshots of our lives. The Web is really a marvelous thing. I’ve shared the incredible journey of my first pregnancy, the wonderous joy of the birth of our daughter Isabella, and the amazing development of our precious newborn into an adventurous toddler. I don’t even have a “real” baby book for her because I seem to do so much better documenting her life online. It’s given us the opportunity to share all these memories with friends and family. I hope to share a glimpse of my life as a photographer in the same loving manner I have with my life as a mom.

Bella Dreams Photography was conceived the day I gave birth, but I just didn’t know that it was there. I bought my first digital SLR camera a few weeks before I was due, and I used that camera to capture all those first moments of Isabella’s life. I realized how much I loved capturing her personality and I knew that I would never be satisfied with the chain photography stores. It’s not easy catching those precious stolen moments. In a minute, her personality would change, and I had to be fast and ready. Once she started crawling and walking, it was even more important to be quick with the camera. Sometimes, I spent hours trying to catch that one smile, that one laugh, that one look. When I finally got it, it was so worth it.

As she got older, I realized how hard it was to maintain balance with a corporate job, a house, a toddler, and a traveling husband. After much consideration, we agreed that it was best for me to quit my job and focus on our family life. We didn’t realize that Bella Dreams Photography was soon going to be a big part of our family.

After I quit my job, I took advantage of Bella’s two naps a day and practiced my photography. My 3-year-old niece Jenna was a very willing model and she was with us once a week. I then began to hold sessions for friends and realized that it was no longer a hobby but a business I could love. In a whirlwind, I built my site, set up the business, and even upgraded my camera. My cousin Joanne helped me come up with the name, and Bella Dreams Photography was born.

I have had the privilege to photograph glowing pregnant moms-to-be, precious and wrinkly newborns, vibrant babies, active toddlers, and loving families. It is a dream come true to have two jobs – mom and photographer – that I love so much. I look forward to capturing cherished moments of your life!