My Story

Moments by Mare began at the end of 2020, six months after having my first daughter. Like most new moms, my camera roll quickly filled with pictures of her. I started creating little setups for her monthly milestone photos, and during one of those shoots, my sister suggested I get back into photography. She gave me her dad’s old camera bag, and although the gear was outdated and clunky, it was the beginning of something special.

Photography had never seemed like a clear path for me. My high school barely offered a photography class, and while I used to play around with my sister’s digital camera, it never occurred to me it could be a career. After high school, I studied criminal justice for a year—completely unrelated—but I put school on hold after my mom was diagnosed with cancer. She passed away less than a year later, just after Christmas. Her loss hit hard, and I couldn’t bring myself to go back to school.

Soon after, I was offered a job as an Orthodontic Assistant by the place where I had my braces done. I had no idea it was something I could even do, but they trained me, and I worked there for three years. I became the Lab Coordinator, and while it didn’t spark passion, it paid the bills.

When COVID hit, the office shut down and I was 8 months pregnant. It was a scary, lonely time. My baby shower was canceled, I barely got maternity photos done, and only my boyfriend was allowed in the delivery room. Thankfully, both my daughter and I stayed healthy.

In March 2021, tragedy struck again—my daughter’s father passed away in a car accident. I was now a grieving, single mom to a 10-month-old. I took a short break from photography but returned, knowing he would’ve wanted me to keep chasing my dreams.

In 2024, I lost my father. We didn’t have a close relationship and had very few photos together, something I now deeply regret. It reminded me why I tell people, “take the photo.” Life is fragile, and pictures are the memories we get to keep.

Over the years, I’ve experienced the loss of many loved ones—family and friends alike. Even if I only have a handful of photos with them, those images have become priceless. They’re now the only way I get to see their faces and relive those moments.

One of the most important messages I share with my clients is this: you don’t need to look perfect, and the photos don’t need to be flawless. What makes a photo truly meaningful is the connection it captures—the people in it and the memories it represents.

So, if you’re the type to complain about your spouse scheduling photos or the brother who won’t smile because he doesn’t want to be doing this, just remember: life is too short to sweat the small stuff.

Take the pictures and laugh while you’re doing it. I promise, it won’t kill ya.