I was born and raised in Hutchinson and got my first camera at the age of 11. My models included Mittsie, my blue-eyed black lab, all my stuffed animals and dolls, my dad with his tractors and pigs, and my brother with his GMC S15 truck and his sheep. In 11th grade, Media Tech was an elective class that helped me learn more about film cameras. After high school I chose the professional photography program at Willmar Technical College and studied portrait and commercial photography for two years. After graduation I worked for Sue Dropp for five years at Dropp's Unique Photography in Waite Park. I learned a lot about the portrait world of photography and decided to open up my own studio in April 1999. Country Gallery is located on 10 beautifully landscaped acres in central Minnesota. We photograph families, children, pets, high school seniors, school sports teams, and charity events. In April 2012 I gave myself the assignment to "photograph Minnesota." It's been a fun traveling adventure that has led me down many different roads, both literally and figuratively. All in all, I do what I love and thoroughly enjoy my profession. It gives me great flexibility with my schedule and offers me a wide variety of subjects and places to photograph.