Garmisch Day 1: Partnachklamm Gorge Hike

Before I begin, a note: I keep thinking I’ll write these updates more frequently, but it seems I need to be in a particular mood to do so. Today, I’m forcing myself into said mood because I know I need to get the details of our experiences down before I forget them. So, in advance, I apologize if my wordsmithing at all comes across as seemingly uninspired.

Now, let’s begin.

Two weeks after our first German vacation to a family resort that was very much an authentic non-touristy German experience, we set off on our next adventure. Since we made the choice to spend our summer travels within the borders of Germany to avoid any complications with COVID restrictions, it was an easy choice to visit the Alpine region of the country. I’ve been dying to get to the mountains, and at a quick 5-hour road trip with no borders to cross it seemed easily achievable for our first time out on our own.

We decided to stay in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, at the base of the German Alps. For those of us Americans here, there is a hotel called Edelweiss Lodge that is only for American military members and DOD personnel living or visiting in Germany. Typically, I would want to stay somewhere more immersive in the culture, but for $100 a night (fee is based on husband’s pay grade as a member of the Coast Guard Reserves) it was hard to pass up on the quality and comfort we’d receive for such a price. Not only that, but as everyone working in the lodge speaks English, sometimes traveling without a language barrier makes things all the more relaxing. Another small thing that made me happy, the beds are American-sized and include top sheets and one big comforter over the entire bed for two people to share. In European hotels it’s typical to have two twin beds pushed together, no top sheet, and a small down comforter for each individual person. There’s something to me about the larger comforter for two people to share that seems cozy, and the weight of the blanket anchors itself around me better. Although, since I tend to hog the covers, my husband probably has a very different appreciation for the individually-sized comforters of the European beds.

We left our house about 6am and arrived in Garmisch at 12. The trip was uneventful and beautiful. The gas stations and rest stops have incredibly clean bathrooms, even the ones you didn’t have to pay to use, and I will be forever grateful to Germany for their preference for sanitary toilet conditions. Upon arriving at the hotel we were actually able to check in early and that made my day. It’s nice to not have to drive around sightseeing with loads of crap in your car. We checked in on a Sunday and the hotel was practically empty since everyone had already checked out earlier that morning. The hotel was also only allowed 50% capacity due to COVID so that made it seem all the quieter. I could get used to this COVID Conditions life!

The front of the Edelweiss Lodge

Every room has a balcony with a beautiful view of the surrounding area.

Initially the plan was to take the cable car (Seilbahn) to the top of the Zugspitze the afternoon we arrived, but the Alpine Adventures team (basically, the Concierge) suggested we see the Zugspitze in the morning when it isn’t as busy. So we settled on hiking the Partnachklamm Gorge that afternoon.

After changing into some comfortable hiking clothes and footwear we headed off to hike the Gorge. We had a general idea of where to park but quickly realized the lot was completely full and we were left to drive around aimlessly to find street parking. After a few minutes we found a suitable spot, in the shade even, and began our walk to the start of the Gorge.

One of the features along the way was the Ski Stadium commissioned for the 1936 winter olympics. So interesting to see a giant ski slope in person and to think about the person who actually willingly skis down and jumps off that ramp. Apparently the ski slope/jump is still used by training professional skiers.

1936 Winter Olympics Ski Stadion

We walked through the Ski Stadion (stadium) to get to the start of the Partnachklamm Gorge hike. We had to walk up the hill in order to reach the top, buy our tickets (zwei Erwachsene und ein Kind - 2 adults, 1 child), and then walk down into the gorge. It was incredible. Probably one of the neatest mountain hikes I’ve ever done. The trail cut through the rock walls and walked along the edge of the rushing river that is currently carving this amazing landscape. The walls oozed water and the misty air smelled wet and fresh. The sound was powerful and deafening, and we could barely hear each other talk over the roar of the very full river. The color of the water was a light turquoise, clear and fresh from the nearby mountains. It was so beautiful. Grant LOVED the experience and I was very glad we could share with him such a unique mountain scape.

Because of COVID we had to wear our masks while walking in the Gorge, and we also could only walk in a single direction. What would normally be a one-hour walk to complete the entire gorge and back, turned into a 3+ hour hike to get through the gorge, back up one side of the mountain, and down the other to the start of the hike at the Ski Stadion. The trail meandered up the mountainside, nearly vertical in places, or so it felt. We were huffing and puffing along the way. We must have taken a wrong turn at some point, along with several other people who did the same, because after an hour of straight uphill hiking we all stopped to catch our breath and scratch our heads at the signs that were telling us to now walk back the way we had come. In my head I wondered if someone had relocated signs to play a joke on us all. But, we eventually left the pack and chose a different path from the others … one that I saw would lead us to blue and white umbrellas. And in Germany, and especially Bavaria, blue and white umbrellas signal only one thing. A BIERGARTEN!

Follow the path to the biergarten!

We wandered along the grassy meadow trail to the biergarten and restaurant and waited for our turn to be seated. We enjoyed the break, with the surrounding view of the gorgeous Alps, sipping on our biers and Grant his Apfelschorle, which is a mixture of apple juice and sparkling water. We really wanted food but they only took cash. As our cash supply was nearing its emptiness we prioritized liquid fuel. It gave us the rest and energy to continue on our walk. While sitting at our table we noticed a sign saying “Ski Stadion - 30 mins” with an arrow pointing where we needed to go. It was a gift from the universe.

Bier with a view

An oasis in the wilderness.

After another 30-40 minutes of walking we finally made it down the mountain, past the ski stadion, and to our car. We were beyond happy to find it still in the shade.

That night for dinner we ate at the hotel for convenience, but the special of the night was a pastry pocket stuffed with Sloppy Joe mix and a side of fried potatoes loaded with pulled pork, bacon, chives, cheese and sour cream. It. Was. So. Good. Grant discovered Ham and Cheese Croissants and now has a new food he happily added to his approved menu. I’m always glad when that list expands a little!

A delicious dinner with a view after a 10-mile hike. The perfect end to the day’s adventure.

I highly recommend the trip to Partnachklamm Gorge when you travel to the Garmisch area. It was incredible and thanks to the artistic ways of Mother Nature, it will look different every time you go. They do tours in the winter as well as the waterfalls freeze over. Since we are returning to Garmisch shortly after Christmas for ski season, I’m hoping we can squeeze in a winter hike through the gorge, too.

Thanks for coming along with us! Up next: The Zugpitze! (The highest peak in Germany)

Our First German Vacation

While we’ve had to cancel several trips this summer on account of the spread of COVID, we were still able to continue on with a week away with our friends to the CenterParc Bostalsee family resort in Nohfelden, Germany. It was located only 1 1/2 hours from our house and still within the borders of Germany, which these days is almost a must as restrictions change so frequently here. I had heard of another American family who also lives in Germany having to quarantine after their trip to Spain because the quarantine requirement when coming back from Spain had changed during the middle of their vacation there. The numbers are going up as everyone relaxes and travels. It was bound to happen.

The resort made many attempts to keep the COVID restrictions in place. We had to reserve our time by the pool for each day so they could keep the numbers in the locker rooms and the pools to a comfortable crowd. Masks were required whenever indoors and for the most part people respected the rules. Although, we did see a few instances where people couldn’t be bothered to wear them and I was disappointed they were allowed into the pool area anyway.

Since Center Parc Bostalsee is situated on a reservoir/lake, there was a beach that we were also able to spend time on. The kids loved playing in the sand and cooling their legs off in the frigid water. There was an open biergarten and cold beer from the tap in the hot sun on the beach is always a good way to pass the time. The kids (and some adults) enjoyed slushees and Apfelschorle (apple juice mixed with sparkling water in a bottle).

Some other fun family activities they offered: electric Jeep rentals for kids to drive around the grounds, mini quads to ride on a dirt track, outdoor and indoor miniature golf courses, paddleboat rentals, sports courts of all varieties, picnic tables along the walking paths by the lake, pony rides, a petting zoo, and of course the indoor/outdoor pool “Aquamundo” which is equipped with a large wave pool (waves for about 5 minutes at the top of the hour), adult-sized water slides, splash areas with smaller water slides, baby pools, and a really active outdoor pool with a whirlpool Grant loved to get pulled around in.

The pathways along the lake were nicely paved and made for a really great space for kids and adults alike to bike, scooter, skateboard and walk from the housing units to the amenities. Our unit was a 15-minute walk from the main restaurant/market/pool house and was lovely and scenic in the warm, summer air.

Our kids were begging to ride the Jeeps from the first second we arrived at the Center Parc. The first night we were able to snag two of the three available Jeeps. They loved every second of driving it up and down the pathway and they asked to ride them everyday after. That is until Thursday rolled around and the boys got a taste of the speed of the mini quads. Suddenly the Jeeps weren’t first in the “so awesome” category … but they were still a close second.

There were some restaurants open with outdoor dining and I was able to be served food and have my dishes taken away for me for the first time since mid-March. It was awesome to feel somewhat normal again in the most basic respects.

The unit we had was a modest-sized 4-bedroom house with 2 1/2 baths. It was on the smaller side but it seemed cozy with 4 adults and 3 kids. We brought RC dump trucks and cars that kept the kids busy during the few hours we were actually in the unit. We ate dinner in the house on two of the nights, grilling yummy sausage both nights and adding spaghetti to the mix on the second night. For breakfast it was a mix of either cereal and eggs. We also introduced our friends to SPAM and the kids loved it. But of course, how could they not?!

We spent the week swimming, walking, beaching, scootering, laughing and having a great time. It was relaxing and a beautiful change of scenery. It was definitely not a tourist destination so it felt like an authentic vacation that a typical German family would take. There wasn’t much English spoken outside of our two families, so I was very thankful they are bilingual and could do the translating for us when necessary.

Not too shabby for our first trip away from our home since moving here.

I’m looking forward to all that comes next!

GOODBYE, MEIN HUND

For weeks you’ve been telling us you were ready and when we finally listened to you, true to your spirit, you pretended you were fine.

Maybe you were just messing with us. Or maybe you didn’t want to admit what was actually happening either.

We took you to the vet today. They confirmed all your ailments and told us now was an ok time to say goodbye.

They asked us if you’d rather be at home for it, and wrote us a “prescription” for a mobile vet to come to the house. We were so relieved.

The mobile vet came to the house this afternoon and very kindly helped us say goodbye to you. It was good to finally see the pain leave your sweet, tired body.

You’ve been with us for 12 of your 13 years. You were a pain in the ass for every single one of them. But oh how we loved you anyway.

Your face lit up, your body wriggled with joy, at the sight of food and any person with the food. But it also lit up for the people you loved most, with or without said food in our hands.

You were a basset hound among giants, as all your closest friends were Great Danes. It never stopped you from running the show your way.

You taught yourself to swim once, just to try to catch a duck in a pond (that of course flew away before you could reach it) and the fact that I was watching a basset hound swim so easily was incredible to me.

You were also part pelican, as you once swallowed a pigeon into your gullet of a mouth just so you could come inside and puke it up on our bedroom carpet. I will never forget that.

You made us laugh. You protected us. You ate our garbage.

You were an amazing dog for a little boy to grow up with. He grieves for you now, clutching your empty collar to his chest.

You did everything we ever asked of you. Including traveling to a new world.

I thought for a brief moment about not bringing you with us, feeling the trip would be too hard on you. But now I know my gut was right and that being together as a whole family was exactly what needed to happen.

I’m glad we could be there for you today, to make this decision for you. To bring you peace. To love you like you’ve always loved us.

We’ll always miss you, Lola. Say “hi” to Lucy for us.

DIE KIRSCHEN

I’ve lost count on what week of the COVID-19 pandemic we’re currently working through. Germany seems to be doing a great job at controlling the spread of the virus so, while I still won’t dine indoors at a restaurant, we are slowly starting to get back to normal. We still must wear masks whenever doing something indoors, but I’ve been finding activities for us to do outdoors that don’t require them.

On this particular day, we decided to try our hand at picking cherries (kirschen).

We’re (mostly) fortunate to be living in the day of Facebook, when expats in Germany can get around as easily as the locals just by the easy sharing of information and personal experience in Facebook groups made just for expats. We have a military community here, a contractor community, and an Americans living abroad community, and each one is packed with useful information so that each American who moves here doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel. It’s made our transition to Europe close to seamless, and I’m so happy to have these resources! In one of these online groups is where I read the recommendation for a local cherry orchard who was open for self-picking.

I saw the post, I made reservations on their Facebook page for a designated time to pick (keeping the crowds limited), and we headed out to Eltville am Rhein.

I was glad I allowed for some extra time to get lost, because that’s essentially what happened. The instructions to get there weren’t exactly an address. They consisted of words like “next to the Sporthaus in Eltville.” You know the one. Right? Finding the Sporthaus proved to be difficult for our in-auto navigation system. The road we traveled ended up taking on the appearance of a frontage road as it began winding through some agriculture fields. Since we were trying to find a cherry orchard, we assumed this was correct and kept going.

Then the road changed to gravel. I drove on at a slower yet more confused pace. The road was narrow, as most of them are here, and I could see several people biking and walking on various pathways up through the vineyards we were cruising through. Up ahead of me, I saw two bicyclists heading our direction on the opposite side of the street riding side-by-side. I kept to the far right side of the road, expecting the cyclists to move to single-file position as is the law on a street allowing auto traffic.

As I approached the cyclists I could see they were older generation Germans. Just seconds after this realization I experienced my first ever German scolding. I super offended this man for some reason. I’m not sure if my10 km under the 30 kmh speed limit on a gravel road was too much for him, but he was spitting angry with me. Yelling and aggressively waving his hands and kicking his foot toward are car. So much so I immediately began to question my place on the street and in the world. Did it somehow turn to a pedestrian-only street? Am I supposed to stop the car? Why was he riding side-by-side on a street allowing auto traffic? Why is he yelling at me? WHAT DID I DO?” He was so mad I was afraid he’d chase after us (I was going that slowly). Thankfully he got his anger under control and we continued on our way, but I was rattled. He reduced me to the age of 5 in a second flat! Turns out, we were on an actual road allowed for autos, we were headed in the right direction, and we reached the cherry orchard only 30 seconds after this ordeal. But it was intense!

When we got to the parking area, we saw people walking to the gate with buckets and bags in their hands. More panic set in. My husband knows this well about me but I hate showing up somewhere feeling unprepared. It brings out that fear I have of drawing attention to myself. Like others will point at me and laugh that I actually thought I could come here without a container to lug my cherries in. I know that sounds ridiculous, and I’m getting better at telling myself this. But we didn’t even have our reusable bags in the car since we had just done our grocery shopping and hadn’t put them back. This day was going so well! (sarcasm).

But as soon as we arrived at the front gate we mentioned we had a reservation and the girls working the stand were so sweet and kind they cheered me right up. They gave us a bucket to put our picked cherries in and I instantly felt my body relax. They spoke wonderful English, though as with most Germans I’ve met so far they apologized that their English wasn’t very good (even though it was). One of the sisters explained to us which trees to pick and to make sure to leave the stems on the cherries because that would help their freshness last longer. There were several trees of sweet (süß - pronounced like “seuss”) and two trees with sour (sauer) cherries. Fun fact, sauer also translates to “angry” in German, which seems pretty fitting.

Grant was immediately interested in tasting the cherries after we were told we could try as many as we wanted to make sure we picked the variety we liked best. He quickly designated himself our family taster, and was very serious about his work.

He made sure to taste every inch of the cherry, judging its flavors and deciding if it was worth the effort to pick several from a particular tree. It took a lot of concentration to do this while also not swallowing the pit (or stone) in the process.

But just stand clear, my friends, because for some reason cherry pits were seemingly flying all around us while we picked, as this kid stripped the flesh from the stone with his teeth and tongue and promptly spat the final remains of the cherry into the wind. It reminded me of the watermelon seed spitting contests my family would have from my Grandparents’ dock on the Forest River in Savannah, GA. We spent many fun summer gatherings doing this. Why is seed-spitting so fun?!

Anyway, he was careful to pick the best cherries, and picked as many as he could on a single set of stems. Can’t say he isn’t efficient! Three at a time seemed to be the most common grouping he was able to pick. He was so proud!

Some cherries were up really high on the branches. Those seemed to be the best quality still left on the tree.

Grant’s favorites ended up being the sour cherries. The two sour cherry trees were still loaded with fruit and it was obvious that sauerkirschen are not the preferred selection. Although I did read that sour cherries are excellent for making really delicious, tart jam. Maybe we’ll give that a go next year. This time, we were on a mission for sweet cherries since we had a pie (or a cherry cheesecake) in mind to make.

Neil was very helpful with the picking as he was able to select the unpicked fruit from high-up on the tree that most couldn’t reach. His contribution made quick work of our labor and it wasn’t long before we had half a bucket filled with beautifully red, sweet cherries.

While we were picking, and our bucket quickly filling, I asked Neil how we were going to pit them all? Neil pulled out his phone while I continued picking, and within 30 seconds I hear “ok, a cherry pitter will be coming to the house on Tuesday.” Thank goodness for good Internet and for German Amazon!

All-in-all, we enjoyed a beautiful afternoon out of the house and away from the crowds, picking fresh fruit to take home. We took them back to the front gate to have them measured and to pay and were shocked that 2.5 kilos of cherries only cost us €5. In the grocery store they are easily €6 for only 1kilo. We were also able to purchase some fresh apricots (Aprikosen) and cherry wine (Kirschwein) for Neil, and some local honey for me and Grant.

The customer service was super friendly and the surroundings very lovely, as this sweet little orchard is nestled in Rheingau among the vineyards. Yes, you read that right. We essentially live 10 minutes from the Napa Valley of Germany. I can’t wait for my parents to be able to join us for some local wine tasting. The US needs to get their Coronavirus issues under control for several reasons, but one of the most important reasons being so my parents can come to visit!

We took our bounty home, and I was able to drive all the way there without offending anymore Germans!! Huzzah!

Update: This trip was a huge success. We took home nearly12 cups of cherries, 6 of which turned into the syrupy topping for a cheesecake that we ate on the Fourth of July. The leftover cherries and sauce were used the next morning for a pancake topping. Cherries are becoming my new favorite!

THE PAST 90 DAYS

I haven’t updated this blog in far too long. Life got busy when I sent my 5 year old off to kindergarten and rejoined the workforce on a more permanent basis. Photography and my personal self-reflection time took a back seat, and also in that time my family made a life-changing decision of enormous proportion.

We decided to move to Germany.

We knew it would be an amazing opportunity to expose ourselves and our son to a life of travel and other cultures. There is so much to the world that can’t just be put off for our retirement years. We wanted to experience it all as a family, so we said yes and made it happen.

We arrived in Wiesbaden, Germany on March 20th, right as the EU was beginning to shut down borders and block travel from outside the EU in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that has changed our lives and the world. The experience getting here requires a blog post on its own, as does our experiences self-quarantining and living lockdown life in a new country.

I have decided I will post these updates in a “story time” format over the next few weeks. It’s not so much for the purpose of sharing them, but more for the purpose of me remembering them years from now. That’s the beautiful benefit of blogs and social media. Not only can I share my life with my loved ones (and anyone interested enough to follow along) but I get the perk of remembering it.

But until then, here are a few images from the past 3 months in our new home. I’m very glad to be here.

View from my back window of our little German house.

Searching for tree spirits in Steckeschlääfer-klamm im Morgenbachtal

At Neroberg, overlooking the city of Wiesbaden, Germany

A lovely hike outdoors that led us to Burg Eltz.

With all the stress of moving and changing our way of most things, I’m feeling pretty relaxed considering all that’s happening in the world right now. That’s a miracle.

BOY OF SUMMER

I haven’t been very active with my website this year, or my photography business in general, but there’s a very good reason for it. After spending the first few months of the year dealing with some personal medical issues, and in addition to my son’s anxiety struggles, I decided to breathe deeply and take stock of what’s important to me. While I love photography and capturing special seconds in time for my clients, I realized I was spending more time editing the memories of other families rather than making them with my own. My relationship with my boy was suffering as a result and it was soon clear to me that I (we all) needed a break.

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So I spent the later months of spring and the entire summer focused on my family. My son and I spent hours together each day, hiking, exploring, swimming, sleeping … all the ingredients of a successful summer. I haven’t regretted my decision to take this valuable time off of a career. Besides, it’s not like my camera was collecting dust on the shelf. On the contrary! It was right there with me, documenting the joys of a special little boy.

Another reason I chose to take this hiatus … my son is five now, and in just five days he’ll embark on his next big adventure: his public education journey. The big yellow bus to kindergarten rolls up to the house soon and it’ll be the start of an incredible new phase of life for him. My boy is growing up, and I had a perfect several months enjoying his company, gearing up to this moment.

My favorite thing about photography isn’t the business aspect of it … it’s not the money, the popularity, or the challenge to see how many clients I can book in a month. Nope. Photography, to me, is the best method to identifying those smallest of moments that end up defining our entire life.

Those moments with my son were plentiful this summer. He was my boy of summer.

A THANK YOU

It’s the end of another year. I know I say this every time, but that seemed like the fastest year on record. I’m guessing it all has to do with aging … the older you get, the faster the years go by and the more you realize how short our time on this Earth truly is.

It’s been a fast year because of the action-packed calendar I’ve kept, filled to the brim with sessions for amazing clients whom I’ve grown to call friends. Filled to the brim with new personal challenges. Filled to the brim with reckoning, therapy, and forgiveness. It was a year filled with self-doubt, self-awareness, and self-improvement. I have much more of the latter planned for the new year.

Thank you to everyone who gave me a chance in 2018 and put the preservation of your family’s memories in my stead. I have been so blessed to get to know you during these times and hope you were pleased with your investment in me.

I look steadily forward, anxious to begin the new year full steam ahead. I’ve got a great feeling about 2019 and I hope you’ll follow along with me as your journey takes you onward as well.

Merry Christmas, friends. Here’s to all the goodness that awaits you.

WE ARE MOMS

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In honor of Mother's Day, I wanted to share with you some of the remarkable women I had the pleasure of meeting this past Friday who truly inspire me. 

A few weeks ago I was working a vendor booth at the National Capital Mom Conference in Springfield, VA. I love supporting my fellow moms so I was happy to host my booth at this event. What I didn't realize was how much the women I'd meet there would end up supporting me. In addition to the guests I met at the conference, I got along great with the other vendors. One of those vendors was Shannon Link, owner of the Fit4Mom in my region.

Fit4Mom hosts a range of classes designed to support and encourage women on their fitness journey throughout all stages of motherhood. Stroller Strides, Stroller Barre, Running Club, Body Back Transitions, Prenatal Workouts .... To put it simply, it's an incredible program and Shannon didn't have to do a whole lot of speaking to convince me to join right then. Her energy and passion alone had me hooked on everything about the Fit4Mom Village. 

During our discussions at the event I mentioned I was a photographer and didn't hesitate to accept when Shannon asked if I could donate some time to take Mommy & Me photos of her clients during their Mother's Day Celebration workout. Absolutely!

(Oh, I should mention that I joined the Body Back Unlimited program and have been getting my butt kicked by their High-Intensity Interval Training program, and as the great Martha Stewart says "It's a good thing." I am looking forward to so much more of it!)

So yesterday was the special Fit4Mom Mother's Day Celebration, which was a massive Stroller Strides workout in the park, complete with a visit from Elmo, Chase from Paw Patrol, product vendors, raffle prizes and free breakfast and coffee. The mothers attending were kicking it into gear during their workout ... running with the strollers, squats, sprints, pushups, doing knee-ups while breastfeeding babies, and so much more. Some mothers were there with brand new 5-week old babies, others with 3 or more kids in tow. ALL of the moms were practicing some sincere self-care and making their well-being a priority for themselves and their families.

I was so inspired and encouraged by them all. Yes, life does get busy. I'm sure each one of us can say our lives are packed and maybe even overwhelming, with long to-do lists and tiny dictators pulling us in all directions while we juggle between our many roles. But something that I'm personally working on is prioritizing my needs, and instead of working so hard to please others, changing the focus of that effort back on myself. It's a work in progress definitely, but seeing more than 115 moms out there busting butt with their kids locked tight in strollers, I realized how strong we women are. How determined. How resilient. How compassionate. And how we need to give ourselves the compassion and credit we deserve. WE DESERVE IT. Get out there and give yourself the love you need.

These are a few of the amazing, strong, incredible women in attendance at the Mother's Day Celebration and whom I was fortunate to photograph. I wish you all a Happy Mother's Day!

 

Hello, World!

I've heard it's bad luck to start a blog without a first post that says hello to the world. So here we have it. "Hello, world!" And let me tell you how glad I am to be here. 

A little about me: I graduated from college (years and years ago) with a degree in Graphic Design. I've been fortunate to love what I went to school for and to always find employment that allowed me to do the work I studied. With an active duty husband in the United States Coast Guard, I'm also fortunate that this line of work has been very portable and has allowed me to find work all across the country. 

While my day job title has always been "Graphic Designer," my deeper love is for photography. For as long as I can remember, I've always had a camera around my neck. It's just as much a part of me as my leg or my arm and I've shared my journeys with many a model. When my son was born three years ago, I decided to be a stay-at-home mom for him and quickly realized that I now have the flexibility to really get my photography dreams off the ground. 

So there you have it. Jaime England Photography was officially born in 2016 and I've been working hard to build my client base and earn your greatly appreciated referrals. Thank you so very much to all who have passed along my name to friends and family. I work hard to satisfy my clients with the memories I present to them. I can't wait to capture yours!