When I look at another photographers work, I find myself wondering what influences in their lives inspired them and how they came to create their photographs. When I look at my own life and the influences that have brought me to the pictures you see today, I realize that the path I have taken has always pointed me towards photography.

My earliest influences were my parents. As a young woman, my mother worked as a florist and later owned her own shop. At a young age I learned to appreciate the beauty of flowers. My father is an educated man with a strong background in science. He holds a high respect for nature, and made sure that was passed on to his children with innumerable trips into the mountains of Idaho. These two people gave me the foundation for the kind of photography I am doing today.

The only other indication I had growing up and well into my adulthood was that when I did take pictures, I would always take more than anybody else. In 1992, I spent eight days in Alaska and took over 600 pictures. This was my first realization how passionate I was about photography. Over the next several years, my vacations were always to the most scenic places in the Western United States. In 1996 I was at a crossroads in my life and given the opportunity to spend three weeks on the Colorado Plateau. Without knowing it at the time, that trip sealed the path my life would take.

Following that trip, I was fortunate enough to live in Sedona, AZ for a year. In that time I received an education about the desert. With enough moisture, the desert produces some of the most beautiful colors I have ever seen. There are few states with more diverse geography than Arizona and the same can be said for its' wildflowers. From the brilliant cactus blooms of the lower desert to the elegant mountain wildflowers, Arizona produces an incredible mix of flowers.

The name of my business came from a gift to my mother. In previous years I would always send her live flowers on Mother's Day. In 1997, I made a photo album of all the wildflowers I had photographed that spring. The album was titled "Arizona Blooms". It sits on her coffee table to this day. By the time the album was complete, friends and family started to comment on the quality of my work and encouraged me to pursue a career in photography. My biggest hurdle to overcome was to believe you could actually make a living doing something that you love so much. Once I believed that, my course was set and I have never looked back.

My real reward is to visit places on this earth and witness things in nature that inspire and humble me at the same time. I find great comfort in this. I use a quote by Oscar Wilde to remind me why I do this.