There are two friends who’ve had the greatest impact on the trajectory of my life. Huck Dorn who passed a note to me down a table of 30 friends reading “you and Dave would be great together”…and Kelly Lorenz.

Fourteen years ago we hired Kelly Lorenz Imagery to photograph our wedding. She’s documented every milestone of ours since. Kelly was rocking lifestyle photography before there was ever a name for it. I felt something real and authentic in her work before I knew what it was.

Lucky for me we became friends and one day, as our toddlers played together, I told her I wanted to purchase a camera. I was on the other side of a health scare that had opened my eyes to the beauty all around me and wanted to preserve my new vision. A week later Kelly put her old Nikon in my hands.

Since starting my business six years ago, Kelly has been my cheerleader, therapist and mentor. She’s the first person I go to because she’s seen/heard/lived it all as a photographer. Kelly has dreamed my dreams with me and lived out for me what community over competition looks like.

This summer Kelly asked me to take her family photos. There’s no higher honor than a mentor handing you the reins.