At the age of seven I borrowed my mom's old Canon and taught myself how to make pictures. As an awkward middle child of six, photography became a way of expressing myself, communicating my feelings and connecting with people. My three sisters were my first subjects and the mossy redwood forests where we grew up in were my backdrops. 

 

I use photography as tool to better understand the world around me, using my camera to help deconstruct the complexities of the human condition - both the victories and the struggles. I tend to shy away from posed perfection and prefer to respond to those tender, honest and fleeting moments that often pass by without notice. 

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I have had work published in Modern Farmer, Good Housekeeping, The Weekender (Germany), The Guardian (UK) and numerous others. My editorial work mainly focuses on the spaces and faces of farmers, creatives and makers.

 

In addition to my documentary/editorial work, I also love photographing families, couples and children. I am available for commissioned work in Maine and California. To inquire about session rates please email me. 

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In 2012, I left the corporate creative world and moved to the coast of Maine. I launched the website Urban Exodus in 2015. Urban Exodus features former urbanites who decided to move to the country. Beyond the intimate day-in-the-life photographs, each feature also includes an interview where people are able to convey both the triumphs, difficulties and failures they've experienced since leaving the conveniences of city life. 

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My first book Ditch the City and Go Country was released in July of 2017 by Page Street Publishing (distributed by MacMillan Press). 

 

I live in an old farmhouse in Midcoast Maine. My husband, Jacob Bond Hessler and I run Hessler Creative, a photography studio and workshop destination. We teach photography workshops across the country together.