Hi, I’m Kelsey, and I’m new here! I figured that with a change in location, I have a chance to introduce myself to hopefully some really great new friends. If you’re here, you probably want to know who I am as a human, not just someone who shows up with the cameras.
So how did I end up here?
Well, it’s a story. I am a Jersey girl born and raised (the Garden State part, not the MTV Jersey Shore part), but life and love brought me from New Jersey to Connecticut, and finally to Central New York. My husband and I craved peace, quiet, open spaces, and a lot less traffic. After a long, frustrating search, we finally ended up in a historic house in Chittenango, and it feels like being home again.
I used to work in public accounting.
Yes, I know… that’s a big change. I spent my twenties and my early thirties staring at spreadsheets, sitting in meetings, chasing deadlines, working long hours, and becoming a version of myself that fit perfectly into a polished corporate box, but didn’t know how to breathe. I kept pushing through because that’s what hard workers do, even when it’s slowly draining the color out of your life.
But the truth is, I’ve wanted to be a photographer since I was a kid.
I still have my first grade drawing of a camera that I used to answer “what do I want to be when I grow up.” I used to carry around disposable cameras everywhere, taking pictures of my friends, the dog, whatever small things felt important to me. It became too expensive for my parents to keep developing my rolls of film, and I was given my first digital camera and I never let go of it (or it’s replacements), even now. And for some reason, teenage Kelsey decided that wasn’t a “real job,” so I tucked it away and left it as a hobby, and headed off to college. I guess it shows that my inner child was maybe a little smarter than I gave her credit for.
When I finally chose photography again, it felt like my whole nervous system exhaled.
Eventually, I couldn’t take the divide between the life I was living and the life my heart wanted. I realized I wasn’t meant for a life where I squeezed myself into expectations that didn’t fit. I just wanted to make things, connect with people, and notice the moments everyone else walks past. It should have been a big red flag that most pieces of happiness in my life were connected to creating, whether it was a photo, a crochet blanket, a good meal, or whatever new craft I’d picked up most recently.
Since then, I’ve changed a lot. I dress differently. I color my hair the way I actually like it. I let myself take up space now, emotionally and creatively.
My personal life is simple in the best way.
I have a husband, Will, and we live a cozy life in Chittenango, NY with our four cats, Maisie, Minnie, Finn, and Mandu, who take turns causing chaos and supervising my work. I spend a lot of time reading (over 70 books in 2025!), cooking, wandering the garden when it’s warm, and sinking into quiet evenings when it’s cold.
I lost both of my parents before the age of 35, which reshaped a lot of things for me, especially my relationship with memory. You never know how important a photo is until you go back looking for one. I once photographed a wedding where, the next morning, I learned that the groom’s father passed away in his hotel. The night before, he was laughing and celebrating and completely alive in every way. Learning the news stunned me, and it really dug in just how important those photographs I take are. The knowledge that every time I walk into a wedding, I could be taking the last photo of a family member who passes away shortly after, or the last photo of two best friends before life drifts them apart, is something that weighs on me and my work every day.
All of these pieces, shape how I move through the world.
I’m warm, human, and pretty easy to be around. I give people space. I blend in naturally, but I’m still fully present when it matters. Sure, I look for the beautiful light and pretty things as any photographer does, but I also look for all the special moments that happen around us every day. These are just parts of who I am in everyday life, long before a camera ever enters the picture, ways of being that have grown out of everything I’ve lived through and everything I care about.
Thanks for being here and letting me share a little of who I am. Starting fresh in a new place feels big in all the best ways, and it means a lot to be able to show up honestly, exactly as I am now, not who I used to be. I’m looking forward to finding my people here, one small connection at a time.
