the person
meet carmela
behind the lens
I’m so happy you stumbled onto my page!
My name is Carmela, and I’m a wife, mother, photographer, and entrepreneur. When I’m not behind the camera, I enjoy cooking, spending time with my family, reading about astrology, and trying to figure out how in the world my children have managed to smear Nutella and pasta sauce in such unconventional places. When I am behind the camera–well, let me fill you in on a bit of backstory so you can truly understand what my photography means to me.
I began my struggle with an eating disorder when I was just thirteen years old. My constant battle with body image, paired with severe postpartum depression after my children were born, led me to spend so many years of my life just surviving instead of truly living and enjoying the journey. I wasn’t capturing all the beautiful moments in my life because I was consumed with so many other things. I wasn’t present. I didn’t truly realize how this affected every aspect of my life until the day my husband told me, “God forbid something were to happen to you tomorrow, I don’t have any pictures of you with the kids.” That was when it really hit home for me–photos aren’t just photos. They’re your legacy. Nothing can freeze time and capture all the beautiful emotions in that moment like a photograph.
Hey there, I'm Carmela
My personal struggles have shaped not only my life, but my approach to photography.
I value acceptance, authenticity, and love above all else. I want you to love our sessions together because we’re just being present and living in the moment, not worrying about keeping up appearances. In fifty years, when you look back on your photos, I want you to remember exactly what it felt like the day you said, “I do”, or the day you brought life into the world and your child was placed on your chest for the first time. I want to freeze all these moments for you so you can look back at them and see the incredible legacy you’ve built, instead of any negative emotions you may have attached to having your picture taken.
Finally, I know that the world isn’t always a friendly place, and I want to take a moment to let you know that you will always be treated with dignity, respect, and empathy in our work together, regardless of gender, race, body shape or size, sexual orientation, immigration or disability status. I care deeply about mental health and the many definitions of family and motherhood. I am committed to providing sensitive, informed, and inclusive services. If you have specific concerns or requests, I’m here to listen and do whatever I can to come up with creative solutions to ensure you have the experience you’re looking for. I am here to offer connection, unconditional acceptance, and a judgement-free experience. My job is not to make you beautiful–it’s to show you how beautiful you already are.
