Fifteen years. One wild, beautiful, unplanned ride.

This week marks two big milestones for me: my business turns…wait for it…15!!!! and I turn 56!!! That combo alone has me feeling all kinds of nostalgic, proud, and honestly… just incredibly grateful.

This business? It wasn’t a five-year plan. It wasn’t a vision board moment. It was a omg, I just quit my job, what now moment! It was born on a total whim—with zero strategy, no roadmap, and not a single ounce of certainty. Just me walking out of Corporate America and Casinos and literally saying peace out y’all! I had a camera, a fire and a whole lot of passion, and no damn paycheck. My husband at the time was not a fan of my wild one off decision. 

And here’s the kicker: people told me I couldn’t do it.
That I wouldn’t make it. That it wouldn’t amount to anything. My favorite was when I arrived in Ohio, and the first person that saw everything I offered told me, your work is beautiful, your products are beautiful. No one here here is going to buy that.

If I could find those people now, I’d thank them. Seriously. I’d probably kiss them on the cheek and send them flowers—because they lit a fire in me that’s still burning to this day. Their doubt gave me the drive to prove them wrong. And maybe more importantly, to prove to myself that I could. I am not going to lie. This has not been an easy journey. For about 6 solid years, it was a fail. In an epic sort of way. Until it wasn’t. I was quitting every single day. Until I wasn’t. I kept learning. I kept chasing. I kept trying. If you know an Aries, this is not standard protocol. So much blood sweat and tears. But it was mine and I was fighting for it.

What I’m most proud of?
That I stayed with it. Through the pivots, the burnout, the “should I quit?” moments, the late-night editing marathons, the crickets, the chaos. The swearing.
I stayed.

And somewhere along the way, this business became so deeply personal. Not everyone will work with me. It’s ok. But for the people who do choose to work with me? It’s more than just a session. It’s more than just photos. We create something meaningful. We laugh, we connect, we make memories—and somewhere in there, we become friends. That’s what makes this work matter.

I’ve photographed incredible seniors, passionate professionals, and beloved dogs who were more like soulmates than pets. I’ve listened to your stories. I’ve witnessed your big chapters. I’ve celebrated your wins and honored your losses. You’ve trusted me with what matters most—and that has shaped the very soul of my business.

If I could give advice to the version of me who started this at 41?
Or to anyone just starting out now?
I’d say this:
Don’t do what everyone else is doing.
Yes, learn the craft. Get educated - ALOT! Build your foundation. But at the end of the day, do what feels good to YOU! What lights you up. Your intuition will never lead you wrong.

Running a business isn’t easy.
It’s grit. It’s tears. It’s a whole lot of showing up, even when you want to crawl under the covers and quit. It’s building something from nothing. It’s holding the vision when no one else can see it yet. But then one day… it starts to click. The dream becomes real. The momentum builds. You find your rhythm. You start to experience the freedom. The pride. The joy. And it’s magic.

To my clients, past and present—thank you.
Thank you for trusting me. For growing with me. For being part of this journey. I wouldn’t be here without you.

And since it is my birthday week… I’ll end on this:
This is 56. And I honestly love this era of my life more than I ever expected. I recently treated myself to an amazing branding session with the incredibly talented Sarah Henderson at Desired Focus—and looking at those photos reminded me of just how far I’ve come. Not just in business, but in life.

To anyone who’s nervous about aging: I get it. But let me just say… there is so much beauty on the other side of 50. So much power. So much joy. These are, without a doubt, the best years of my life.

Here’s to another year of showing up, creating with heart, and living this big, beautiful life out loud.

Cheers to 15 years! Cheers to 56! AND COUNTING!!

Claudine, xoxo