About

Hi there! I’m Chelsea and I am a 33 year-old photographer and online graphics creator. I currently reside in my hometown of Chicago, IL. I’ve always had a creative eye and a knack for design and composition; while my professional path so far has resided in the non-profit, education, and community-building sectors, I am fortunate to have had opportunities to incorporate photography and design into most of my jobs.

Like so many others, my introduction to photography began with an iPhone. When Instagram made its debut in the early 2010s, I became intrigued with photo editing - and upon graduation from college, when my dad gifted me his old Pentax Spotmatic film camera, I knew I had found a lifelong hobby. Adobe Lightroom is now my preferred editing software. I have past experience with digital photography, via a Canon DSLR, and currently shoot with just my iPhone and a small collection of film cameras.

Street photography has always been my most-loved style; it undoubtedly sparked my passion for photos. Before I even knew it was a genre, I found thrill and excitement in its unplanned and candid nature, and in its emphasis on urban environments. The “ordinary” or “mundane” naturally draws my eye - I like capturing moments and objects that one might not typically give a second glance. Being a music lover and an advocate for progressive social change, I also ventured into concert and documentary photography for awhile during my early/mid 20s.

Graphics and content creation came along later - most prominently when I served in AmeriCorps at a higher education institution in 2018 and was responsible for planning and marketing student engagement events. Canva is my favorite and most used platform, but I have dabbled in Adobe Photoshop - which I originally learned in conjunction with taking photos - and InDesign as well.

Through my work, I strive to show you my vision of life, humanity, beauty, and truth. I hope to have so much more to share here soon, as I slowly make my return to photography after a long, life-mandated pause. Graphic design has been a more steadfast joy and means of creative fulfillment as of late; I invite you to view some of my samples, both personal and professional, under the “Graphics” tab above.

Beyond my creative roles, I enjoy being outside in nature, caring for houseplants/gardening, puzzling, traveling, visiting museums and art exhibits, and spending time with my friends, family, and cats.

Thank you for stopping by. Enjoy <3