Hello!
Thanks for visiting my site and for your interest in getting to know more about me.
If we’re being honest here (which, I think, is the only way to start a new friendship),
I’m actually first and foremost a musician. A conductor, more specifically!
(Yes, women do that.)
I work mostly with choirs and have a unique interest in the power of music
as a tool for social justice and change.
You can read more about my professional musical life here.
So what’s the story with photography, you’re probably wondering?
Well, I first fell in love with it in the darkroom in high school,
where my teacher taught us how to view the world from a perspective of light..
..an interesting life lesson, if you think about it..
I dug deeper into photography (more journalism than artistic) in college,
where I worked for the school, shooting incredible guests like
Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Ben Folds, Nickel Creek, Paul Rusesabagina
and many more.
I covered concerts and lectures and sports and all kinds of candids.
I loved how photography got me out of the house to meet new people
and see things I might never have seen otherwise.
Before I knew it, friends were asking me to photograph their weddings and babies,
then friends of friends, then strangers,
and all of a sudden, a fascination with light has turned into a full-blown hobby!
My full time work is still as a musician because, you know,
I wanted to make sure I was a doubly poor, starving artist.
So that’s me in a nutshell.
I am always and forever growing as a photographer,
and I appreciate every opportunity to explore my work with new people.
I hope that includes you!
mandakate.com 