Becoming Sonnenblume

I grew up in the world of photography, I spent my childhood in my dad’s studio with my three siblings, swinging like Tarzan from the overhead extension cords, reenacting Star Wars with glass light tubes, playing hide and seek in the musty dark room, and building forts in the creaky attic. Although I never had the intention of becoming a photographer, over the years I have fallen in love with the art of capturing the raw emotions and authentic moments that go into telling a story, especially a love story. As it turns out, It’s been in my blood all along.

Over the past several years of years, I have spent a lot of time learning from my dad, a 30-year veteran behind the camera, my mom, a 30-year veteran as "The Boss", as well as several other professional photographers who have so graciously shared with me their time, talent, and knowledge.

With all of the knowledge that I gathered, I have created my own dream world that is Sonnenblume Studios. For me, the word Sonnenblume is near and dear. It is the German word for sunflower, my very favorite, reminding me of the beautiful, wild, sunflowers that cover the Sandhills in late summer, early fall. The German origination comes from my very German, late grandmother, Oma. She immigrated to America from Germany when she was 18, and as we were growing up, she spent most days helping out at our house, making us pounds of bacon for breakfast, putting clean laundry in all the wrong places (like underwear with the silverware wrong) letting us open her pickle cards, and chasing flies around the house with a fly swatter. She, without fail, and oftentimes without even trying, always made us laugh, and that is something that I want to instill in everything I do. My Irish Side also had an incredible impact on me, but Sonnenblume sounded much more elegant than Lus na Greine.

When I’m not out there capturing love stories and portraits, my favorite thing to do is adventure with my love, Ethan, and our pup, Marley. Theres nothing better for the soul than a weekend off the grid, sleeping under the stars, breathing in the crisp air and soaking in the silence exploring this wild world, and of course, spoiling our fur child!

That’s my story! Now, I can’t wait to tell yours with the power of print!

Much Love,

Gabby