I was at the Grand Canyon in late February when I decided to take a picture. Fumbling through my bag, I pulled out the green Fujifilm disposable camera my mom had sent me with. Through the viewfinder I discovered a passion that seven years later would develop into a business: MegaBug Photography. I had taken film photography courses, workshops, and completed an internship when - at 18 years-old - I took on a new challenge by forming an official LLC in October 2013. It's been a year since then, and I'm still pursuing my dream.

I'm a photographer because I love to see. Behind the lens I'm able to shut out the world and focus on the present moment; to process what is before me. An introvert, I feel my best when I'm alone with a camera. I'm also camera shy, and feel so incredibly fulfilled when I photograph someone like me who glows at their portrait and remarks, "I hate having my picture taken, but I look so happy, so beautiful."

At the moment my focus is portraits, but I'm also breaking into the editorial world with my posts on Foodshionsta (a blog where food meets fashion) and MassFinds (a vacation site by the Massachusettes Office of Travel & Tourism). My dream is to work for Yankee Magazine and National Geographic.

Along with owning MegaBug Photography, I am the Executive Director at the Franconia Notch Chamber of Commerce. This position has allowed me to give back to the community and take my passion for small business to a new level. I currently have an A.A. in Liberal Arts from White Mountains Community College, but in a few weeks (as mentioned above!) I will graduate from Lyndon State College with a B.A. in English with a concentration in journalism and writing, an A.S. in Business Administration, and a minor in Marketing. I'm thankful to have finished school so early not only because I won't have any student loans, but because I want to start focusing on my business and living life.

New England is my happy place, but I adore visiting new places and discovering what there is beyond my backyard. Along with photography, I enjoy writing, outdoorsy things, homesteading, vintage wares, and Volkswagen Beetles. (MegaBug was named after the vanity plate on my 1999 green VW bug.)

For more on me, follow my personal blog, Miss MegaBug.

Peace, Love & Happiness, Meg