ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF

My name is Emily Saenz - like "signs" if you were finding it tricky. (Most people do!)

Right off the bat, I'll tell you that I'm pretty into Jesus, my loving and quirky husband, our food blog @foodlyweds, my family, personality tests, high school ministry, the rain, musicals (namely Hamilton), good harmonies, collecting mugs, driving, eating ginger, being in coffee shops, chasing down the sunset, meeting new people, wearing stripes, putting lemon pepper on everything, and being in airports.

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Growing up, I always took multiple disposable cameras to camp and would beg to have the pictures developed right when I got home. From very early on, I had this obsession with making and capturing memories. I've always loved having a camera with me.

With the eye-opening insights of Shannon Leith, I learned early on in my photo-taking journey that no matter what camera you hold in your hands - or if you're holding one at all - we've all been given eyes to see the beautiful world out there. Seeing well is what it’s all about.

I want to see well. I want to keep falling more in love with life by keeping my eyes wide open, and I want to capture what I see in the world around me. I'm passionate about documenting real life and a firm believer that photos help us appreciate the life we've been given.

From school events to weddings, concerts to fashion blogging, high school homecoming to hockey games - there are important stories to be told everywhere, and I love getting to tell them through photographs.

Photographs have always served as a reminder to me of milestones, memories, and connections. They exist as a spotlight on things like my 6th birthday at McDonalds, the start of an internship with Lauren Scotti, my long-awaited trip to Japan and my wedding day.

I want to provide you with photographs that do the same -- that illuminate meaningful moments and significant seasons in your life.

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My desire to illuminate comes from believing that all the goodness photographs display can point us to something far more beautiful. Someone, actually. I believe they give us glimpses into the creativity and love of God. They display his desire to make stunning things. Photos can remind us of how He's held onto us, provided for us, guided us. They help us see details in our lives and in the world that God deeply cares about.

I believe that when Jesus said, "You are the light of the world," he meant it, and those words echo over me each day. They give me a reason to wake up every morning and do what I do. They empower me to let Jesus's light shine through me in any way it can, in hopes that those around me would be warmed by it and know His love.