Your Photographer

Hi there! I'm so glad you stopped by this page to learn a little more about me, your photographer!

 I'm Mindy Harris: a photographer, a yogi, and a mom to two super sweet weimaraners. I have a hard time writing about myself but I will try to do the best I can!

First and foremost, photography is my passion. Sounds cliche but photography formed me into the person I am today. I started at a young age.. maybe 8 or so.. using an instant camera. I took pictures of everything! I grew up on 10 acres with a pond and lots of animals. This lifestyle has also molded me into who I am today. I LOVE animals. I am crazy about them and have owned and rescued so many different types from lizards to squirrels to armadillos. I photographed our chickens, dogs, ducks, cows, pet birds, turtles, pigs, rabbits, fish, even our ostriches! I also shot landscapes and sunsets... (something I still photograph like crazy). As I became a teenager, my parents began to see how much I was photographing friends and nature and bought me my first camera on my 15th birthday. This is the same camera I began Mindy Harris Photography with at 18. Little did I know.. that this was my calling. 

I have spent all my life in Chiefland, Florida but love to travel. I'm not sure how long I will be in this small town or where my path will lead me but I have big plans for my future! I am currently 22 and still building a life and career. Almost 5 years ago I was trying to figure out what I was doing with my life. I didn't know where I was going on this path and was struggling through college. One day I just decided to quit wasting my time and just do what made my heart happy. I never thought I could be a "photographer" but with a little bit of hopefulness and going out on a limb.. I took the plunge and booked my first clients. I will never forget that feeling. 

I believe all humans are multifunctional. We can be on this earth for more than one purpose. Recently I was offered an opportunity to become the owner of Yoga Y'all... a yoga studio located here in Small Town USA. At the end of 2013 I began taking yoga classes for its benefits: relaxation, stress relief, to be active to contradict my long hours sitting at the desk editing, etc. My teacher voiced she needed help teaching and asked if I would be interested in getting certified. Seeing as I am the owner of my own business and had a flexible schedule I decided to go for it. It wasn't easy... taking a month off of life here.. living in another city (St. Augustine!!!) and getting to know all new people was tough on this home-body. But it was by far one of the best experiences of my life. I received my 200 hour certification the Summer of 2014 and fast forward a year... my boss got offered a new job opportunity with the Sheriff's office. So it was either shut down our little studio or me take on the task of being sole instructor and owner while also running and maintaining MHP. This has been one of the best decisions ever. I am so happy and finding balance where I once had no footing. 

So my two careers are the biggest parts of my life but there's a lot more to me than my jobs. I enjoy being anywhere there is water whether it be the beach, the river, or a pond. I love to travel, read, drink wine, cook and eat delicious food, spend time with family and friends, take long walks with my dogs, snuggle, GARDEN, paint, play sports and spend long days doing nothing! LOL. 

My life is far from average.. but I wouldn't want it that way anyway. I have been with my better half, Cote, for 7 years May 10th. We are lovers of animals.. well it's mostly me and Cote just gives in ;) We have 2 weimaraners: Doug and Travis.. they are obviously our children haha! We also currently have 3 cats... and yes, I am *that* crazy cat lady. Over the years of living together my true animal lover nature has shined through as we have owned 2 birds, some fish and rescued a homing pigeon, 3 baby squirrels, turtles and rabbits. 

My love for animals has taught me PATIENCE. Something I believe a photographer needs so importantly. I have spent many hours in silence. Silence creates space for creativity to grow and patience to form. One of the things I hear so much from my clients is how patient I am... and I have nature to thank for that. I like to allow things to happen at their own pace. I am super laid back and a little *hippy dippy* because I like to just "go with the flow". I am a very emotional artist. I look for *feelings* and special touches. I yearn to take images that twinge something special in my heart and in return hope it does the same to my client's heart. 

In choosing me as your photographer I will take you on as a friend and someone you can trust as a truly custom artist. Every location, every pose is discussed with you. Every image intricately edited by hand and delivered in a beautiful online gallery. I am a chaser of the sun... it shows in the majority of my pictures. I see the sun in such a special way... I wish every one stopped and said look at that light!!... the golden hour is e v e r y t h i n g! 

If you have made it this far, I thank you so much for allowing me to pour a little bit of my life onto this page and taking the time to read about it. There is beauty in every person that steps in front of my lens and it is my calling to find that beauty and showcase it to the best of my ability<3 Life is *so* beautiful!