I began photographing the natural world as a means to combat stress. As a metastatic breast cancer patient, I require lifelong maintenance treatment. I am enormously fortunate to be able to say that, by and large, I have responded extremely well to my treatments. That said, every now and then I need a course of more intensive therapy, and over the years I have gone through chemotherapy, radiation, 2 brain surgeries, and brain radiation. The stress and fear that all this creates can be overwhelming. Wildlife photography has proven to be a total game-changer for me, and it is now one of the most powerful de-stressing tools that I have. Photography has completely changed my day-to-day life, and all for the better. Now, rather than focusing on the "what if's, "if only's, and "what could have been's", I spend most of my free time outside with my camera and Addie, my dog, surrounded by beauty, quietly watching all manner of wild beings, from honey bees to falcons. Living in Santa Cruz, CA there is a seemingly endless amount of wildlife to enjoy. When I am watching an owl preen or a coyote hunt, cancer couldn't be further from my mind. I can't overstate what a gift this is. Recently, I have ventured into pet photography, which I also love doing. I volunteer at my local SPCA photographing their dogs and fundraising events.