The Power of a Phone

It all started with a phone in my hand and a heart for capturing beauty in everyday life.

I didn’t set out to start a business, I simply shared what I saw. Over time, that turned into portraits, art installations, and teaching others how to see the magic through their own lens.

Using a cell phone allows me to stay present, spontaneous, and connected. It proves that the tool doesn’t make the art, the heart behind it does.

About Wendy

A Lifelong Love, an Unexpected Journey

Photography has always been part of me. Like many of us, I’d share images on my phone to Facebook — moments that made me pause and say “wow.” One day, a friend asked if I’d ever make a calendar. That idea felt too big — how could I choose just 12 photos? Instead, I started small: photo cards.

Then came a friend’s daughter’s senior session. I hadn’t done portraits yet, but I said yes. The session was beautiful. I watched as Faith, the high school senior, bloomed in front of my lens. That day, I realized that how you make someone feel directly shapes the images you’re able to create. And I knew I had something special to offer.

Gallery

“It was no longer hobby money. It had to become a business.”

One photo can change everything. Mine did — it was a tiny green tree frog, perched on a pink dahlia. Captured at a flower farm with my mom, I posted it to Facebook. Soon after, someone from Essentia Health in Fargo messaged me, asking to purchase it for their pediatric cardiology remodel.

That one photo turned into 64 custom canvases now displayed across two Essentia campuses — including the Cardiology Clinic and Cardiac Rehab Center. I went from hobbyist to business owner almost overnight.

“With tears in their eyes, they thanked me and said I captured a moment that will keep their family’s legacy alive.”

After the Essentia project, Macgreggor Sharpe of KVRR-TV visited my vendor booth and couldn’t believe all my images were taken on a phone. The story aired, and my work was showcased at a local Fargo coffee shop. Shortly after, Hannah Vigg from the Fargo Forum reached out for a feature story.

For the article, I chose a photo of a 1929 Ford, captured at the Rollag Steam Threshers Reunion. Three minutes after the story was published, the original owner’s family contacted me. They bought prints, cards, and calendars — and shared that they were mailing my photo out as their family Christmas card that year.